Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-04-04

| my Ialner, MISS M0felanu, was
married twice, add | had one brother
and one half-sister; it is of this sister
that / wish to speak. Her name was
Ada, and she was the pet, the idol of
our home and hearts She was wilful
and spoiled, yet gentle, afectionate,
and very beautiful When Ada was
sixteen years old she became acquaint-
ed with man named Norton. He
was the fac 8imiLee of Weston; hand
some, polished, fascinating, just the
man to win the heart of woman,
who, like our darling, had seen nothing
of the world, and knew nothing of .hu.
man nature. cannot say that | dis.
liked the man, yet could not feel
satisfied in regard to his worthiness.
l therefore began to watch him close
ly, and soon found him to be gam.
bier, and of course, cheat and liar.
| told Ada, but she wifully turned a
deaf ear to all my entreaties TO cast
him off. My father, who had never
opposed her in anything, listened to
her fearful entreaties and gave his
consent for Norton and herself to mar.
ry. The day before they were mar
ried, went up to Norton, as he stood
looking out of a window at Ada, who
was walking on the lawn, and laying
my hand on his shoulder, said, point
ing to her: Norton, yonder is the
pet of our house, the idol of our hearts.
| want to you remember always what
| now say to you; if sorrow comes to
her through you, if you bring my sister
to grief, if you break our darling''
heart, | shall kill you as | would kill q
dog His face turned Ieathly white
with rage. You are insulting sir he
said, i love your sister; were it. moi
for her sake you could not thus address
me with safety That is all very vel
| said, have no wish to quarrel witt
you, | only warn you nOaC, be,care.'
Brother Gray was standing not fal
, of, he neither moved or spoke while
Norton and | passed these words
Gray was not man to say much, ye
: | knew he thought as little of NOrtOr
| as did. went away that evening
r and was gone for several days. They
: told me Ada cried passionately wher
she found | would not see her married
, When | returned, Norton and ADJ
! were gone. He had purchased resi-
5 dence in an adjoining State, and thithe
t they had removed. / never VISITED
5 them, Gray sometimes did. They ha(
= been married more than a year befor,
l | again saw my sister, and then sh'
came to us. | shall never forget tina
night of storm and darkness, of drench
ing rains and bowling winds, in which
t she, (our darling), came back to us
e We were all gathered round the fir,
g in the sitting room, father, brothe
Gray and /, when the door opened
t and Ada staggered into the room, he
face white as death, her body tremb
ling from fatigue and excitement.
, sprang to meet her as she EXTENDED
her white trembling hands, and caugh
/ her in my arms, % Farnk = she said
and tainted on my breast. | do no
a think | was really sane after that.
A laid our darling on the bed and push
: ing back the wet hair from her cold
! still face, saw that she had seen sorroN
!, before that night. We watched besid
. her until nearly dawn, she did nc
, move or speak, but lay as one in
y peaceful slumber. As day was break
y ing she opened her eyes and they fe
e upon me, she stretched out her hand;
t 80 Frank you told me, you told me,
i she said, then the hands fell, the eye
closed and she spoke no more, she wa
J., dead, / need not tell of our grief.
I When we had buried our beautifl
J, dead, l sought Gray to say goodbye
" | was going to see Norton, and l kne
not that should ever return. Icoul
r not find Gray, and saying nothing
A my father took the first train, an
v was soon on my way. About dar
n the next day | entered Norton's hous,
" He was not at home. An old negres
d one who had nursed and fondled AID
uho,, ~ oh;ld 1ot mn -, oud -, =,