Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-04-18

16.
All this was conveyed to the Lady
Annabel by her offended and indignant
father. And now, indeed, was she I'M
happy-for she really loved this man,
and knew herself to have been loved by
him some years before
"Too old for him, indeed too old for
him God knows my love for him may
be older than it was, but it is only the
stronger, the more enduring. Cruel, cruel
Jasper, to cast me off thus; and for
what because I am 80 Surely I nm
the same that have always been. And
he reproached me with the years that
have taken away none of my beauty ;
he might as well lay to my charge the
age that passed before I was born"
But so it was, in spite of all her grief.
It was then as it is now, as it always
has been and always will be-man
speaks, and woman abides by it. The
Lady Annabel pinned, and grieved and
wept in secret and talked aa1 laughed
and jested about the elopement in pub
lie; and for while no one knew that
hers was heavy-laden heart.
Tears do q great deal of mischief il
the world. In the Lady Annabel's cast
they did a great deal. They took all
the luster from her bright eyes; they
washed away the color from her cheeks
and rolling down they wore for them
selves channels in her smooth skin, sc
that by her 9Oth birthday people begar
to say, "the Lady Annabel is very
much faded"-"the Lady Annabel il
not quite so young as she was "-ant
one little lady, the odtous little lady, as
Lady Annabel had called her year ago
was heard to say-"I did think sht
wore very well, but I don't think 81
now. To be sure, poor thing, she IL
getting on pretty WELL"
This time the Lady Annabel entreat
ed her father to omit the usual merry
making. She spent the day alone in
her own room.
"Thirty years oldl How it dis.
tressed me year ago to think was
20. I have no such feelings now. Jas
per was right when he said was tot
old for him. How would my careworn,
sorrowful face look in company with hi
blooming appearance? They talked o
q ball for to-night-how my hear
shrank from such thing l OF ball
Moths dimly-lighted room suits m
better. Jasper was right. But then,
he had still loved me, would my youtl
and beauty have gone so soon? Per
haps not-but they are gone. And wha
is left to me2 A dull, ioyless life of re
greet"
But she was wrong-she was not quit
as old as she thought. A few year
passed away. Her violent sorrow be
came changed by degrees into melar
choly, and then into gravity. The
rarely saw her laugh, but she We
very often cheerful. She had put ava
: her ornaments-her jewels-it is true
but her attire was always becoming an
/ elegant. Her fathers dwelling contir
= ued to be the resort Of his numerou
; friends. She mingled with them BIT
, seldom, and smiled when the odious Ii
|; tie lady, now Mrs. Somebody, talke
, about old maids. Meanwhile Jasper WI
never heard of-his angry father havin
, refused to correspond with him. E
seemed to be everywhere forgotten, ar
: he was-everywhere but in one place.
T. But grief will wear itself out. Aft
81 while Annabel at first listened, al
u chen joined in the conversation Of h
e iather's guests, and found herself /
e degrees returning the interest evinct
n fer her by country gentleman of son
III property in the neighborhood, about t.
re- years older than herself. She was no
B5.
, The next thing was wedding at Il
e nall, and no one seemed in higher spiri
n chan the bride herself, deoked in tt
ornaments which had laid in their cas-
s. for five years. Annabei was youl
l. again.
e Let US pass over five years OF qul
ic domestic happiness-for, although b
as feelings toward her husband we're We
L different from those called forth by h
O. irst love, still she was attached to t
&c worthy man.
4 Her black dress and ugly cap, no le
o. than her slow gait and saddened q
10 showed her to be widow. Lonely q
at 1esolate since her bereavement, she b
d, again taken up her residence with b
d. father, and inhabits the same little roc
Id she formerly did.
II. A few months more, and her fathe
p death increased her seclusion. She
le 40 relation left on earth, and earnes
ny and bitterly does she pray that she m
up die, and leave this world OF sorro'
L She receives no visitors, and never
ue pears abroad-only now and then, i
- IN the afternoon, when the weather
~ Gne, her tall, closely-veiled figure n
s. be seen walking slowly through
ny shady walks about the castle, and
vilhge children coming home fir
OK school peep at her through the het
he and whisper: "It is only the old ID
Hn taking her walk"
nj We said visitors were never admit
ng there, and they were not. So much
Ito greater then was the surprise Of all
servants when. one day. fine-looki
he middle-aged man was seen in the la
me parlor in converse with their mistre
of this was repeated 30 often that at las
rst became quite o customary thing. {
To-, | 80 ,,,o,o aoJ.ko,,, .,,oIlro, bar III