The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-07-26
ALTERNATIVES.

Should marry Mr.. Dacre? Was he
good party? as the world said. Too
good for me, as my lady friends elc-
gantly phrased il.
had been born into the world amid
fierce thr0eS Of mental anguish.
Through the pain Of her travail my
mothers heart was rent with the great
er pain of my fathers sudden death
drowned off the Cornish coast, for I
was born al sea. She lived until | was
erty and remuneration. Then she died,
leaving me to the care of compassion-
ate world and my uncle.
My life dragged OIL with clogged
wheels. l was always at war with my
surroundings. Though too proud to
express II, had never realized my ideal
of womanhood, or in any way grown
up to my aSUiratiOnS and dreams. If I
had grown at all it had been through
pain and repres%iOn--a fatal thing al
ways for a warln-hearted, earnest
woman.
My uncle Edward Earle, nau pro-
cured me the friendship (2) Of the lady
in whose house had passed Il twelve
month--NIrs. Lucian Granger, IL dis
tanG cousin of his own. | was an un-
Salaricd gOverness or companion, our
remote cousinShip beng always avail
able by my uncle. 1t was during my
residence with that lady that my fate
came to me. A young nephew of Mrs.
Granger'S came to the Hall. He was
an artist, young and handsome, and
fresh from II four years tour in Rome.
| need not weary you with the pro-
logue or epilOgue of our love, for words
are SO poor TO express the hearts
utteranccs. 0 golden days! O tender,
passionate nights, o princely heart
come back 70 me!
Alan Leighton was the last son of a
high born family, and because of the
blue blood-the united blood of all the
Ilowarls-i flowing in his veins, Mrs.
Granger intcrposed her fiat against our
love, dreading, doubtless, the plebeian
admiXture of mine.
1t is pity that blood does not al
ways tell. In was All inglorious tri-
umph to me- yet still a trumph--tO
bare my white arms to the shoulder
during our gala night-to which my
voice was always invited, contrasting
their sanity smoothneSs and perfect
contour with tho lean, brown appen-
dageS Mrs. Granger folded over her
ariStocratic heart.
But cloud had crept into the sky,
and its shadow fell across our path.
Alan was called suddenly by telegraph
to England, where his grand old father
lay dying. We had but Il moment for
our farewclls, for Alan's heart was rent
with SORROW and helped to eXpediate
his departure.
But one letter ever reached me. His
father was dead and he was Sir Alan
now,
My Precious HELEN: My father,
whom | loved and respected above all
men, died yesterday. ! need not tell
you how dcsolate we feel, and how the
light seems to have died out of every
nook and corner. My dear mother is
Frustrated with the blow which has
taken away the love of her youth, and
| shall not be able to return to you for
some weeks. Announce our betrOthal,
dearest, to my aunt and uncle, which,
you know was my intention the very
night l was called away. BE true to
me, my darling Helen, as | shall be
true to you. Good Mig Int, dear love, l
shall write at length 50 soon as my
mother and / have maturcd oHr plans
for her lonely future. Good night,
good night. May angels guard you and
may the good Father fold about you his
everlasting arms. Your friend and
lover, ALAN LEIGHTON.
Two years had dragged their slow
length along since that letter came,
and | had never heard from Alan,
though craving his presence as the
prisoner Graves tho sunshine. l had
written him once and l had regretted
even that. Gle was soon to be we'd
ded to an earl's handsome daughter''
Mrs. Granger read aloud from an open
letter in her hand; Sin facS it was an
old affair, prior to his visit to the Hall, -
ETC., etc.
How | regretted had written,
though the words had been few, merely
asking if he had been enabled to pro-
cure me certain book wo had made
mention of together, and the time was
more than year ago when | had the
right to thus address him. And nowl
Opitiful Christi another woman was to
be his wife, and must never think of
the old days, or the old dreams, or look
into his dark eyes, or feel his kisses
upon my unliissed lipsI Neverl and l
might live fifty years.
And O, the pity of It'll out of all this
worlds million possibilities had only
the chance of two-cither to wed Regi
nald Dacrc, a man old enough to be my
father, or to be a companion to some
naughty woman. / had decided upon
accepting Mr.. Dacre. The tiny note
of barely two limos had placed between
the leaves of book 1t was his nightly
custom to read. ...
But Alan! but Alan! I had thought
him so true, so noble. | had called
him "my prince,' "my king" alone in
the warm dusk under the stars.
II will not soil thy purple with my
DUST" / had whispered in my heart
"Nor breathe my poison on thy Venice
glass" n X went down to the sea tC
listen to its sullen roar; hear it tell its
tale of human misery; of fair faces
dead under its waves; Of gold ant