Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-12-08
THE SECOND LOVE.


icaily. He was nature not often STIR
red, but very deep and earnest; and
Fernand Wallace looked into his face
and wondered, with half smile, how
it would seem to feel things below a
mere surface depth.
He was very handsome, this Fer
nand Wallace, with soft, treacherous
eyes, features like the Apollo Belvi-
dere, and lute-sweet voice; and Tom
Charlesworth, who read every one ac-
cording to the keynote of his own
noble nature, loved him as if they had
been brothers.
"She's well enough" said Wallace,
deboniarly. "Nose just a trife too
short, and the lips too full, but other
wise what the world calls beautiful. So
you're hard hit, my boy, eh?"
81 love her dearly" said Tom, in a
quiet, unimpassioned voice that m cant
80 much, "and, God willing, will be
good husband to her, and you'd better
remain 70 be my. best man. It's hardly
worth while to return to Exeter for
three weeks"
"Well, perhaps your right, old fell
low" said Fernand Wallace; but any
one trihe more observant than Tom
would have noticed that the handsome.
restless eyes evaded his gaze with
strange subtlety.
"Do you hear, Elsie?" said Charles
worth, exultingly. "Fernand will
stay to our wedding. 1 knew we would
persuade him."
from her fancy work, and something
wild and piteous in her gaze attracted
Toms attention.
"Elsie, are you ili?"
Elsie laughed little hystericaily.
"No-what nonsense, Tom; Pm we'll
enough. Don't get any absurd notions
into your head"
The night before the wedding Tom
Charlesworth strobe over the fields to-
wards Elsie's home.
The little room where she was wont
to sit and wait for him was dark, and
the window was open. Tom leaned
his elbows on the easement and looked
| in.
"Esie-darlingw
But there came no answer. Elsie
was not there.
! He went around to the orthodox en-
trance, feeling little disappointed; he
scarcely knew why. Mrs. Mordaunt
met him in the hall with white, scar
ed face.
"Oh, Nj. Charlesworth, we were Just
going to send for your she cried.
"To send for mep Toms lips blanch-
ed. what has happened? Is Elsie
/ ill?"
Mrs. Mordaunts lips trembled, but
gave forth no sound, as she placed in
| Charlesworth's hands a note stained
with her own tears-a brief note writ
ten by Elsie:
Don't blame me, mamma, nor let
him blame me, because 1 could not
help loving Fernand the best. Tell him
not to feel bad; for indeed, indeed l
was not worthy of his love, and he will
be happier without me-poor Toni"
Ard it was signed with the one word,
elsie"
Cnarlesworth quietl gave back the
note and walked forth into the starry
silence of the night. No eyes but those
of the Al.-seeing should witness the
secret anguish of mis- heart?
"Mother thought you would come,
sir, if-if you knew how poor she was,
and that father was dead, and"
A burst of tears checked the child's
vaice as she stood, with dropping head
and hands tightly clssped together, in
Mr. Charleswo rth's library.
"But my ohild, you have not told
me who your mother is, nor who you
are"
Il am Margaret, and mother is is call
ed Elsie Wallace"
Mr.. Charlesworth arose and took the
child's hand in his.
"Come, child, and take me to your
home" was all ne said.
1t was Elsie-pale, sallox and wan,
the ghost OF her former self, her voice
interrupted by cough, her hands trans
parent and hot with fever-yet Elsie
still.
"You have forgiven me, Tom?" Oh,
Tom, l could not have died without
your words of pardon"
"I forgave you freely, long ago,
Elsie"
"I have explained my folly on the
altar of repentance. On, Tom, he was
a iend in human shape" she added
shuddering. "but how
She mutely motioned toward the
scantily furnished room, the dying fire
in the CRATE, and the child shivering in
her rags at the foot of the bed.
SIT is not for myself" she faltered,
Heaven knows have not long to suf-
fer, and am well Injured to it; but my
poor little Margaret, what is to become
of hel?"
stShan l take her, Elsies"
"For your own'"
"For my own" Tom answered quiet
". "I have neither wife nor child;
and for the sake of what you once
were to me, Elsie, VIII love the child
and be kind to her"
Elsie drew long sigh of inefabe re-
lief, as her fevered fingers closed on
Charlesworth's hand.
'1 can die In peace now"
When the sods mad been laid upon
poor Eisie's coffin, Margaret came to
Chsrleswortk's luxurious home, q shy,
timid child, with big, hare-like eyes,
and brown skin, and nervous way of
starting when anyone spoke to her.
Margaret said he. stroking her
I