The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1883-08-25

Visitor 10 The condemned prisoner io hfs
rall
Tho mental strain hnd worn upon
Rodney be- lnukgd haQgnrd aud 10 Ia
the lin light which sIftod down from
the close RrniinRs A guard had al
ready been placed In hIs cell, bat the
man walked AWAY leaving them CON
pnrniitelY alone Then lho Rrl sw,bt
back the vail which bid her pale feat
urrs aud held ont hor hand II was net
taken a pang " seltnccusation went
through Rodney France ns h. looked
upon The pale pale face, mud into the
suffering SGT compassionate eyes Of Rose
SnngerfOrd
"lInyc you 80 many friends to-day,
Rodney, that YOU ran afford 70 dogpiso
even mcP' she asked, with u touch Of
%ropronch.
"Dcspiso you' oh. Rose, llosol !
don't deserve o place In one thought Of
yours, bat II you can, forgive me- for.
give met
A great choking limp came Into his
throat For the first time since his
trouble had come upon him, he was I'M.
ncrycd. unnamed. lie had wrongcd
this girl In n manner which few girls
would forgive, and now, when II was
loo late, II came home to him what n
different fate his might be had he but
been hon0rnbly true 10 her.
There " no forgiveness needed be-.
tween u.s. said Rose, pltiully. II
could not bear the thought that you
should be- left all alone; and we We
were Ike brother and sister once; |
wanted you TO know that | have n sis
ter's regard for You still aud II It Is
possible TO do anything for you, in any
way"
my poor little Rosel There IL Moth
ing to be done" llc had regalncd his
compostre while she spoke, II AM
thankful TO you from my very heart Tor
this evidence Of kindness. II il the one
thing ! would have asked, had ! dared.
There is nothing at all to be DONE
Even "a he said Il, q nlckoring shadow
crossed his face. n doubtful eagcrness
which came and went, yet IN lis brief
duration. Rose saw II aud thought she
understood. For ono moment she fall
tered, then lifted n brave face.
"What Is u, Rod1cyP DO you want
me TO go and see hers can do even
that u 1t will give you amy comfort
now.'
alt Is not that I have no right Ia
ask anything Of you-h di lcastof all "
lie turned away and walked once or
twice cross the cell. Coming back, he
said, hurriedlyt
"Thero Is nothing to ask Of You
now, Rose, but, perhaps, the time may
come that | will turn to you for help In
a matter which troubles me exceeding.
", but that time Is not yet. Pray
Heaven for mo that 1t never piR come,
Rose"
"If Il should, | will do anything In
my power promised Rose. blindly,
little dreaming In what way she would
he asked 10 fulfill that promise,
Wild dreams Of enabling him by
some means 10 avert the dreadful doom
which she hut heard pronounced
against him went through her head.
Men had escaped from prison and
women had helped them before this.
but, recalling his words nftcrward, sh,
knew they must hold some far differ.
enl meaning.
Time passed. and the appeal she OK.
pected never came. The dreaded %
Of March was nc hand; Il came, /
passed, and the papers held q full ac
count Of the manner In which that cold
bloodcd murderer. Rodney France. hae
espiatcd his crime on the gallows.
A wild. wet spring gave placeto sum
mcr, and the Sangcrfords returned {,
their country house on the Hudson.
They filled II with guests, and by every
means In their power tried to win III,
only daughter Of the house from III,
shadow OF that cloud which had dark.
cned hcr young life. Rose had dropped
like some tender flower, but even flow
ers will stand many a rude shock II
passing storms, and bloom bright,
again In the sunshine a%ftcrward. Ros,
At last began 10 get back her color. bu'
still there wcr times when she ran awal
from the gay presence and light laugh
ter Of the happy hearted people wis
had no secret woe 10 carry.
There was a screened terrace oycr
hanging the river which was one II be-
~fayorftc walks. She had excused her
self from driving and como hcnc, on,
August afternoon, 90 BE- alone with he.
thoughts. Perhaps. too. she wanted {,
get away from somebody's pleading
Chances.
"Oh. dear she sighed. 81 shall hav'
to make him unhappy, too, and pap
and mamma both like him 10 we'll. Bu
Il Is cruel of them -rrucl-to think
shall cvcr marry any one now"
A little lockel which she always wore
but which she had not opened 70
months. hung al her throat. She pu
up her hand and touched IL with
guiyer II her lips.
"And he never ASKED me for he'll
after all. was the thought In her mind
AZ the very moment, q lady. all II
black from head 10 foot. was ~crossin,
the lawn In the direction Of the terrace
Rose saw her. wondcringly. II was NJ
ono she knew. vet some vague memoir
stirred before the stranger spoke.
Mrs. francei' she said, announc
Ing herself. Miss sangcrfond. | havi
como 10 you because my husband. II
his last message. requested ma 10 d
So"
Al that name Rose started. Instant
" her mind went back 10 that summc
night a year ago. to that scene by III
roadside. when she had looked for a
instant Into the bright Southern face O
her fortunate rival. and felt In her hear
that Rodney was not 20 blame for snc
eumhing 10 beauty like hers But now
how changed The girl realised. eve,
then. that her sorrow was but a passinl
rrgrrt 70 the deep. u~nqucnchahle an
guish which this woman horc.
ISL DOWN. she said. gently, leadinl
The way toa rustic bench. TEL m
what | Al do for youp"
"fou can take my child. keep her
and never let he's know what IN unhap
py wretch her mother Ia"
your child IT. cried Rose, stsrtle'
beyond measure. She began 70 thin'
that the eth~~ VS. ~~--~Ff~ -rrann~afNs