The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-05-16
A SACRIFICE.

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ASACRIFICE.
Many years ago had a friend, Kenneth
Lambert. He was younger than myself, al
that time fvs-or. six -and-twenty, full of aspi
rations for a better, purer existence than the
| life We lead.
His day dream, cherished for long time
was to leave society, and, choosing some re-
tired spot, live there alone with nature In
| study and contemplation.
"Talk," his friends called It when they
heard Of IL. But Kenneth, through all his
work and he was no idler-retained the
notion of this plan. At last an unexpected
legacy enabled him to leave the bar and pur-
chase the chosen site for his new home.
II was ruined chapel on the side of a
moor, place he had known all his life. vi
the wayside chapel nothing was left but an
archway. Behind this he had lew
walls bnilt, dividing the house into two
rooms. ONE over the other. When all was
completed he went there. Some people,
know, thought him mad; his sisters lau ghed,
saying he would soon be tired Of his scheme.
l believed in him. I would gladly have
Joined him, but man with wife and child
is not free agent. He cannot retire into q
life of contemplation, however much he may
wish Il.
went TO see Kenneth in his new home.
The place was almost inaccessible; had not
Kenneth met ne on the hilltop and shown
me the way over moor and moss l should
never have found It. The chapel was in a
copse; wild stream brawled by it. The
oak, alder, and holly we're restrained by a
fence from encroaching on the chapel, aud
marsh plants thrust their stems through the
bars. The nearest house was farm half n
mile away. Kanneth's bed was sim
pie, his sitting room furnished in perfect
taste. On the walls some fine etchings, a
plaster relief whence smiled the homely
face of Socrates, on a bracket an image Of
Buddha. Between these was an engraving
OF Dore's Vale of Tears. Books, too, there
were in plenty, and the fox terrier-such
were Kenneth's companions.
"And nature" he said, when made this
remark.
"And here 1T is that you will stay, in peace
and quiet" said, "until Your mission
sends you forth"
"Peace and quiet 2" he answered, smiling;
"no, those are not for me. l have pre-
sentiment that this ideal life will not last
long. shalt marry"
looked incrsdulously at him. He showed
me his hand. SIT is written here" he said;
81 Bee It only too plainly. Far as it is from
my desires, 1t is fated.'
For more than six months heard nothing
of Kenneth. We went for the winter to Tor
remouth, l and my wife, and to our surprise
aud pleasure found the Lamberts had the
house next our own. We had fiat, and on
the fiat below us lived Mrs. Vernay. Mrs.
Verpay was the belle of TOrremouth, and
justly; never saw any woman 80 beautiful,
never shall again see such face. She was
tall and slight, with fair skin, blue eyes
shaded with dark lashes, and her shapely
head crowned with really golden hair. No
art was there; 1t was all nature, nature in
her utmost perfection. She was young, a
widow, said to be enormously rich, but had
she been beggar maid we all should have
worshipped her. Young, old. single, mar.
ried, there were none but paid homage to
her shrine.
Frank Lambert was badly bitten by her
charms. He was two and twenty, home for
his first long leave. Mrs. Vernay encour.
haps being such boy she looked on him as
safe game. | know that she stole his
heart with the first glance of hor violet eyes,
and that he has never recovered from her
influence.
We were sitting together one afternoon In
the Lambsrts' drawing room when Kenneth
walked in. TOrremouth was not more than
ten miles from his retreat, and he had walked
over, not to pay his mother passing visit,
hut to stay II she wonld have him.
Did any mother ever refuse to recsive her
eldest SOM How the girls laughed at him |
declaring their prophecies true and saying
he was weary Of solitude. felt little sur.
prised at him. Only one person preserved
her faith in him this was Grace Cheslyn.
the girls frisn !, almost like another sister.
She was staying with them, and upheld Ken
meth, whatever Wa might say.
Mrs. Vsrnay dinsd that night with the
Lamberts, coming In like some beautiful
being from another world, jewels glinting in
her dress, and In her hair snake that gilt.
tered with diamonds aud rubies.
We all came and paid court TO her, Ken
meth included. She looked with interest at
him, saying:
"Ah The Hermit brother. | have 30
wanted TO see you. Have You left your Sc
2" r.,
Eyes, as we all knew he would," quoth
Marie Lambert. "The cold weather on that
moor conld not bs endured"
my sister Ii mistaken" said Kenneth
81 left for other reasons, and did not par
like coming away from my soil.
tude."
eve will teach you the pleasures of so.
ciety," Mrs. Vernsy cried. "Solituds Is
horrible. Man was not made TO live alone.n
Did SEQ Kenneth Vince could not
tell.
Then Grace came, asking Mrs. Vernay to
write In her birthday book. And the beauty
Lilly Vernay" in a clear, beau
tifnl writing, ,natchlsss as herself.
Kenneth read II over dracs's shoulder.
"Yonr name is Lilith," he said to Mrs.
Vernay.
"who told you that" she asked, and he
replied:
~ know it," without Offering any expla-
nation.
"Lilith horrid - murmured Grace, as,
with Frank, Mrs. Vernay moved toward the
piano.
~ think II pretty; why horrid ." Marie
asked.
"Do you know about Lilith Z" her friend
replied. "She was Adams first wife, and |
for transgresslon was turned out Of Paradise. |
She is the enemy Of all little children, and |
when Jewish babies are born the nurses
write 'Lilith, avaunt = agsinst.ths wall, lest
she should come and kill the child. And |
tradition says that she still haunts the world |
~ beautiful woman, who entices men to |
marry her, and then strangles them In her |
golden hair"
"a tradition" said ], "something like the |
legends of the Greek Lamia."
"How do you know that there Ia not truth |
In traditions aud folly In rejecting them 7"
Kenneth asked.
Meanwhile Mrs. Vsrnay was singing song
after song. and with every note stealing away
q bit OF Franks heart. Aud her music won
Kenneth TO her side, for hs took his brothers.
.Iaa ..f.