Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-08-30

outstripped you in the race of life by TWEEN
ty years. But will you give yourself TO me,
dear? Has it been my own blind fancy
which has given birth to the sweet hope
that alone might make your happiness %
He paused then, waiting for my answer:
Only minute passed, but had wakened
from my dream. L had not thought his
baseness ever could find Words-had not
thought my sister would know his perjury.
Her goodness to me, her loving kindness to
the child who had been her pet and play
thing always, and who thus requited 1t:
Only minute but had torn out my heart
and trampled it beneath my feet. 1 turned
upon the man with hot fierce passion.
forgot that had led him on. [ forgot my
own business, my own love, as hurled my
scorn at his defencelessness. What burning,
scatMng words used know not, but when
I had finished he offered me again his arm,
from which I had withdrawn my clasp, and
he walked back in silence to the house.
Yet;as he left me, still without word, l
felt. strange to say, only my own guilt. He
had not borne himself like one convicted of
d wrong. The next week I went home.
Alice was the first to meet me, and that
night she crept into my room and knelt
down beside me as she had done before.
Darling" she whispered, "neXt month l
am to be married, and you are to be my on
ly bridesmaid.o
Alice, it would kill me !"
"Do you really love me SO well, dear !:
But you will not refuse me this? 1t would
mar all my happiness, Aline, and l am SO
YOU learn to know and love him for him.
self-you will better understand ?"
Harry" I gasped. "Who is he?"
"Harry-Harry Stretson; the man I am
to marry. Why, Aline, you told me you
knew it all. Is it possible you did not
know?"
And then she told me of the engagement
which had been entered into during her
Christmas visit-an engagement finally rati-
fed and approved by her guardian whilst l
was so ill. It had been this she had been
about to tell me-this l had refused to hear.
Oh the burning shame with which l lis
seized me to tell her all the truth. She
should not believe me better than | was.
She should know how mean, how pitiable
l had been, even though l bought her hate
and contempt, as doubtless 1 had bought
Hart Sidney's. 1 did not spare myself as
told the story. In silence she heard it
through, and then she sealed my lips with
the kiss of love and pardon. All night
battled with my misery and remorse.
Alice expected ner lover lIle ueAG udy. l.
felt dared not meet him. In the afternoon
she came into myroom.
"Some one wishes to see you in the libra
ry, my DEAR" she said. "Will you go
down."
She spoke so quietly that I suspected
nothing, and asking no questions, wentdoWn
stairs, and crossed the hall to the room desig-
mated. Thought it empty for moment as
l closed the door behind me, but at the
sound some one stepped from the window
recess-some one who advanced one step
and then stood with wide open arms, wait
ing to close about me.
No need for me to tell the story, as hid
my face upon his breast, and felt his kisses
rain upon my hair.
Alice, my noble, darling sister, had told
it all. No need for me to ask forgiveness.
Already it was mine.
Did 1 deserve my happiness? Perhaps
not. but it was mine-mine at last, as was
the great noble heart of my sisters guar
dian.
Alice had her wish-I was her only brides
maid; but after the ceremony was ended
which made her Harry Stretson's beloved
wife, l took her place beside the altar, no
longer bridesmaid, but bride.
Henceforthmy sisters guardian was smine.