The Iola register., 1882-04-21

icy chains. She BETRAYED no emotion of
joy or sorrow, but had q smile and .
kind word for all her friends and neigh
bOrs. Once only she seemed to be
moved. when the congregation was vail
ing through the litany and praying to be
delivered from .sbattle and murder and
sudden DEATH" For few moments the
invocation seemed to recall her to life
and the memories of the past, for her
head sank lower, her prayer book closed
and she gave . wild, despairing look to
the clergyman. She kneeled longer
than usual, and her lips moved nervous
ly longer in prayer than was rightly Gus
tomary. All who knew her understood
it and looked with tears and pity on the
wretched old lady and remembered that
she was mad as far as q woman could be
whose heart, whose hopes, whose emo
tons had all died long, long ago.
The story of Mary Harrison is short
and sorrowful. Her heart received a
sudden killing blow that crushed the
light of love out of her, sharply and
suddenly. She was the daughter of an
old aristocratic house, once very wealthy,
but then decayed somewhat in their for
tune. She was the idol of her circle OF
acquaintances, and beloved by two suit
Ors at the same time, one of them rich
and influential, but unbeloved by his
neighbors. The other lover was young
lawyer, descended from the best blood Of
the gentry, but poor and dependent on
his talents for success in life. He was
young. handsome and clever; had already
made his mark in politics and his pro-
fession, and had been elected to the
House of Burgesses by his adoring con-
stituents. He loved Mary Harrison pas
sionately and had wooed and won her
affections, with the cold assent of her
father. In those days, honorable gal
lants always "spoke to the parents first
before formal declaration to the young
lady in question. The reputation OF
John Nelson was irreproachable, and
Mr.. Harrison coldly assented to the
union with his daughter, but procrasti-
mated the time of marriage almost in
definitely. He hoped that by delay theil
affections would wear out, and that his
daughter would finally listen to the sui
of Colonel Stockworth, the wealthy lover
who had lands and barrels of money
Stockworth was an unlovable man, cold
and vindictive, cruel to his servants and
as penuriously grasping as any ShylOck
Months and years rolled by, and the
solution of the suit between Mary Har
rison and John Nelson seemed as far of
as ever, while Colonel Stockworth con.
tinued to press his claims more earnestly
than ever; in fact. he never seemed tc
weary and never to understand coldnes;
or reserve. He was constant visitor a
Mr.. Harrison's mansion, and would al
ways seek opportunities to be alone with
Mary. The two lovers frequently me-
in her parlor, and were as friendly as
neighbors and old acquaintances could
be.
One evening. in the bright autumn
days, Colonel Stockworth met Miss Har
riSon in the grove that stood about hel
home. He had joined her as she walket
alone. He repeated his love for the
twentieth time, and for the twentieth
time she refused him. Cool and impas
sive, the dark -browed man replied thai
her wishes should be respected and he
would desist in his declarations of love
but that he trusted to the effect of time
in bringing about change; and, saying
very quietly he could afford to wait, he
left her with more feeling than he haG
ever betrayed before. When he had de.
parted, the old negro nurse, who had
followed behind at respectful distance,
approached her mistress and said:
"Miss Mary, you'd better beware o1
that man; he was muttering something
between his teeth when he passed by me
and it sounded nightly like curse up
on Mr.. Wilson and yourself. I tell you
he is full of mischief, and is bad enough
to carry out any mean thing he sets hi
heart on. And tell you, he doesn't
love you, Miss Mary, because it didn't
hurt him bit when you discarded him
but il. made him angry. 1 could see i
all. He has done so many cruel things
I wouldn't be surprised at anything else
he might do. So, tell you, young mis-
tress, you must keep shap eye on him. ,
A few days after this John Nelson ant
Mary Harrison met again and renewed
their professions of attachment, an6
were as happy as possible under the
statuary aspect of their matrimonial
plans. Mr.. Harrison pleaded with his
daughter, and implored her to accept
the wealthy suitor, pleading the embar.
rassment of his own personal affairs anC
the financial relief such q marriage
would bring him. But all to no purpose
A regular, systematic course of sights
and petty annoyances were put intt
practice toward John Nelson; sometimes
his horse was suffered to remain hitcheG
to the rack, and not taken to the stable
as was universally customary toward al
welcome visitors in that land of chival
rous hospitality; sometimes his waitin {
man, with his masters portmanteau
was not shown to the room usually occu
pied by his master; and, again, Nelson
was not asked to return to dinner aftel
q morning call, or invited to stay to tes
after an afternoon visit, and was nov
never asked to call again. The continued
and persistent sights and insults weighed
heavily upon his mind, but were as sc
much fuel to his consuming love-they
intensified the burning love he felt. anG
tended to confirm her in her choice.
And now his visits were short and hur.
ried, and their partings sad and fearful
Nelson and Stockworth seldom met d
the mansion, and even in the most friend
ly manner, because the one knew hi.