News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-09-28
SIN less then two wears will be here

! ACA0o "hADES1SS "oLStOy 80 IO LCAA AOA Ala
his arms, and kissed again the face
dearer than all the world to him. And
Mabel smiled through her tears, and
2 held the last tuberose of the summer to
his lips for a'partipg pledge.
But the two years brought many
changes. The war cloud gathered, and
long before Allan could redeem his
promise the little inland plantation was
desolate and deserted; Mabel was an
orphan, and cruelty embarrassed in
money affairs /; claimants without num-
Der appeared against the Rae estate,
and creditors forced the plantation into
the market at the most unfavorable
time. She was driven from her home
in strict accordance with tie letter of
the law, but she felt and knew, though
powerless to prevent it, that she had
been wronged.
For the first time in all her life Mabel
thought for herself, and dared to look
the future in the face. She had promised
her father never to write to Allan with
out his per mission, but she considered
that death annuls all contracts, and
surely now if ever it was Allan's duty to
befriend and care for her. So she sent
him word, in few shy, timid sentences,
of her sorrow and loneliness. But it
was doubtful if ever tho letter would
reach him; mails in those days were not
certainties; and even If it did reach
Allan, it was still more uncertain
| whether he could ever reach Mabel.
| And in the meantime she must work;
and though Mabel could command no
higher position than that of a nursery
governess, yet she found in it higher
life than even the dreamy luxurious sell
fishness of her fathers home had given
her.
Her employers were of the ordinary
| class. I can weave no romance of them.
| They felt no special interest in Mabel,
neither did they iil-use her. She was
useful and unobtrueive, and asked for
neither sympathy nor attention. No
letter came from Allan, though she
waited and hoped with failing heart and
PcSAAhS1 SLiOCho 4Iu I1OlO bldu d NShE.
She had not the courage to write again,
and her anxiety and distress began to
tell very perceptibly on a naturally frail
constitution. Then physician advised
her to try at once a more invigorating
climate, and she not unwilIingly agreed
to accompany the invalid wife of an
officer returning to her home in New |
York.
This was the dawn OF brighter day
for Mabel; by the advice of friends she |
established herself In fashionable |
locality, and commenced teaching music. |
I think few women could have been |
more successful; so in th e second winter
OF Mabels residence in New York lit |
became "the thing" to invite Miss
Rae to preside over select social and |
musical entertainments. 1 have friend
who met her during that season fire.
quently, and who describes her tact and
influence as something extraordinary
and magnetic. Her rare beauty was
undiminished, though more thoughtful;
her dress was uniformly the same-a
pale pink lustreless silk, with tuberoses
in her hair and at her breast, for her
passion for these flowers was stronger
than ever.
She had many lovers, but she ignored
or else decidedly refused all. Her heart
was still with the tall, fair mountaineer
who had won it amid the warmth and
perfume of tropic moons and moon-lit
nights; and though twice two years had
passed, she refused to believe him false.
And she was right, Allan deserved
her fullest faith. Her letter had never
reached him, and yet he had with in
credible difficulty made his way to New
Orleans, only to find the plantation in
the hands of strangers, and Mabel gone.
After long and dispiriting search he
left Mabel's discovery in the bands of
well-paid agents, and returned to Scot
land almost broken-hearted.
But he still loved her passionately,
and often on stormy nights when the
winds tossed the tall pines like straws,
and mountain SHOWS beat at the barred
doors and windows, he thought of the
happy peace and solemn silences in
which he and his love had walked,
only to the beating of their
own hearts, or the passionate under
tones of the mocking- birds.
Thus the two walked apart who should
have walked hand in hand, and it seemed
as if the years only widened that breach
over which two souls looked longingly
and called vainly.
But if we will wait, the harvest of the
heart will come and so one day Mabel
got a note from friend announcing her
return from abroad, and begging her to
be present at small informal reunion u.
at her house that evening. She went
early in the day, and spent the after
noon in that pleasant gossip which young .
and happy women enjoy. Her friend .
rallied her good deal upon her grow
ing years, and laughingly advised her
to secure a young Scotchman with
whom they had had pleasant acquaint-
ance in their travels, and who was now '
in New York, and going to spend the
evening with them.
Did fate knock softly at Mabel's soul .
thenP for she blushed, and instantly, =
as if by magic, there sprang up in her :
heart happy refrain, which she could .
not control, and which kept on singing,
"He comesl he comes! my lover comes!' !
She dressed with more than ordinary :,
care, and was SO impatient that her =
toilet was completed before the others
bad begun. So she sat down in the sun
lighted parlors. saying to herself: '1 y
must be still will be calm; for how
should / bear a disappointm and
what ground of hope have L? Absolute
y none, but that he comes from the
same country. No, there is no hope"
But still above the doubt and fesr she
could hear the same Ginning under