The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1881-11-16

knew he possessed. Bnt now, alOne rs
he thought himself. the strain seemed
relaxed. He bowed his face in his
hands and groaned.
Hetty's heart beat fast and the tears
rushed into her eyes. Oh, if he would
bat bend from hat stubborn pride, she
would give. up Mr.. Frisbee, wealth,
everything in the world, for his sake
But for Ter to make advances-never!
Lloyd rose from his seat, and walked
across the room to the bookcase. Het-
ty shrank more closely into her corner,
and the high-backed armchair hid her.
She heard him rummaging about behind
the books on the shelves, and then she
saw his arm extended to the light,
holding up two glass walls. So near was
she that she distinctly read the labels,
one of which was "Laudanum." This
he thrust into his breast-pocket and
Selling his hat, turned to leave the
room. But at the door he paused,
went back to the table, and scratching
o few hurried lines on a sheet of paper,
left it lying open and went ont.
Hetty, almost as pale rs her lover,
instantly sprang mp, and Selling the
paper glanced over it, murmurlng
brokenly as she read:
"DEAR MOTHER: Can no longer bear
agonv-scck rc~lief-hume tell J0tnny-take
good care Of you-go before you-mcct you
in"
Hetty was trembling all over; but
now a great light, as if a sudden re-
solve, dawned upon her pale face, and
without a pause she rushed from the
room, crossed the lawn, and with light,
swift steps followed the r%etreating
figure down tie road. She overlook
him ust as he turned the clump of
cedars near the stables. Was it there
that he designed to commit the terrible
deed?
Loyd turned on hearing her breath
lessly call his name. He looked a good
deal surprised at seeing hcr-no longer
pale, but flushed and with disordered
curls hanging about her forehead.
"Oh, Lloyd, don't do it! For my
sake, don't!"
"Hetty, what ais you? Don't do
what?
"You know; you didn't see me, but
I was in the room when you took the
the poison-the laudanum. Oh, Lloyd,
don't kill yourself-don't!"
He looked at her steadily, with a
curious working of bis countenance.
"Why should I not? You would
not care" he said, glOomily.
"Indeed, indeed l should !" she
sobbed. "Oh, Lloyd, I could not bear
it; it wonld kill me"
Her pleading, fearful eyes were up
turned to his. He looked down into
her face for a moment, then took both
her hands in his.
"Hetty, you are going to be another
mans wife"
"Never, Loyd-never! I vas wrong
forgive met
"You don't mean to say, Hetty"-
his face lighting all over as with q flush
of new life-"you don't mean to say
that you do really love mey
eyes, l dol I always did love you,
Lloyd. l wouldn't have told you but
for this-but for that horrible poison.
Give it to me, Lloyd, that 1 may feel
you are safe"
he answered by taking her in his
arms. There was no one near to see
them. And then he gave the deadly
vial into her hands, and she flung it gs
far as she could into the neighboring
pond,
"Life is worth living for now, Hetty,"
he said, as with her arm in his, aid her
hand clasped in his own. they walked
toward her home. But you will
never know what pain I have suffered"
Most people said that Hetty had done
right in choosing Lloyd Sutton, after
all; and Mr.. Frisbee Indignantly went
back othe city and consoled himself by
selecting as his wife some other young
and pretty woman. His marriage took
place about the same time with Hetty's.
Some three years after this, Mr.. Lloyd
Sutton, q comtortable and happy looking
pater familias, said TO lis pretty wife:
81 believe that any man q keep a
secret from his wife; but no woman can
keep one from her husband"
Don't you, indeed, dear? Now, I
think just the contrary"
He laughed knowingly.
"Perhaps | can convince you. I've
had q secret from you, lefty, ever since
we were married"
Indeed! Won't you tell it to me,
Loyd?'
why, tes, as I don't see any reason
in keeping it longer to myself. l
wouldn': tell you ut first, for fear you
should feel mortified in knowing 1t.
Do you remember when you pleaded
with me SO earnestly not to take my
life? Well, the truth is, I hadn't the
least idea Of swallowing that laudarum.
I merely intended to use it as 4 remedy
for the pain / was suffering from a ter
rible t~oothache."
"Yes," said Mrs. Lloyd Sutton. de-
murcly, but with an arch glance of her
black eyes, 81 knew that all the while,
dear. You see, l read the note you left
on the table, telling your mother that
the pain was such that you could not
wait till to morrow to take her 10 town
must go at once, to see a dentist, and
that johnny would bring her, and You
would meet her there. Then I knew
what the laudanum was for"
Mr.. Lloyd Sutton opened his eyes
very wide, aud gave q low whistle.
"You see, love" resumed his wife,
stealing her arm around his neck, Il
had no other way Of letting you know
howl loved you and regretted nv folly.
1t saved rs both from being very miscr-
able. But"-with the same arch
look-"don't you think now that a
woman can keep a secret from her hns-
band as we'll as can a husband from his
wife"
And Lloyd Sutton, kissing his wife,
he'd the manl;ness TO acknowledge him
self convinced.
An Ark Built in Fear of Another Dc!uge.
A few miles below Ohio, Ala, there
is an old negro named Moses, who
claims he had a revelation from the
Lord, in which he received information
that the world would again be destroyed
by water. He was so convinced that
the destruction would be by water that
he at opce began the work of building
an ark. He has thus been engaged for
several months, and the result of his
labors may be easily seen from the
river. This ark is very unlike the rep
reservations of the n built by Father
Noah, and would doubtless not with
stand any severe gales, such as might
be expected in a cruise Of forty days
and nights. The oddly constructed
vessel or house is placed on a high hill,
ready for the rising wafer. 1t is com
posed of several apartments, about five
feet wide and ten feet long, which are
placed on top of each other. Each has a
small portico, and spires, with feathers
as ornaments. Approaching the dwell
ing of the negro, n has to pass
through q very elaboratelv decorated