The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-03-03
A NEW YEARS GlFT.

The last day Of the old year, with n
pierclugly cold wind, and blue sky
lnottled with grey cloudlets, and when
ever drop Of water fell a slippery spot
on the sidewalk.
Sixth Avenue was III almost gala
attire wind and cold Notwithstanding,
The crowds Of shoppers thronged the
stores aud purchased from the stock of
holiday goods. ..>.-
In the great establishment of Rolfe
and Son, the sales. ladies were kept busy
III bees, and little Emmie Horton, espe-
cally, had found her time very particu-
larly occupied in waiting upon one Of
the most aristocratic and elegantly
dressed Indies she had seen in q long
while.
aBut she had gone at last, with her
parcel of. expensive lace and luscious
ribbons, and Emmie saw her get in the
carriage waiting at the door aud drive
uff-one of fortunes favorites in the
widest sense of the word, for she was
young and fresh, and fair and lovely as
Il flower.
''That's Miss Payne-Miss Bessie
Payne" Amy Fleming volunteered, see
customer.
Didn't you know who it WASP
"Bless me, why thought everybody
in the store knew Miss Payne.
She's engaged to MIR. Frank Rolfe-
to be married in the church tomorrow
nigbt-it's Il wonder she'd be seen out,
isn't it?'
For one little second ali the great
busy room with Its subdued noise
seemed to fade. away into some far-off
space, tho next Emmie heard crisp voice
usk for "Capdinal sashing, please" and
she brought herself back to everyday
life again, and no one knew what it
meant-that pale, hushed look on her
sweet young face, that dumb, haunting
shadow in her soft blue eyes.
No one but herself, and not until it
was the hour for supper, and Emmie had
time to let herself think, did she dare
face it-Frank Rolfe engaged to be mar
ried to this beautiful, rich young orea-
ture, and and he had for long blessed
year been trying, by every attention
and devotion, to win her loye-her love,
little Emn,ie Horton, one Of the shop
girls in .Rolfe and Sons employ.
She had not been unma,denly in yield
ing her love to him.
Emmie's pure heart and conscience
assured her of that, and Mr.. Rolfe had
persistently, but delicately sought her,
and honored her upon all OCCASIONS;
when by 80 dong, he would not make
her an object Of gossip among her conl-
panions.
He had been so seemingly in earnest.
Emmie remembered his grave, quiet
courtesy, his delicate, gentlemanly de-
votion, with shiver ofdeathly pain and
Illumination, for after all, she had only
been his amusement, and he intended
all tho while to marry Miss Bessie Payne
the heiress.
Poor little grill
1t was not her first experience OF the
hollowness OF what the world calls friend
ship, for when fortune had deserted her,
and her paralytlc father had descended
from affluence and position, in another
city, to comparative poverty here in
great, busy, indifferent New York, EN-
mic had tasted her first cup of painful
experience, when summer friends had
flown away; but thi', this detection of
Frank Rolfe's, this cruel, heartless treat
ment OF her, was thousandfold worse,
for it laid in ruins the sweetest, fairest
part Of her woman's life-her hope, her
faith, her trust, her--love.
All the rest Of that hurried, busy eve-
niDg Emmie kept steadily to her work,
her sweet face pale and sad, her heart
beating in dull heavy throbs that felt like
soft hammers III hel temples, for, no
matter how one Graves rest from aching
anguish of soul, daily work must 20 on,
when ones daily bread depends upon
it, .
Aud tomorrow was New Years Dayl
Emmie had counted so upon it, and 1t
was Frank Rolfe's wedding-day.
Ahl the unutterable agony that was
actual physical pain as she tried to re-
alize it.
Once ono of the girls, seeing her pale