The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-11-16
SELECT STORY.
TIE HOUSE BY THE RIVER.

mo. Snall never forgive you lOr |
marrying that girl, Charles cannot.
You are my brother no longer Fare.
we'll"
"Good.by, then, forever, if you will |
have it 80. had hoped that this in
terview would terminate very differ
entity" and the young man left the
room and the house.
His sister made a movement to.
wards the door, as if to call him back,
but her indomitable pride intervened
she restrained her desire, aud walked
up and down for nearly an hour, her
features hard and set, her figure drawn
to its fullest height, and, when at last,
overcome by fatigue, she sank into
a chair, only the words ooh, my
brother! my brother" expressed the
emotion she felt
Long she sat there in the gathering
darkness, gazing into the bright fire,
thinking of the happy days Of child
hood passed with that brother, whom
she had jus: turned from her door
thinking how, as the years had rolled
on, and childhood had ripened into
youth, they had been left motherless
and fatherless, and had clung to each
other with increased affection, being
one in all their pursuits and pleasures
how, when the great wealth she now
possessed had so Unexpectedly passed
into her hands, all her thoughts had
been for him, all her plans for his
comfort and happiness.
Her face had softened as her mind
had dwelt on the past, but it became
dark and hard again, as she thought of
the events of the past month; how he,
her idol, had withdrawn his allegiance
from her, and bestowed his heart upon
a pretty, doll-faced girl, whom he had
married without her consent. No. she
would never forgive him, never, though
all the light had been taken from her
life, and her future appeared nothing
but loneliness and gloom.
The fire had gone out; the room
was cold and in the dim twilight
shadowy forms seemed to be near her
a mothers face, with sad, pleading
eyes, looked reproachfully at her; a
fathers voice, stern and sorrowful,
seemed to denounce her for so heart
lessly separating herself from her be-
loved brother, her only near relative.
She rose and went to the window
overlooking the river The evening
was starless and damp; the wind was
rising, and, as it moaned among the
tall trees on the bank, Grace King
stone thought how peacefully she
could rest beneath those dark waters,
free from all the bitter disappoint-
ments and heavy cares of her troubled
life; she was only twenty-five, she
might live to be an old woman, and
what did she care for, since her broth
er's heart was won from herr Turning
from the window, she rang the bell
and ordered tea to be brought in.
| The fire was rekindled, the curtains
drawn, and the room, with its massive
costly furniture and soft carpet, was
comfortable and cosy; but the CHEEKY
voice and the hearty laugh which had
once made the little tea-table so de-
lightful, were gone, and the proud
woman sat alone and in silence, en-
deavoring to eat and drink, but every
thing choked her, she pushed back her
chair, took book, and, crossing the
hall, went into the parlor, where she
spent two intermitable hours reading,
or rather appearing to read.
81 cannot stand this" she thought,
as she closed the book. 81 cannot
stay here among all these haunting
memories they will drive me mad. l
will shut up the house and go to the
city tomorrow She rang the bell
for the housekeeper, and gave all the
necessary orders for her departure on
the following day.
"Shall you be gone long, do you
think, Miss Grace 2" asked the old SER
want, who bad been in the family for
years, and who, since Miss Kingstone's S
lately acquired wealth, had risen to the
rank Of housekeeper.
81 shall not come back for long
time, Susan" answered her mistress.
81 want everything kept in order
while l am gone the house and
lgrounds must not go to ruin
| w III ,NudolCi SIhiilS oO hSic VI III
the city, MISS Grace?'
| 81 do not know where he will be,
and wish you and all the servants to
understand that his name must never
be mentioned in my presence. He is
dead to me. l have no brother"
80 Miss Grace, what would yom
poor mother say if she knew this 2
and the old woman left the room sob
bing.
The next day Miss Kingstone wen
to her city home. She took one last
walk on the river bank, and round thu
house, but no mortal could tell from
the cold, calm face, what was passing
in her mind, as, pausing before she en-
tered the carriage, she looked long
farewell at the large, handsome house
which had been her pride and deligh
and where she had spent such happy
happy hours.