The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-05-26
FOUND AND LOST.

FOUND AND LOST. =
In "a corner of Madame Froissart' IS
= brilliantly lighted drawing room,
watching the gay scene being therein
enacted, sat Gertrude Meyer.
For the moment she was alone-with
her, indeed, Il rare occurrence, since
he was a belle and beauty; buta slight
sprain to her ankle a few days previ-
GUS, had prevented her joining in the
dance, and the little throng of men who
all the evening had gathered around
her had for the instant disappear ed,
many of them at her express command.
The last had fingered, reluctant still
to go, when-"I am tired" she SAID.
81 want to be alone" ...
He bent then, from his splendid height
and, with glance from his dark eyes
few women could have resisted, whisp-
cred q few words in her ear; but neither
glance nor whisper brought even a mo-
mentary flush to the lovely cheek.
"Elsa is without partner" she re-
joined. 81 like to see you dance to-
gether Ask her for this waltz"
An angry light kindled in Frederic
HOughton'S eyes, aid he turned abruptly
away.
The next moment, Elsa, with a
pleased flush, was leaning OH his arm,
and with Il half-Sigh, though she knew
not wherefore. Miss Meyer sank back
in her cushioned corner.
Was she always to receive love, never
to return it?
Gertrude asked herself.
True, Frederic IIOughtOn had never.
in words, declared his passion; but
every glance, every accent, had been
replete with it's intensity.
She felt sure that he loved her.
How poor and meagre was the cold
friendship she might offer in return!
But if she determined to smile at
least more kindly, he gave her no oppor-
tunity.
Other men locked back to her side.
She had sent him to Elsa; by Elsa he
remained. ...t. ., t...., ..., ..-
One dance followed another, but he
would resign her to no other partner;
and only an amused gieam crept into
Gertrude's eyes as she watched him,
and fancied she read the pique which
prompted his action-a pique which in
part reflected upon herself, as the next
day and the next passed, until the week
had gone, and still she neither saw nor
heard from him.
AT the end Of that period she again
shrugged her shoulders, and told herself
that she had forgotten him. " -
Ii was from ELSA, a fortnight later,
that she learned his regiment had been
ordered upon active service, and was to
depart III three days for the seat of war.
What should She say to him when he
came to bid her farewell2
She need not have questioned.
She waited, but he came not.
lie left with his goodbye to her un-
spoken.
1t caused her no real grief, no heart
pang but a sort OF restless surprise,
which stirred some depths whose eX-
istence hitherto had been unknown.
Three or four days later Elsa came to
her with a shy blush.
She had always been the child's friend
and conlidante.
Though in reality but twelve months
her senior, she felt herself the elder by
long years.
"l have favor toask you, Gertrude, "
she began.
"Frederick asked mo to write him.
l..
l am ashamed to send him my DOOR
little scribbling, and at school l re-
membered how beautiful always were
your exercises, and | said to myself, Il
will 90 to GertIude-she will tell mo
what to say .. .,
J. 81 love him so much-so very much
Gertrudel ...,...
81 think that he, too, loves me. 1
want to breathe into my words just
enough OF my hearts perfume that he
may know where to seek to find the
flower ITSELF" ... .-.....
Gertrude looked up amazed.
''ls 1t this love Which makes you 50
poetical, Elsa?" she asked. ''l never
heard you talk like this before"
''lt IS ono of your own thoughts l
borrowed" Elsa answered. but tell
me, will you do for, mo what ask?"
'You think it will be honorable?n
eyes, yesl Why not2 You can tell
him nothing L do not feel-only you
will paint the picture 50 that he may
love to look at iC.'' ~ ,.a. 49,
a little longer Gertrude demurred,
and then, drawing to her pen, ink and
paper, she wrote.
AS she did 80, her reluctance van
ished.
She fancied herself in Elsa's place.
She imagined how some rosebud,
woocd by the sun, would one by one
open its shrinking petals, quivering
'twixt ecstasy and pain, to meet the
passionate kiss of the day god and 30
her imagination found vent in words
She covered the sheets with closely
filled lines, and as she read them Elsa
pressed them to her lips
"Ah, they will make him love mel''
She cried, az she ran with them to her
own home to- copy them in her own
handwriting.
NlSy tho next post came his answer.
Elsa had been right.
The letter had strangely stirred his
heart.
Pulses he had thought dorment, he
wrote had leaped into mad, exultant
life. q" rrP, sF fsYs
. lie had slopt, he told her, with the
paper next his Heart.
Again Gertrude wrote, and yet again,