Daily Republican., 1883-08-22
A MAD LOVE.
by CATHERINE Y. LESHER.

= the air Il Dated the subtle sweetness OF
the flowers growing iu native gorgeous
ness upon their parent stelns, while
, here and there, In the clear blue arch
} Of the cloudless sky, shone bright stars,
) like pearls Oh an azure vesture, AZ pref
ty, blueeyed Osyth Raymond stood be.
side the noisy brooklet, and watched
J the moonlight silver its crystal waves
into fairy loveliness.
She had come out from the music and
he gayety that We're reigning at the
grand bal In Mrs. Clifford's drawing
ROOMS, and was toying with the dia-
'tmond ring on her forehnger that glow
ed like poisoned fre-the diamond
, pledge of tetrothal that Hubert Bran
: don had put there when she promised
to become his wife
The summer before she had met him
at Fair Oaks, and loved him madly y from
the hour her eyes had looked on the
handsome, manly fa.e that had broken
many a w'IDan's heart.
And she was SO happy-oh, 80 happy
wi hdtlightful thrills of triumph of the
man she had promised to marry
But suddenly she paused In her
reverie, for there was low, swift
passing Of footsteps, rustic OF a
wonan's garments, and through the
interstices of the rose hedge near her
she caught sight of Hubert Brandon,
and petite, girlish creature, r0bed in
shimmering silk, beside him, who, with
a happy little laugh, leaned her head on
his broad breast and gazed up into his
eyes with Il look that told the whole
story.
Poor Osyth's nerves seemed to have
turned to steel as she stood there, rooted
to the spot, such strange apathy of
horror upon her
81 thought I'd never escape from the
ballroom, Hubert. had to wait until
Osyth left, and :,
"Osyth?" Brandon interrupted
almost fercely. "Do not mention her
name again. Cora, tell me that Osyth
Raymond shall not defraud me of You.
Promise me that have yO,ir consent to
go to her and demand my freedom. that
l may claim you az my ovn 70. life, as
my darling little wife"
Il Wife,
That sacred title scorched Oysth's
heart like red. hot iron, her tender, loving
utilTt ludb
10, rr ut its most sacred altar.
He had sworn that she was 10 tax"
the sweet sacredness of the name as a
gift from him, aud now she hal heard
him imploring another woman to ac-
cept it ii he could escape the fetters
that bound him to her.
Poor, gentle little Osytb All, what
had she ever done that she wa forced
to endure such humiliations as this ?
!, A cry of pain escaped her pt'e lips,
and staggering forward a few PAGES,
she sank on the ground in death
like swoon, and Hubert Brandon and
Cora Challis knew, when led by that
heart. .rending cry, they hah discovered
Osyth lying there beside the rose
hedge that !. thspo0r girl had heard all
81 do not think you will be entirely
helpless, Miss Raymond, for you must
remember that time can do wonders.
You should feel thankful that you es.
capped with your life, even though you
are now confirmed cripple"
i And Doctor Dwinelle looked cheerily
at Osyth Raymond as she sat beside
the heavily draped window in her lux
nriantly.furnished room, her wile-open,
dark eyes, that had such mysteries Of
suffering in them, gazing pitifully up
at him, and white agony stamped up
on her face which was still beautiful,
even after all those ten long, weary
years, not a whit less beautiful to-day
than at twenty, when Hubert Bran
don had cast her from him for Cora
Challis' sake.
81 almost wish had been killed
outril ht when attempted to save that
little girls life, "she said, wall Of pitt
full misery in her voice as she realized
the burden of lameness that was cast
upon her for life. Surrey some spirit
of foolhardiness possessed me-"
But the doctors rare, sweet smile
,urged over his handsome face at her
words, and prescribinga drive through
the park IN the afternoon, he left her,
and she thought how strange it was that
she had grown to think so much of this
grave, grand man, who had come to be
her dearest friend from the day that
she, on the impulse Of the moment, had
caught little girl from the very hoofs
OF u pair Of spirited horses on Broad
way, to almost meet her own death.
Osyth had never seen the child again
nor heard of her in any way until
1t was on the very afternoon of which
| write that, lying among the velvet
cushions of her barouche, with Doctor
Dwinelle opposite to her, they sudden
ly passed the child on Broadway, and,
checking the horst $, the doctor beckOn-
ed to the dark-eyed little creature to
come up to them.
"Miss Raymond, this is the girl
whose life You so b:avely saved. Child,
will you tell me what your name is?
She looked up at them, her great,
dark eyes sparkling, and Doctor
Dwinelle started at the sudden revela-
ton of beauty in the poorly y-dressed girls
face.
GO | wanted to see you, madam she
said. to thank you for your brave
act in saving my life, and my mother
wants to tell you how grateful she feels
toward you. | live at 3l4 B-street,
and my name is Cora Brandon"
Cora Brandon There was no need to
tell Osyth now that Hubert Brandon's
daughter stood before her. 1t was q
terrible shock to her, but with an effort,
she smiled family as she looked at the
CLiIu, anu pioiiisiHB !" u'I'O u'Wh W
see her mothers some day, she bade her
good bye.
She pleaded fatigue. that her deatlIly.
pale face and glittering eyes did not
belle, and instantly Doctor Dwinelle
order, "home."
1t was all plain to her now. She
had made herself cripple for fe in
snatching Hubert BrandOn's daugh
ter from death-Huhert Brandon,
who had been 10 cruelty false to her.
And, oh, how she longsd to face the
woman once more ho had won him
from her-face her in her poverty, and
taste for the moment, the sweetness of
triumph.
So ON The following day, as she was
going lal,criousy up the creaking stairs
of the old tenement house on b
street, she met little Cora Brandon,