The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-06-17

] Il
but at that moment her eyes fell on us,
and she started
| saw their faces change as they looked
earnestly at each other while spoke, the
color fading from each; then Frank p
"Lucyr' broke from their lips, and their
hands were knit together.
/ | left them to their happiness, and sat
long by my own FIRE, pondering over the
strangeness of this life, over how few are
those blessed with the power of evolving
| from Nature her latent romance, and over
1 what is the essence of that which we call
/ by this name. and of which most Of us know
so little.
I Heathcote Joined me at last. He had
much to tell me- She had been promised
in marriage by her father, and had refused
I 10 bow to his decision in spite of her moth
ers tears. She had told the suitor that
her heart belonged to another, and that she
would not be faithless to him; but it was of
no avail He replied that he would abide
by her fathers word, and hoped to win her
I heart after ne had bought her hand. TheB
/ she solemnly assured him and her father
that she would refuse to pronounce her
marriage vows before the altar. Her threat
was disregarded rs an idle one.
She wrote to the clergyman who was to
ofhciate, but her letter was intercepted.
She was jealously watched, and the pre-
partitions for her sacrifice went on.
At last the fatal morning came, and 50
self-possesSed was she that her father muir
INJURED words of praise as he handed her
from the carriage. and, passing her arm
through his. led her up the aisle of the
church. where roses and lilies were strewn
before her. There she stood between the
two men who had bartered her body and
thought they could barter her soul. and
locked up into the kind face of the old
clergyman
His lips were parted TO commence the
service when, with rapid gesture, she
threw back her veil, startling him and at
tracing his notice, while heryoiec rang out
the words;
II am here against nay will; appeal to
you and your Master
The next moment her father had fallen
pr,sstrate. and was struggling on the steps
. uI the AAtAEs tIG Wa ANAANfN1 aoNtsAsF-AFe%-'f
and died the next day.
Her mother lived for short while afler,
always in very feeble health and suffering
greatly from nervous depression, and Lucy
was her faithful nurse,
IL was only after her mothers death that
she felt At liberty to make any inquiries as
10 where Hea,hcote might be, but all clew
TO hisswhcrsAhoats seemed To haze been lost
after he left Italy Il vas about two years
after her mothers death that ! met her at
my friends house.
Before that she had travelled good deal
on the continent uf Eurupe then feel
ing of reStiessness came over her, and she
visited hrs4 North and then South Africa
The Wild life in the more remote parts
Of the latter had charm for her. She
picked up the patois Of the BOers and .
little of the zum languages, and although
often intending 10 fcturn 10 her English
home. still fingered. She had her own
. travelling wagon and her horses, but FROM
a love ii adventure Travelled alone, except
for her native attendants, fearless, because
caring little Cor life, and az last her wan
I derinss had led her 70 him for whose sake
f life heneefoEw ard would be dear To her.
That night could not sleep, and stood
beside Heaihcotcs couch hooking at him
BIZ the rays Of late meoa Two short
months of comparative ease aud happiness
had wrought change ia him, but the
greatest change of all was in the expression
of the slcsper's face, Is he smiled in his
drcam--a change worked by short watch
in the night
As | stooEed over him | neiiced that
the ribbon and the little bag were gune,
and guessed that che pledge Of eyerlast-
ing fdelity had been returned 10 her 9ho
gave ito one who would treasure the
worn and time ssained sheet Of paper
which had lain 50 close To his heart for 70
many years, whispering hope when hope
seemed dead.
They we're married at missionary sta
tioa which was within a few days trek of
our eaeampment, and then. leaving their
wagon and oxen with me, started for Pre-
toria On horseback. having bought third
horse 10 carry their simple baggage and
cooking apparatus. aud their blankets aud
a tetheFins-line for the horses Both Of
them good riders, and Injured 90 hardship,
thought, as bade them God-speed, that
theirs was the very romance et marriage.
To mount your horse AT the church door,
and, free from all the shackles of society,
10 ride forth into the wide veldt, with no
one near YOU but the one you love best ;
10 tether your horses al night and lie down
beside them with your saddle foI your pill
low, and 10 wake up with the fresh morn
ing breeze lifting your hair. aud the rosy
morning light bidding you welcome to an
other day Of gladness to have the memo
ries of two DAYS like this TO look back ON,
must, ii seemed to me, be worth suffering
for.
They were to reach Pretoria on the
evening Of the third day. They trusted
10 obtaining food at the houses of the
Beers they should pass. They intended
when they reached the village, to buy q
light carriage. To proceed u DurbA. and
thence home to the old place, where they
had wandered in childhood | was to dis
pose Of their wagon and oxen for them
and to arrange for their heavy luggage be
ing sent home. As Heathc0te wrung my
hand at parting he said 1T is you whc
have saved US both but for YOU this would
not have been but my unhappy past seems
I TO me now like the shadow which adds Il
, the luster of the sunshine
i And it is even so. In the spiritual az
, in the material world, where the sunshine
/ is the most radiant, there the shadow vii
be the deepest Those alone who, while
standing in the shadow, can realize thu
: existence of the sunshine, and while bask
ing in the light can be mindful of th'
gloom, can understand what is romance, cal
: see the beauty Of Nature, or listen to ne
harmonies.
| How MANY LEGS HAS SHEEP ?
E The Earl of Bradford was brought befor
4 Lord Loughborough, and conversation
followed, in which the Chancellor was com
| pletely puzzled. At last he asked, "HoN
e many legs has sheep? Does your Lord
i. ship mean" asked Lord Bradford, "a hv
a sheep or dead sheep?" rs it not tn
. same thing r. said the Chancellor. "NC
2 my Lord. said Lord Bradford; 9there
1 L.. .k.a,. MAN hav