The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1883-04-26

water seemed wooing mo thitherward.
Tho chimes Of our quaint old church,
playing an old song, caused choke in
my throat. would go and invoke
grand airs from the organ, and mayhap
should forget the seas roar.
1t was my wont to go there to prac-
ttce, and knew the service would not
~ held for half hour The lights
were turned down to q scmi-dark ness,
and the old sexton, with whom l vas n
favorite, had left tho key in the door
for me. The moon Shonc across tho
organ keys and across my face; and the
trailing folds of my white dress looked
almost ghastly in its light. o quaint
Old church! o quaint old chimes! Too
soon would be far away from you,
| over the sea to my SuitOr'S lordly home,
carrying with me Il heavier heart than
| my years should warrant.
But it was too late to look back; and
the fault was mine. l had ruined my
own life, and must pay the price. Be-
| cause l had been forbidden the desire
of mine eyes, had sealed my fate. l
had bound my hands, and had ntoncd
Phoebe Cary'S wailing words:
II have turned from the good gifts Thy bounty
Because of the ono which Thy wisdom denied
me;
! have bandagcd miuc eycs-yca, mine own
hands have bound INC;
have made me darkness when light was
around mo.
Now cry by the waysidob Lord that might
"Pcccavi," | cried, and my head sank
upon the organ and tears stained the
red roses at my throat.
"Helenm and my head was lifted
gently and Alan Lcighton's tender eyes
met mine. "Alann' was all my aston
ishmcnt could utter.
"My girl, you have suffered" he
calculated, in n tone of exquisite ten
dcrncss. Helen, my first and on,v
love, how we have been wrongcd. /
only learned, an hour before | en-
barkcd, that YOU were not the false
woman you had been painted to me.
Mrs. Granger wrote me eighteen
months ago that YOU had married Mr..
Dacrc, and left with him for Cuha.' A
| subsequent letter, without date or ,sir-
nature, incl"Sing the tiny pearl pin I
| had given your, left mo no room for
doubt. | left England forever and
have been on the wing ever since, find
| ing no rest for my heart on sea or
| shore. Helen, [ suffered as few men
| suffer because of losing YOU, and be-
y
| could not waste my whole life be-
cause Of woman's untruth, so 1 tied
up the broken threads and tried not to
| look back. 1t was by chance | met
| Herman Sloan, and in the midst Of
mutual condolences he asked me why
| had never returned to America and
to the beautiful Helen Preston, who
| had declined all sutors, and was still
| unwcd. Helen, ] embarked that after
noon, and am here, never to be part
ed from my darling. When will we bc
| married, SwCct?N
| "Malricd Alan,N and the drcary
present recurring to me, | withdrew
myself from his arms, and almost un-
consciously my lips framed the words:
had died for this last year to know
You had loved me. Who shall turn on fnto2
care not If love come or go
| Now; though your love seek mine for mate
| 1t Is too late"
| Too late! Helen, my only love. cX-
plain your meaning, for GODS sake"
Then came II broken, diSiointcd tale
of my sorrow and temptation when l
heard of his handsome and high-born
bride; OF my WEAKNESS of the hall; of
Mrs. Granger; Of myself, of Mr.. Da-
crc'S constant wooing, and at last OF the
little note only this night thrust be-
tween the leaves Of his book, making
Alan's coming forever too late for my
happiness.
Rapid hooi-bcatS along the road, and
my cOurtly lover came in sight
"Savcd! Alan" and my ywords came
thick and fast.
"Engagc him in conversation, Alan,
regarding the hall, Mrs. Granger, the
weather, stocks, etc, etc. will escape
by the vcstry door, fly to the hall! se-
cure the note! and then. O. Alan!n
My darling, my bright darlinp!'
but [ broke from. his clasp and sped
away like q cltamois 10 the hall. | did
not heed that the roses fell from nv
throat, that portion of my lace
ilouncc graccd thorn-bush, or that nv
halr, unlooSed from its fasteninrs. hupo
about my shoulders. I think if haC
possessed n piece Of paper ] should have
held it aloft, and should have shouted
repricVc! rcpricVc:
Shall try to tell of how secured the
note and hid it in my bosom, of how
ran upstairs and pccpcd for one mo
mcnt into the mirror, twisting up my
shining hair, and trying TO hush the
loud beating Of my heart, of how
rapidly travrrScd the path leading tc
the church. d"dmin2. behind an osagC
hrdTr To r$rap" meeting Mr.. Dacrr,
hurryinT on ;.S soon ~ WIS free, to be
folded close to Alan : heart?
"And YOU win not laugh TT me Alan?'
Laugh at you, my darling, and
! WhCrcfOrr?'
"Oh, for my mad flight, for the rod
roses scattered ali along the road; for
my unbranded Joy at Your return; for
propo~in" 10 rum and steal the note, aud,