The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1883-08-23


and then only when they hoard all
the treasures of their nature to
lavish it in the middle life on the
one woman who is their fate.
After that he opposed her in
nothing, but it was though great
wall of ice had risen between
them.
He devoted himself to business,
and she became the acknowledged
leader of the most exclusive circle in
the city.
She was madly extravagant. She
made the old house a marvel of
aesthetic beauty, and entertained
like a princess.
Mrs. McKeon's toilets, jewels
and dinners became the models for
her set.
Men worshiped her beauty; but
for all their batteries she had the
same smile Of cold contempt, and
no mar! was bold enough to venture
beyoud the merest commonplace.
And so the years passed, and
each one drifted them farther apart,
until they seldom met, except at
their own grand entertainments.
Each year she become more the
slave Of fashion, and he Of his
office. But through it all he loved
her with an undying love, and his
one thought was to crafty her
every whim.
And when the dark days came
when slips that were sent out
freighted with costly wares went
down and were heard of no more
when houses that seemed stable as
granite failed, and his wealth
seemed melting away like a snow
wreath, his only thought was for her;
and thought each;..day his hair grew
whittier, and his form grew stopped
with bending over the long columns
of figures in which the balance was
always on the wrong side he whis-
pered. "For her sake" and strug-
gled on and denied her nothing.
And even Oh the day when he
came home, knowing that all mis-
efforts had availed him nothing and
he was a poor man, his only regret
was for her, that he would never
more be able to give her the things
for which she had bartered so
much.
He went into the grand, old IL
brary, which was almost the only
room in the house that remained un.
changed, and tried to collect his
thoughts. How would he tell her?
was the question that reiterated it.
self through his brain, and for the
first time in his life Donald Nc
Keon was a coward.
The thought came to him of how
she had chafed at her bonds when
they were gilded would bear the
closer relations a straitened income
would entail.
And he resolved that this at
least he would spare her. After all
his obligations were met there
would be something left, not more
than she had often lavished on one
dinner, perhaps, but still enough
to keep her from absolute want.
Jessie should have this, and he
would go away and work for her
and dream of her, but never again
trouble her with his presence.
He sat down and wrote a letter,
telling her this simply, directly,
and with the great love he bore her
breathing through every word.
The servant had told him she
would not be in for some time, and
he took the note himself up to her
room. pee
1t was a dainty place, bright as
unbounded wealth and an exquisite
taste could make it.
He left the note on her toilet.
table, lingering for a moment to
touch caresslngly the costly articles
that were scattered about, all
breathing of her presence.
When he returned to the library
the early dusk was falling. A ser.
want came, bringing lights, but he
dismissed him impatiently, and q
few moments later heard the sound
of wheels and the sweet voice of his
wife in the hall giving some di'
rections.
At length the silence became un.
bearable, and he seated himself at
the piano. In his old bachelor
days music had been his passion
but in these latter years of feverish
struggle he had found no time fol
it. But when his fingers touched
the keys all the despair, the pain
and longing in his heart found