The Wilmingtonian., 1885-08-01
THE STORY TELLER.
Avenged

little Madge are you going with me to-
night ? am all ready"
Little Madge the twelve-year-old sister
came flying through the hall.
Auntie says you've forgotten to get the
potatoes for breakfast and we must prepare
them before you go. Never mind If he
does have to wait little for you; you've
waited for him many time. Come quickly
aud will help you"
So sweet tempered Cora Smith united
the blue scarf, and tripped away to the
forgotten task as merrily as her little sister,
albeit her heart beat like an imprisoned
bird IS at the delay.
The west was all aflame with the autumn
sunset ere the sisters closed the cottage
door behind them, and ran down the garden
path toward the stile, where he was waiting
--in other words, where hazel-eyed, sweet
faced Cora Smiths city lover was waiting
for his lady-love, as sbe had many night
waited for him.
Almost every evening they met there
at the stile-ther "trysting place. he said,
Just halfway between her home and his
boarding-house He had proposed it, and
she was nothing 10th to accede-it was SO
pretty and romantic.
Then, Auntie Smith was not at all pleas
ed with this dark-eyed young stranger, and,
though she had not forbidden him the
house, both lovers knew she preferred ''his
room to his company"
And so, always with dear little Madge at
her side, she daily tripped down the path
through the leafy words to the halfway
trysting place where she met her handsome,
dark-eyed lover Neil Rowan. How heI
heart fluttered tonight as she thought Of
him and the warm love-light deepened and
darkened the soft, brown eyes
seNeil, Neil," she said, almost uncon.
sciously, aloud; and little Madge clasped
her sisters hand Closer and looked mp il
her face.
''Do you love him so very much, sistel
Cora ?''
A. swift, hot color came into tho girli
cheeks, and then she panscs, suddenly
holding the hands of little madge in {
fervent grasp.
''Love him! love him, Madge bette
than all the Word-better than my youth
my life-ay, sometimes fear better thai
my hope of heaven ! And am TO be hi
wife, little Madge, this good mans wife
when the beautiful spring comes. shal
leave you, and aunte, and uncle, to be al
his. But this is our secret, little sister, am
only you can share it,
Then her hands relaxed their hold, AM
drawing the light scarf over hor shoulders
she tripped silently on. They were almos
there-nearing the edge of the wood, ap
the stile was but step away. Anothe
stsp forward and then Madge held her sis
ter back.
''Wait y she whispered; Il can see tw
men on the seat, Cora, We do not want t
meet strangers there"
ssNo," she said, drawing back in tn
shadow of the wood; sit is Neils friend
Willis Dean. We will wait until he goes
for do not like to meet him"
Even as she spoke the figure arose, an
the sound of his voice came on the twiligh
air, distinct and clear.
"And what of this love affair, frien
Neil ? When is it to end, and how Al
you really in earnest, and do you mean
marry the girl ~
Cora Smiths hand closed upon the ar
of Madge till she shrank in pain while the
waited for the answer. Neil Rowan laughe
softly.
"Marry her p he repeated. "She is jus
the subject for grand filtration, and
assure you have done the thing well. Bl
for anything further-bah ! [ am going bac
to town tomorrow, and this is our last NEE
ing; so be of. old fellow, for I expect h
every moment"
Just for one moment Madge Smiths hea
stood still in awful fear, for she thougl
Cora was dying. That white, ghastly fac
there in the twilight that motionless figur
those tightly locked hands, it surely vi
not the fair, sweet maiden of MONT,
before. But the spasm passed, and witho
word, she arose and glided noiseless
away, and Madge followed her in silence.
Neil Rowan waited until the light hi
all died out of the west, and the dew Ii
like summer rain on the grass at his fee
His cigar was smoked down to ashes, al
his lazy revery was broken by the cry
the whip-poor will.
''She isn't coming tonight" he sa
mentally; ''that is certain. The schemil
auntie up yonder managed to prevent
this time. Oh, well, it saved scene
will drop a loving, farewell note, and SO
ends-a summers amusement. EIa, hum
and Neil Bowan strolled homeward, sit
ing, half uncousciously, II won't have her
know won't have her, | know doI
care straw who has her, | know"
The farewell note came to Cora Sm
the following night, but the foyer-brig
eyes never rested on the creamy page, f
ere the insane light gave place to reas
again, death sealed the white eyelids.
To such natures as this girls love is u
and the rude blow that woke her from
one bright dream of her youth, snapped
slender cord that bound her frail spirit
earth, and out of the depths of her aw
grief, the kindly hand Of death led her
the mountain-top, where is builded the G
of the New Jerusalem.
Day by day, week by week, month
month, so sped the time until eight ye
were counted. Eight times the grass b
grown over the little grave in the lone
country graveyard, and again the Octo
winds rustled the scarlet leaves over
narrow mound.
Wonderful changes had the eight ye
brought, Side by side with this grave W
two others, and the headstones bore