Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1884-03-25
MISCELLANEOUS.
A Coquette's Desert.

~ SCQuSlte 5 CeSSFI.
"Tou'll never die an old maid, my
pretty lady. But there's trouble
coming on you, my pretty" pursued
the old gypsy bending her wrinkIed
face until it nearly touched the velvet
white hand. " A dark, dark trouble
and it's not far off neithcr-it's
written as plain as if
+" Nonsense!" calculated Stella,
drawing away her hand with light
sbudder. g L don't want to hear
any more of my fortune told-it's
getting too absurd. Send her away,
Mr.. Thornton, itmalles me nervous.
She tossed back thc lovely shower
of glossy brown curIs as if relieved of
the matter, which Ed. Thornton dis
missed the scarlet-cloaked beldam
with q gratuity that sent her reioic-
ing down the steep. romantic path
that led to the beach below.
Thornton threw him self lightly on
the grass at the young beauty's feet,
while Harry Loving leaned with fold
ed arm, and dark, contracted brow,
against the gnarled trunk Of a stately
old oak. All day long he had been
the spot of Stella Bells coquettishI
humor and contradictory fancics, and
now, heartsick and angry, he saw
those. smiles esfIavished on his rival, for
one beam of which he would have
given his own right hand.
" EIy scarf?' said Stella suddenly,
looking around. '"Gh there it hangs,
just where those vines droop over the
cliff. Pray, don't trouble yourself,
Mr.. Thornton, Harry will get it for
me-"
Both gentlemen sprang at the in
stant. Violet Congress looked at
Stella with eyes of grave rcproach.
''Stclly! how can you torment these
poor fellows so cruelty? You are
hcartIess coquctte! 1t would serve
you right to die an old maid"
"Didn' you hear what my shrivclcd
old prophecies forctold, that no such
awful fate was in store for me?"
g Hush - calculated Violet, hold
ing up her finger in listening atti-
tude.
For Harry Loving, light and agile
as wild deer, had stopped over the
cliff, and disengaged the tiny lace
scarf from the bushes, where it had
been lodged by the September wind.
and stood looking scornfully trium-
phant at Thornton, whose brow was
purple with suppressed anger.
g Give that scarf TO me" he said,
in hoarse, stifed accents; " no hand
but mine shall restore it to Stella"
q" Well see about that" was the
calm, contemptuous reply.
Thornton sprang forward to wrest
the light trophy from the other hand,
at the same moment Loving stepped
back pace.
There was crash, rustic of
tearing vines; the treacherous cliff
gave way beneath the unwontcd
weight, and Loving fell, still grasping
the delicate, duttering lacc-felI down
that dizzy height, with the hungry
sea yawning underneath.
have killed him 1 have killed
him! and would have given my life
for him -
Sometimes single moment of the
SOULS agony turns n current of being
from its warbling flow of sunshine to !
silence and darkness, and lurking be- !
meath life's saddest shades-so it was
with Stella Bell.
&c You are determined not to marry
Lawrence Elwood, Stella: Child,
you'll certainly be an old maid"
"Hush, VioIetI There is but one
man whom 1 ever could have called
husband, and he is gone where there
| is neither marrying nor giving in mar
riagc."
. But, Stella, that happened so
long ago-four years this September,
She felt StelIa's forehead grow cold
as marble against her cheek she felt
the chill dew on the trembling hand
that was laid upon her lips.
Don't, Violet; cannot, cannot
bear it.
And Violet crept away, awed and
silent at the heart-break which she
had no spell to soothe; while Stella
wept passionately on into the stormy
twilight and the starIess night, with
wailing winds, signing easement, and
the gusts OF autumn rain sweeping
by.
Yes, she had learned life's hard
estlesson-to suffer and endure-and
after awhile she rose quietly, drew
the creamy curtain, and stirred the