The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-10-25

Could he ever make thedelicate child
understand him, and be to him in all
that second self, lacking which in the
great business of life no man is perfect.
Was 1t fair, was it honest, to her or
to him to tear up this primrose, and
Kill it with the deadly town air?
lie could not say. His heart would
only moan back in answer to reason
II love her-I love herl''
Yet, as stern stuff was in the man.
he could not show it to her save in his
earnestnes3 and his manhood,
Ralph BraybrOOk's heart had 10 room
for jealousy, but a numb pain tugged
at his heart-strIngs when he saw he1
turn away from his society to mix with
some nimble-tOngued youth, when, as
If the load of his sombre shadow being
taken off her, she could laugh with the
rest. lie could have cried then in very
bitterness, ''Pray thee, weep, May Lii
lam" for this constant "gaiety without
echpse;" but he was not a man to wear
his heart on his sleeve, and many a
time had he turned ava " murmuring,
Poor child, she is so young! soyoungl''
lie had known her from childhood
with that brotherly intimacy so danger
Gus for a man, SO fatal to a woman $
love.
She had for years past regarded
Ralph in the light Of her protector, who
would in process Of time become her
husband.
lie was her mothers friend, almost
the only beng whom she could lean
OH in the world; and so, when in his
grave, quiet way Ralph had proposed, ,
IT. h1 111lIU anQt hnr q - - L.
to say Eyes, ,"and the rich blood scarce
crlmsoncd her bright young face.
She had-ahl fatal words-"gr0wn
so used to him."
lie came down to the quiet village
to see them but rarely, for it was a
poor, crowded neighborhood where he
had his practice, and the poor are ex-
acting; but he always talked hopefully
and cheerfully in his own grave way Of
the little home to which he hoped to
bring his bride.
or late he had noticed Il strange
apathy about her which alarmed him
even more than her childish petulance,
and it was his trying to seek the cause
OF it which led to the conversation
above.
Trying you hardl" he said, "I do
not understand. Bessie, dear, 1 try to
understand you, but I cannot"
mo; it Is that-you cannot" she
said, "and some men are like that,
suppose, playing with women's feelings
as they would with Il little baby, hurt
ing 1T to death nearly with their un-
conscious brute-playfulness.
"You don't understand me-you
never will understand me, and it is
better that you should cease trying"
Lad some unseen hand plunged a
dagger ilto la, Dv.,vuI llo GvulS ..yL
have turned so deadly pale.
"Bessiel Bessie!'' he moaned, "don't
say that.'
The cry was the short. quick cry of
agony, ana she turned her ayerted head
to him, and would have sprung to his
arms, but ere she could frame an ex-
cuse for her words, his pride leaped to
relieve his bitter anguish.
He drew himself up coldly, while
drops of ice-cold perspiration stood
upon his forehead.
'sBe it as you wish then, Bessie" he
said. Il am not one to compel gen-
tlewoman to an alliance against her
WISH"
Ere she could realize it he was gone,
and she was LETT stunned and stupefied
at the effect of her own words.
Gone, her protector gone! her girl.
hoods companion parted from her for
everl 1t could not bel
''IIe never loved mel'' she said bit
terly; "and now I know we'll he never
loved me!'
"What, Miss LeeI and sitting like
I 10iINoj1 0r;oI
propos, or may act the role of COM
forter?"
She looked up, and saw the hand
some, sunny face Of Lord Ellesmere
looking down upon her.
"Give me leave to speak, Miss Lee,n
he said, dropping his voice to a low,
tone, 81 would not jar
upon your feelings for the world. T
see you are i'll grief; let me sympathize
with you-believe me, your grief robs
me OF all JOY"
She suffered him to place her hand
upon his arm and lead her away, suf-
fered him perhaps, because sympathy
is most dear to us all; and he had come
to her III her hour of weakness.
She knew Lord Ellesmere as hand.
some, gay, and witty, but a man against
receiving the attentions of whom Ralph
had often warned her.
II will show Ralph, she mllsed, as
she suffered the young nobleman to
lead her along toward tho wood, "that
he is not altogether so Indispensable to
me rs he imaginesl''
And in this way she made an effort
to arouse herself from her sadness,
until presently she had forgotten Ralph
altogether, and was listening, BREATH
less with interest, to accounts Of the
great world and it's fine ladies.
What q change this must be from
the life Of poor DOCTORS drudge in a
crowded East-end practice.
"You must be very happy with 50
much gaiety, Lord Ellesmere, she said
with sigh.
"Who can be happy without tho one
thing alone which constitutes truo
happiness2 Ahl Miss Lee-Hessie-let
me- call you Bessie?-if you could only
know how, sick of all THIS gaiety, I
have yearned. .foiYnul Night after night
have Slipped away from my gay COM
pnnlons, that l might see your shadow;
Bessie, l love you, madly, devotedlyl
Come with me; be my wife; and you
shall outshine them all-Wealth, talent,
birth, shall bow before you, for YOU
will be my queeni'' gov
And oia irnoT fool tbinlinot of bor