The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-05-05
Vancouver Independent.
OyrCAL PAPsR OF CIrY AND COUNTY.
Vancouver, Clarke County, Washington
Territory.
True TO THE CORE.

WESTERN SKY, Wucu ID lauy uuu Seutieuhu
paused in their walk to rest at rustic
stile that divided the field from the
pretty grove that had been spared by the
woodmal' s AK, and which added much to
the beauty of scene naturally fine. The
gentleman was tall, fnelyformed man,
with gay, dashing manner. The lady
was almost as tall as he, her figure full
and graceful. She was rather inclined
to be too silent. Perhaps one of her
attractions to George Eustace was that
he liked to talk and she to listen.
She was listening in silence now,
while he told her he loved her, and
asked her to be his wife. Her eyes were
cast down, and her face flushed and
troubled.
"Then you don't love me, Lucia?" he
said, when she made him no answer.
"Then you dom love me?" he repeated,
and the brown eyes were sad enough
now.
"I'm afraid it would never do; we are
so unsuited to each other"
But her voice trembled and her eyes
were downcast still-the dark, fearless
eyes, that always met every one so earn
estly and truthfully.
Lucia" he said, almost angrily, "you
are afraid to trust me; you think be-
cause 1 laugh and talk gally with the
other girls, that cannot be true to one.
Only try me, darling And encour-
aged by her silence, he put his arms
around her, and bending down, took his
first kiss from her lips.
She did not resist the caress; she had
i'm, c,r cl,
child, and though she knew his nature
to be lighter and more changeable than
her own she loved him to we'll to refuse
to marry him. Besides, she knew that
he was going to leave his home and her,
that he was going to join the army, and
on this last evening her heart was heavy
at the thought of to-morrow's parting.
So when be left her that evening she
had given her promise to be true to him,
to wait for him until he could come and
claim his bride.
She babe him good-by the next day,
sorrowfully but hopefully, for had she
not his return to look forward to? And
then his lettersl What happiness to have
him write to her!
And he did write to her such tender,
loving letters that she bore his absence
bravely, and went about her household
duties cheerfully, taking many cares of
her mothers hands. And that mother
thought there was no one so blessed as
she had been in her daughter,
Months glided into years, the war was
over, and Lucia heart beat high with
happiness, for soon George would be
with her again. Others who had been
with him came back to their homes and
began to take up the old routine of life.
But still he fingered and cloud began
to obscure the sunshine of her life. But
still she waited and hoped, caring moth
ing for the attentions of other gentlemen
and accepting them with such indiffer-
ence that she kept them all at q distance.
Her sister, gay, lieht-hearted girl,
came running into her room one day,
where Lucia was trying to read.
Charlie Reynolds stopped at the
gate, where l was standing, Just now,
and what do you think he said, Lucia?"
THAT he wanted to come in, did not
hep answered Lucia.
Nonsense, Lucia He told me some
thing about George Eustace, and 1 hope
you won't care much about it," she said,
wistfully.
what is it you have heard, Jennie?
Tell me!' Lucia said steadily, but her
face grew white.
''Charlie says that he is to be married
to lady in Mississippi" answered
Jennie.
''It cannot be true" was all that Lucia
answered.
But it was true, and Lucia, seated in
church the very next Sunday, saw
George walk up the aisle with his bride
and show her to his mothers pew. He
was married, then, and had brought his
bride to visit his mother. There was q
terrible pain at Lucias heart, bitter pain
at the thought of the cruelty that could
let her dream happy dreams Of his COM
ing when he was the husband of an
other. But there was thankfulness, too,
that her engagement was only known to
her mother and sister, that if she must
suffer this pain, almost like the bitter
ness Of death, at least no one would look
with scornful, plying eyes upon her.
She met George Eustace in society
often during his visit to his mother
met him with his bride beside him, q
fragile, lovely girl. Lucia congratu-
lated them, and bore herself toward
them as the same pleasant, well-bred
lady that she was to other acquaint-
ances. Outwardly she was unchanged,
but she suffered In the silent hours of
night, when she listened to the wind or
looked out upon the stars alone. Mem