Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1883-02-08
TFsv ne Bsaeen.I
CARHGA WILLARD.
vi -.

We were not sisters, as some
supposed. only cousins. Our IA
theirs were brothers, Americans of
the truest type. But our mothers
were as foreign in looks and de-
pertinent as they were IN nation
alities.
Carma's mother was n dark
Spanish lady, and from her Carna
Inherited that erTatie, Vindictive
temperament that characterises all
Spaniards. She was beautiful, this
Carma Willard. Her eyes were
OF the darkest hue and sparkled
like some antique jewel beneath
the long silken lashes that swept
her cheeks. Her purplish black
hair lay in heavy masses and was
caught away from the classic tenn
pies, whose pencillings we're part
ly hidden by the rich pomegranite
complexion.
loved her very dearly, with a
fascination mingled with con-
slant fear. | don't know why 4
feared this beautiful girl. She was
80 caTessing, so impulsive, but
withal there seemed TO lurk an
evil fire in her eyes, and i always
felt that she made her advent in
this world just 10 make trouble.
Her father idOlized his only child
aud never saw a fault in her. One
could not blame him much; she
had such an adroit way Of hiding
her faults and kissed and carressed
the frOWns away that sometimes
gathered on Uncle Horace Viii
Iard's brow. We grew from child
hood to wemanhOOd together
Carma always exercised an impe-
Tious control over me, and | yield
ed to her whims as readily as If |
had been her slave. But as
merged into womanhoOd / felt
that her influence over me was not
TO last always. Sometimes 1 must
have actions and possessions thai
must be exclusively my own, but
how to break the letters oil her
predOminance | could not coniec-
ture. Any abrupt change on
my part would offend and perhaps
make her my enemy. This /
dreaded, for | feared that revenge
1ul temper / had seen exhibited to
others who chanced to thwart her
royal sway in the household.
There was to be a grand dinner
party in our neighbOrnOOd, in hon
or OF a Yale stndent who had grad
uated with great hOnors His pa
rents lavished all their hopes and
pride on this their only son. He
was indeed worthy the distinction.
had met him a couple Of years
beft re, in New England village,
whtIe my Aunt Margaret Glenn
resided. fhIs village was nestled
in among the mountains to the
West, while OF to the South and
East lay the river, smiling and
blue between the hills. | used
TO spend few months every year
In this secluded place. 1t seemed
To be so quiet aud unpretending
compared TO New York. You
need not look on your Atlas to
lind this miniature village. this
kenStOn, situated in the heart of
New England State. You never
will find it. The description am
giving is all you ever will know of
it. As have already told YOU. |
spent many happy days there
days in which Lester Belmont and
re&d life tOgether-days in which
through quiet drives and silent
rowsOn the riverand walks through
the tangled old county roads we
learned TO understand and fully
appreciate each other, and learned
what each was TO the other. A
sweet new existence seemed born
of his cOmpanionship, and life took
on a strange mysterious signifi-
cance and unveiled its sanctities
as our hearts drew closer togeth.
er. There had been no explana-
tiOn or declaration from him. but
each was perfectly conscious of the
others feelings. Perhaps this only
increased the sweet, subtle. deli
ciousness of Onr association and
lent a charm indescribable to the
l.1-'\- evenings he passed at Glen.
cliffs.
embodied all that was gra-
cious and fragrant and noble in
Lester Belmont and he left me for
his last course at Yale with q san
phire, q pledge of orr betrothal,
upon my finger. We sat one even
ing before he left on the banks of
the river, whose green shrubbery
Inirrored its depths. Not ripple
stirred the surface, only the rest
less undercurTent sent the low.
sad murmur of waves back TO our
feet as If they were never at rest.
Lester was reading the duchess
May" and as the stately cadence