The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-05-10

lhOos q PioNeIu.
Money always seemed to belong to
him by an inherent right. 1t was SO
natural that he should be rich. No
one could have imagined Chester
Thorley poor. He knew SO well how
to expend his wealth. He gave it so
generously, yet without ostentation,
that no man envied him.
Yet he knew q half hour later,
when he left his farewell kiss on
Marion Willoughby's beautiful lips,
that it was farewell to all his hopes
and happiness.
The blow had already fallen. He
was a ruined man, with scarce dol.
lar he could call his own-he who
had no wish ungratified money might
procure in all his thirty years of life.
1t had fallen too through no fault of
his own, though there was feeble
comfort in that. There was comfort,
however, in the knowledge that he
owed no man, and that he might
start afresh in the world with no
burden on his broad shoulders or his
conscience.
True, there was a deep wound in
his heart. He had loved Marion SO
well that to give her up was to vol.
unfairly renounce Gods sunlight.
But all her life had been spent amid
luxury. 1t was to her a necessity.
Deprived Of it, she would fade and
droop; and better any lot than to
watch her struggle, and know that
he had brought it upon her.
Besides, she had made her choice.
To her wedding meant flowers,
music, friends, the toilet of the bride.
The future, the communion of two
hearts, the solemn responsibilities
incurred, were but secondary con.
siderations.
"Good.by, my darlingl" he said, as
they parted, but when she added,
"Until Tomorrow" he answered nei.
ther yea or nay.
ITO. morrow" the world knew that
Chester Tholey's ship had gone upon
the rocks. Many of his business as.
sociates would have held out to him
a helping hand, but firmly and kind.
ly he refused every offer.
He wrote Marion a few lines, re.
calling to her mind the conversation
Of the day before, and releasing her
from her VOWS to him.
@If any good fortune comes to me-"
he concluded, "you shall hear of it
II am silent, you may know it is
because my life is wrapped in silence
and shadow. Bless you, darling, for
the light you cast upon i'll 1t will be
like looking back to heaven. l dare
not see you again-I tested my
strength to its full yesterday. God
grant that some better man than l
may win you. To love you better is
not within his power. Nor must you
think l blame you that you shrank
from sharing the new life upon which
| now enter. Flowers cannot live
without sunlight. Even as spoke
/ knew your answer. l only wanted
to be sure that l made no mistake in
interpreting the best course for your
happiness"
And then, with a few more warm,
passionate, living words of farewell,
the letter closed.
Two years passed; and the little
world which had known Chester Thor.
ley so well knew him no more. He
had entirely disappeared. Itwere as
though the sea had opened and swal-
lowed him up.
Marion Willoughby was Marion Will
loughby still. If she suffered she
made no sign; but those who had
seen tho one sparkling stone, which
had been the pledge Of her engage.
ment to Chester Thorley, noticed that
she wore it still; and others yet more
narrow watchers observed that al.
ways, when she entered a crowded
room, she would take a hasty glance
about, as though expecting to find
some one not there.
She was as yet but twenty-five, a
belle ana beauty still. The third
winter Of his absence she went west
to spend several weeks with an aunt.
II cannot spare you," her father