The Brookhaven leader., 1883-04-12

have bandaeed mine eyes-yea, mine own
hands have bound me;
have made me darkness when light was
around me.
Now cry by the wayside, o Lord, that mtght
receive back my sight"
"Peccavi," cried, and my head sank
upon the organ and tears stained the
red roses at my throat.
"Helenr' and my head was lifted
gently and Alan Leighton's tender eyes
met mine. "Alanr' was all my aston
ishment could utter.
MY girl, you have suffered" he
calculated, in tone of exquisite ten
derness. "Helen, my first and only
love, how we have been wronged. /
only learned, an hour before | en-
barked, that you were not the false
woman YOU had been painted TO me.
Mrs. Granger wrote me eighteen
months ago that you had married MIR.
Dacre, and left with him for Cuba A
subsequent letter, without date or sig.
nature, inclosing the tiny pearl pin
had given your, left me no room fol
doubt. / left England forever, and
have been on the wing ever since, find.
ing no rest for my heart on sea OF
shore. Helen, suffered as few meu
suffer because of losing you, and be-
cause of your apparent falseness. But
| could not waste my whole life be-
cause of woman's untruth, so L tied
up the broken threads and tried not to
look back. 1t was by chance | met
Herman Sloan, and in the midst of
mutual condolences he asked me why
/ had never returned to America and
to the beautiful Helen Preston, who
had declined all suitors, and was still
unwed. Helen, embarked that after
noon, and am here, never to be part
ed from my darling. When will we be
married, sweet"
Married! Alan" and the dreary
present recurring to me, / withdrew
myself from his arms, and almost I'M
consciously my lips framed the words:
/" l had died for this last year to know
You had loved me. Who shall turn on fatef
/ care not If love come or go
Now; though your love seek mine for mate,
1t is too late"
Too late! Helen, my only love, ex.
plain your meaning, for Gods sake"
Then came broken, disjointed tale
of my sorrow and temptation when l
heard of his handsome and high-born
bride; of my WEAKNESS of the hall; of
Mrs Granger; of myself, of Mr.. Da-
cre's constant wooing, and at last of the
little note only this night thrust be-
tween the leaves of his book, making
Alan's coming forever too late for my
happiness.
Rapid hoof-beats along the road, and
my courtly lover came in sight.
"Saved! Alan" and my words came
thick and fast.
Engage him in conversation, Alan,
regarding the hall, Mrs. Granger, the
weather, stocks, ETC., etc. / will escape
by the vestry door, fly to the hall! Sc
cure the note! and then, 0, Alan!r'
my darling, my bright darlingm
but l broke from his clasp and sped
away like chamois to the hall. did
not heed that the roses fell from my
throat, that portion of my lace
fOunce graced thorn-bush, or that my
hair, unloosed from its fastenings, hung
about my shoulders. l think if / had
possessed piece of paper should have
held it aloft, and should have shouted
reprieve! reprieve:
Shall try to tell of how secured the
note and hid it in my bosom, of how I
ran upstairs and peeped for one mo-
ment into the mirror, twisting up my
shining hair, and trying to hush the
loud beating of my heart, of how l
rapidly traversed the path leading to
the church, lodging behind an Usage
hedge to escape meeting Mr. Dacre,
hurrying on as soon as was free, to be
folded close to Alan's heart?
"And you will not laugh at me AlanP"
Laugh at you, my darling, and
wherefore?"
"Oh, for my mad fight, for the red
roses scattered all along the road; for
my unbounded joy at your return; for
proposing to run and steal the note, and,
and-things."
For answer came tender kisses pressed
upon brow and lips, and closed eyes,
and Mr.. Lord Lowell (Mr Dacre) rode
forth from the castle gates alone.-Chi'
cago Tribune.