The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-06-03

and he returned to breathing only to fall
into stupor, In which he lay the whole
night A light, soothing draught was give
to Lily. and she slept soundly till morning
when she awoke with no bad effects, save d
slight dizziness. She rose and dressed. and
TO The astonishment of the family, appeared
at breakfast. In vain they urged her to lie
on the lounge, at least. She assured them
she was perfectly well, and in spite of all
they could say, went into the sick-roOm and
took her seat by the bed; and here, with
tirelesS eyes, she watched for long days and
nights.
The sufferers condition remained unal-
tered. The same dull stupor and heavy
breathing; and with the rest Lily began TO
despair of any change in him but the great
one, till one night, as she sat by him while
her feliOw-watcher lay sleeping on the
lounge, he suddenly started from his pill
! low. in an instant she stood bending over
him. His eyes were open, but they were
filled with The light Of delirium He did
not notice her, but seemed looking at
something beyond, and he pointed with
his hand, as he said:
do you see her! There she stands. Es-
tella She has discovered my secret, and
como to gloat over me. y, Estella . Is
| tella Why were we two ever born Z" His
| voice died away in a wall, and then he
broke out fiercely: Laugh on, beautiful
demon Triumph while you may But
you vent all your ire on me. Never, never,
shall you have power to touch her For
/ though with all the strength Of despair |
love Lily. l will never forget that you are
my wife"
The laugh aroused the sleeper, and it was
well it did, for Lily stood by the bed as cold
and white as the patient, and for once she
left the room without objecting.
| From this time the patients case changed
Wild rawlings took the place of the stupor;
but never again did Lily, who was constant
| as before at her post, hear him speak as he
| did that night. But that once had been
enough. 1t had shown her her heart torn
the veil of the future from her eyes, and
| let her see it stretch a dreary, hopeless
blank before her. The long dreary winter
dragged by, and Mr.. Brown bgtJed for life
| till the snow began to melt, and then youth
won the fight and he entered the slow
road of cOnvaieScence; but the blossoms
| were on the trees before he left his room
| and stood in the sunlight again. A great
change had come over Lily i'll this time.
| She abandoned the sick room when Mr..
| Brown began to mend, and took up all the
| little household care she could to assist her
mother.
And thus time run on, till one lovely
evening toward the close of April Lily,
wearied with the house, went out for
quiet walk. She had felt lonely and de-
pressed all day. but under the influence OF
| the soft, balmy air her gloom faded and
she tripped along with almost the blIthe-
SOmeneSS OF Uee Ola
she took the path to the school-hOuse and
she had nearly reached the well-known
door, when suddenly she stopped short, for
Just emerging from the shadow of the
woods. she saw the tall form OF Mr.. Brown.
1t was the first time she had met him alone
since that terrible day, and she stood hest
tating whether to push reSOlutely past him,
or turn hastily back; but fate decided for
her Before even these few thoughts could
rush through her mind, Mr.. Brown stood
before her.
Good evening Miss Lily" said he pleas
antly. ''Do you intend walking any far
thern'
''No, sir" she stammered. Il am going
home now"
Then l may accompany your
The form was a question, but without
waiting for reply, he walked on, and she
passively did the same. A silence Of some
minutes followed, during which Lily feared
he heard her heart beat, and then Mr..
Brown spoke:
4 am very glad that have met you this
evening" Miss Elmer for l have heen wait
ing and wishing for a long time for an OPP
portunity to thank you for your kindness
to me-"
He stopped, and a spark of Lily's old
spirit flashed up, and she cried:
Thank mel You mean tell me how you
hate and despise me, for that is what l de-
serve, and confess t!'
n
choked it back, and looked at him with
flashing eyes.
Hate you" be said sadly mo; what
ever the past has been, have been too far
from blameleSs in it, to think harshiy of
you even if | wished to- and now, as we
shall so soon part, perhaps forever, l can
remember nothing but your kindness"
The light all died out of Lily'S eyes,
''Parti How" she half gasped.
Il shall leave your fathers house to-
morrow. l should have gone before, but
we don't always do as we should"
The last with faint attempt at smile.
But Lily did not notice it. Her poor little
heart seemed choking her. and her head
was dizzy with the Going! going go
ing'' that the trees were singing to her.
She dared not trust her voice to speak, and
they walked on in silence again for some |
time, when Mr.. Brown suddenly stopped |
and stood directly in front of her, and,
fixing his eyes almost fiercely upon her he !
said, an hoarse voics
Lilly Elmer, they tell me that you nursed |
me through my fever, and that you alone |
heard me talk of my past life Is it so?"
He stopped. Her face grew whittier than |
the ruffles at her throat but some unknown |
power held her and raised her eyes full Of |
wild, heart-broken anguish to his, and her |
pale lips said:
1T is"
For minute each looked into the others |
soul and there read the secret their lips |
dared not tell; and then with shudder, |
Mr.. Brown turned and said:
"COme, the dew is falling. 1t is time you |
were home"
And then they walked silently on till
they reached the gate. Here Mr.. Brown |
again stopped and held out his hand, /
II shall leave very early Tomorrow; too |
early to see you, and we had better say |
goodbye here"
L. L.
grasped it tightly, and a wild impulse |
seized him to fling defiance at the world, |
and clasp her in his arms, and tell her the |
mad love that was burning his heart. But |
that mighty power, the human will that |
holds even the elements in check, held him |
He wrung her hand, and whispered |
Goodbye! God bless you! Be happy! |
ought to say forget me, but God forgive |
me, can not"
And then he hurried away, and left her
in the pale gray veil Of falling twilight,
Five years passed by with the changes
they always bring. Another April twilight |
was falling over the little schOolhouse in |
the woods and mingling its golden light |
with the brown hair of the mistress, as she |
closed the door and came slowly down the |
path Five years had made changes in her. |
too, but not so many, but that one wouh |
recognize the Lily Elmer of old. The |
color in her cheeks was fainter, |
the outlines of her figure sligbter and |
more elegant, and the soft light in |
her eyes told as plainly as her sable robes |
that sorrow had not spared her. The five /
years had robbed her of parents and homo. |
and now she earned her bread in the little |
brown school-house. She came SLOWLY |
down the path, swinging the big, rusty |
key she carried, and going back in |
spirit through the long years to |
that other April evening, that mem
almost reached the edge of the woods, when /
she stopped. and cry half escaped her. |
Was She draining or Uara har nvas and |