The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1881-05-11

3hsd 8tsl 7 a4sa lgi
d,i9s oIns pnls flpu board.
tia Ecll56l and Vas Bit seventeen,
{ie6 add ho6 bsle knew
a6 ] 56ss.sn head Ilisr But j
4 5asP Pb6f u heI3rs Ing Ss L; leave
\ ssalsfis ihf safl iNdalin y period oi
ii{me, hegi5g as laa position in
! he sEsI 6dies;; So t d seal
l5o1 lills, ap 1|ef in the
f1ldhftp k 6llbn "a her l.
Yquehtly and we beeamd dsgery g66d
friehds, / saidla dlagood.by 8ithoutb bav;
ing disclosed to Lillian how deeply
her image had imprinted itself in
my heart.
ut would be wrong" I thought to
myself, ito disturb her maiden un,
consciousness by tales Of love when
it might be years before could even
think 6f marrying si 8,
Two years-passed, and news came
to me that Lillian vaslengaged to be
married, and that hertbetrothed was
Merwip Ransome, my own cousin.
Whenithree more years had gone
by, and, prospered my business be,
yond my most sanguine expectations,
| was enabled toreturn to my ynative
land, this the story that met me:
Merwin, my handsome, talented
cousin was dying, and it was. the
falseness ofthe one he loved that had
caused the. fatal illness from which
the doctor had declared recovery inn
possible. ia II @ as,
hastened Immediately to him;
hut he was delirious and knew me
not. 4. .&' & 'i. 9H =
AS l stood looking down upon his
changed form, which 7 remembered
SO full of life and vigor, indignant
thoughts filed my mind: a4
L met Lillian frequently as the
days went by, but did not seek, to
speak with her. In my bitteranger
b. Y
at her cruel treachefy towards my
poor cousin / avoided her as much as
.posible. Butone day, through acci-
dent, at "a friends house, I'VE were
thrown together. She seemed to hes.
itate a moment as she read the cold
.aversion'in my face; then coming to
my side she laid her little hand gent.
ly upon my. arm. h'
Once its touch would have thrilled
me'to my hearts core; but not now.
My faith and trust in her we're gone.
"Mr. Waite" she said softly, eve
were good friends once. Have | Of
Tended you in any way?7
"AIiss Armstrong; I replied,
though it be rude, l must speak
what is in my thoughts. Once /
deemed you pure and noble, worthy
of the noble title of 'woman'-now /
can only call you by the despicable
name of "coquette."
She gazed into my face for a mo.
ment with an incredulous look, as if
striving to understand what l had
said; then her face grew pale and
proud.
II see," she said, II have been
judged without a chance of self de.
fence. So be It'll have no reply 10
make to your unkind, unmerited sac.
cusation."
At the sound Of her sweet voice The
old madness came back to me, and
even though / thought her unworthy
| loved her still.
But strong in my manhood-in my
adherence ofthe wrongshe had done,
l crushed back the impulse to speak
and soften my cutting words.
A week later the delirium which
had held Merwin in ilsychains left
him, although we could all see that
the end was drawing very near.
Then for the first time he knew
me.
$50, Harold, old fellow, you have
come home? You little thought to
find me in this way!" aG.E
AS | clasped his extended hand,
too much affected to speak, he went
on eagerly:
Harold, for friendships sake, will
you take a message from me to Lii.
lian? must see her again before |
die. Of course you know all about
my broken engagement"