The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-04-25

gOOU puTtlg Us lUc NpIiu hdlN' wv
good for me, as my lady elegantly
phrasedi it. "
I had been born into the world amid
fierce throes of mental anguish. My
mothers heart was rent with the great
pain Of my fathers sudden death
drowned of the Cornish coast, forI was
born Of sca. She lived until | was ten
years old, n life OF sorrow, ana poverry,
and rcnunciation Then she died, lcav-
ing me TO the care Of a compassionate
world and my uncle. Of him ! have
already spoken -.
My life dragged on with cloggcd
wheels. / was ALWAYS at war with
my surroundings. Though too proud TO
express il, had never realized my
ideal OF womanhood, or in any way
grown up To my aspirations and dreams.
Ii | had grown at all it had been
through pain and reprcssiou-a II fatal
thing always for warm-hearled,
earnest woman.
My uncle, Edward Earle, had pro-
cured me the friendship (P) Of the lady
In whose house had passed twelve
montll-Mrs. Lucien Granger, q distant
cousin of his own | was an unsalaricd
goyerneSs or companion, our remote
couSinship being always made available
by my uncle. Il was during my resi-
dcnce with that lady that my fate came
10 me. A young nephew OF Mrs. Gran
gers came TO the hall. He was an ar
tist. young and handsome, and fresh
from four years sojourn in Rome.
lnccd not weary You with the pro-
loguc or the cpilogue Of our love, for
words are SO poor to express the heart $
utterancc. o golden days! o tender,
passionate nights! o princcly heart,
come back 10 me! O.
Alan Leighton was The last son of a
high-born family, and because OF the
blue blood-tha united blood of all the
Towards lowing in his veins Mrs.
Granger interposed her fiat against our
love, drcading, doubtless, the plebeiar
admiXturc of mine.
II is n pity that blood does not always
tell. 1t was All mglorious triumph tC
me-yct still triumph 10 bare my
white arms to the shoulder during ON
gala nights---to which my voice was al'
ways invited contrasting thcir satiny
smoothncss and perfect contour with the
lean, brown .appcndagcs Mrs. Granger
folded over her ariStocratic heart.
But a cloud crcpt info the sky, and
its shadow fell across our path
Alan was called suddenly Y by telegram
to England, where his grand old father
| lay diving. We had but moment foI
our iarcwclls, for Alan's heart was rent
| with sorrow, and helped to expedite
his departure.
But one letter ever reached me. Iii
father was dead, and he was Sir Alal
now
"MY PRECIOUS HELEN: MY father, whom
loved aud respected above all men, died yes
tcrIny. ] need not tell yOu how dcsOnio "
feel, and how the light seems io have died on
OF every nook AMI corner. My dear mother
prOsiratCd with the blow which has take
away the lover OF her youth, aud ! shall ~
be able 10 return 10 You for some weeks. NJ
| nOuncc our bctrOthal, dearest, 10 my aunt an
uncle, which, you know, was my intcntion til
very night was called away BE true to m'
| my darling Helen, Us shall he true 10 yOI
Goodnight, dear love. ! shall write ut lcngt
as soon lS my mother ana have mulutrd on
plans for her lonely future. GOOdnishl, gon'
night. May angels guide you, nnd may III
good Father fold about you Ills cvcrlnstil
arms. Your friend and lover,
"ALAN LEIGHTON"
Two wears had dragged their sloN
length along since that letter came, an
} | had never heard from Alan, thong
craving his presence rs the prison,
! Graves the sunshine. had written hil
l once, and | had regretted that, "l'
t was soon TO be welded TO an Earl
: handsome daughter" Mrs. Grang
7 read aloud from IN open letter in III
+ hand "in fact, ii was an old ailai
prior To his visit to. tho hall. "cic., eft
How regretted ] had written, thoug
! the words had been few, merely asiil
l if he had been enabled TO procure me
certain book we had made mention
together, and the time was more than
wear ago when ! had the right thus
address him. And now! o pitiil
Christ! another woman was TO be hi
wife, and now | must never think {
the oil days, or the old dreams, or loo
| into his dark eyes, or feel his kiss,
upon my unkisscd lips! Never! and
i might live fifty years. .
And o the pity of IL, out of all tn
,, worlds million possibilities | had ON
. the chance of two-either to wed Reg
:, nald Dacre, u man old enough TO be II
J, father, or TO be companion to son
y naughty woman. Ihad decided up
y, 10 accepting Mr.. Dacre. The tiny note
~ barely two lines l had placed bctwc
y the leaves of book it was his nigh
N custom to read.
i u But Alan! but Alan! had thou!
. . him so true, so noble. had called h
". ~ "my prince" 'my king" alone in
- warm dusk under the stars.
o 81 will not soil thy purple with
" dust" / had whispered in my he;
20 "Nor breathe my poison on thy Vor
~ glass; went down to
W sea to listen TO its sullen roar; hca
f. tell its tale of human misery; OF
-. faces dead under its waves; OF gold
i. Jewels lying on green beds OF moss
re argosies gone down, the wall OF hun
in misery their requiem. / tried to
m member NIL this, so that mine might,
seem such a. great thing amid wori
m sobbino and tears. 1t was agood th
m rs to think of the sullerings OF others,
at try to ignore your own; a goqd .ni
ne BIT. nv misery! the misery OF the
n. called Helen Preston!
Of This girl was somewhat OF gen
Is the people said. She possessed the
of song and she was handsome
bt men said. d Aud she had two chance
nm an the world, and if she had had mo
cd enough to have utilized her gilt OF $
"a she might have had three. =.
''' But She had sn,irchcd her soul, 10
her beauty and gifts; had been fais
I'm herself, to God and humanity; IA
too, to Reginald Dacre, for she kept
TED love for Alan locked in her beart.
'm' T"I have sold my soul for houses !,
life lands" she said, "and ! am wre'ci
tn Mea c,lpa! Mea culpa"
,ur ~ have sold myself with open ey'
an- she said, "lSnowingly, with malice
pense. Ihave no one to blame
TO Alan forpot his VOWS diu not iilMk