The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-08-30
a BLACKSNIITH'S LOVING,

I had resolved, with many persons no
doubt who had shaken off its yellow
dust, nevor to visit the dismal little town
of Bloomsbury again. 1t was 50 called,
derhaps, because of it's utter lack of veg
citation, and because of it's being ST.
hara of red clay roads and sandy plains,
over which sickly shrubs and vines
strove and knotted together L had loft
it III July, with a dull, hot sun cracking
and scanning the dry marsh, leading to
the town, and felt us if spared tho COM
mission of n crime by the sudden tele-
gram which recalled me to the city.
I whipped my horse into mad gallop,
and looked neither to the right nor left,
animated by vague wonder as to how
any one existed there.
Again it was July, and by singular
chain of circumstances [ found myself
rambling leisurely on horseback down
the dusty high street of Bloomsbury.
The same red sun was blistering the
paint OH the little new pos t-officc, and
the same brawny blacksmith wiped the
sweat from his brow before his forge,
and stopped work to stare ut me in q va
can't way.
Ihad passed somo idle hours in his
shop before, and after n stolid scrutiny
he recognized me.
"Back again, squire?" he asked, Civ
ing me n familiar nod. cit be q matter
of three years now since T shod your
gray mare in the off hind foot.
He was evidently proud of this piece
of memory.
Gully that" said again wondering
how he had endured all these days and
nights in this God forsaken spot. He
l.; nl
blackeneo finger pointed to the tiny ga
bles of q house near by,
sI be married since. I've got boy
mp there, an he'll be smithy reckon,
though his mother is inclined to the
trade Of shoe strings, tapes and the like.
hate it, I do. Them be all white-skin-
ned, creamy fellows, with no grit in
'em."
had never deemed it n possibility
that there could be marrying or giving
in marriage here. In this respect
Bloomsbury rcsembled heaven in my
sacreligious mind. Perhaps the "old,
old story" of love had made it q paradise
% the young blacksmith.
I gave my horse a brief rest and q
drink from the good fellows trough, as
v inquired the current news of the town,
though, the Lord knows, nothing could
be further from my thoughts than to
care what news there was. had seen
but once, for moment, a face which
even family interested me in that horri-
bic place, and try as hard rs would, I
could never drive away that vision.
i had strolled into the little yellow
church ono sultry day to escape the
thunderstorm which was rapidly COM
ing up from the west, and stepped into
the porch just as the first heavy drops
battered on the roof, and on the bleach
I'd grass about the tumbled down head.
stones in the yard.
1t was indeed lovely face which ap-
peared rs pale star in the organ-loft,
among commonplace, tawny-featurcd
faces, with black and brown ringlets,
streaming around them. She did not
blush or return my gaze coyly, as young
girls are wont to do i'll country places,
but looked over and beyond me in pit
iful, vacant meaningless way I don't
know whether she wore pink, or blue, or
lavender, It was q cloudy, ,tilmy sort Of
dress, admirably suited to her large gray
eyes and rings of yellow hair. Her bon
net was sweet little thing, tied up with
white ribbon. Her chin was like ala
bastcr, her check was scarcely less pale
1 fingered in the church porch after
the congregation had trooped out and
tho sexton had shuttercd up the gloomy
little edifco I had stupidity missed her
in the throng, or she had gone out Mt
the choir entrance. I had forgotten the
incident directly, and remembered it
now only as young Jansen, tho brawny
Norwegian, spoke of his wife and baby.
"Thcrc was q rather pretty young lady
there three years ago." I said, biting o
bit of raw straw, and looking over the
pollard window ut the church stceple.
IA PALE white girl, in q straw bonnet. !"
An indescribnble flush mounted to his
swarthy cheek and stained his brow. He
dropped the hammer with sharp clang,
and let his iron cool while he looked ut
me threateningly for an instant. Tho
tigerish green faded from his eyes and
left q dull, red glare.
"She was considered handsome then,
/ know who you mean."
"I hope she is pretty still. That was
a face I thought " man might SEQ over
his ten urn every day for lifetime and
not tire" ..
"Do you think so, verily?" said Jan
sen, sending up shower OF sparks. cit
be I'LL owing to how the face looks ut
you. If it be with dead, cold eyes, and
icy lips-why man, death itself at times
could not match it. It was sweet face
to hnng in lockct."
With great simplicity ho had express
ed my thought.
"Now; your wife, said in q banter
ing way; "I dare say she is q smart girl
given to teasing you, and coming to meet
you with your son on hcr back, and then
you three romp away home again"
A sigh of anguish burst from tho
honest fellows bosom, and for the first
time it tlawned on me that in some way
Z raa hlnnlerinQlY tOrtnring him. l