The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-11-22

if ever it was Allan's duty to befriend
and care for her.
Sc she sent him word, in few,
shy, timid sentences, of her sorrow
and loneliness. But it was doubtful
if even the letter would reach him
mails in those days were not certain
ties; and even if it did reach Allan,
| it was still more uncertain whether
he could reach Mabel.
| And in the meantime she must
work, and though Mabel could com
mand no higher position than that
of a nursery governess, yet she found
in it higher life than ever the
dreamy luxurious selfishness OF her
fathers home had given her.
Her employers were of the ordi-
nary class. can weave no romance
out of them.
They felt no special interest in Ma
bell, neither did they ill l.use her. She
was useful and unobtrusive, and
asked for neither sympathy nor at
tention.
No letter came from Allan, though
she waited and hoped with failing
heart and paling' cheek for more
than year.
She had not the courage to write
again, and her anxiety and distress
began 10 tell very perceptibly on a
IL, tra,l annstitrt,,,0
Then a physician advised her to
try al once more invigorating c'i-
mate, and she not pnwillingly
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 her
friends she established herself in a
fashionable locality and commenced
teaching music.
think few women could have
been more successful; so in che Sec
ond winter of Mabel's residence in
New York it became "the thing" to
invite Miss Rae to preside over Sc
lect social and musical entertain
ments.
| have a friend who met her dur
ing that season frequently, and who
describes her tact and influence as
something extraordinary and mag
netic.
Her rare beauty was unGeminish-
ed, though more thoughtful; her
dress was uniformly the same-a
pale, pink, lustreless silk, with tube
roses in Der hair and at her breast,
for her passion for these flowers was
stronger than ever.
She had many lovers, but she ig-
nored 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 moonlight nights; and
though twice two years had passed,
she refused to believe him false.
And she was right. Allan deserv-
ed her fullest faith. Her letters had
never reached him, and yet he had
with incredible difficulty made his
way TO New Orleans, only to find
the plantation in the hands of stran-
gers, and Mabel gone.
After long and dispiriting search
he left Mabel's discovery in the
hands of well paid agents, and re-
turned to Scotland 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 sol
emn silences in which he and his
love had walked, listening only to
the beating of their own hearts, or
the passionate undertones 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 rW come; and so one day
Mabel got note from a friend an
nouncing her return from abroad,
and begging her to be present at a
small informal reunion at her house
that evening. She went early in
the day, and spent the afternoon in
that pleasant gossip which young
and happy women enjoy. Her
friend rallied her good deal upon
her growing years, and laughiDgly
advised her to secure young
Scotchman with whom they had
had a pleasant acquaintance in their
travels, and who was now in New
York, and going to spend the even
ing with them.
Did fate knock softly at Mabel's
soul then? for she blushed, and in
stantly, as if by magic, there sprang
up in her heart a happy refrain,
which she could not control. and
which kept on singing, He comes,
he comes, my lover comes
She dressed with more than or
dinary care. and was SO impatient
that her toilet was completed before
the others had begun. So she sat
down in the sun-lighted parlor. say
ing to herself: Il must be still |
will be calm; for how should bear
a disappointment, and what ground
of hope have +; Absolutely none.
but that he comes from the same
country. No. there is no hope"
But still above the doubt and fear