The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-01-02

away tukptAnAs Aney-MpEg hEGu NAlNAAe
at breakneok speed down the Mill Road
in the direction Of the station-to catch
the north-hound train, no doubt,
Warner heard the news in silence, buI
with white face and set lips,
you will follow them, Of course" some
one said.
But he answered, coldly;
Certainly not. She has chosen, and
have no wish 10 interfere"
And he added bitterly, 10 himself;
"Thla was why she WiShed 70 be mar
RED In trRVelilg-dIeSS,
And when, some two houls thereafter,
the B0utheFn,bound train went Hhieking
past the nearest station, II bore away
among 10 passengers, not hAppy bride.
groom bGtA stern and disappointed man
Time went on its way, with the changes
which time always brings,
Five, ten, fifteen years passed, aud the
village where Alice Graves had lived had
prospered, and was fast growing into q
little town, with brighter prospects ahead.
The little Graves homestead no longer
stood alone in the midst OF its garden aud
fruit trees, but was encroached upon by
newly built houges, aud u board nailed On
the Old front porch informed the public
that fireplace was For Sale"
Ono autumn evening, tall, grave, mid.
die aged gentleman staiked slowly up the
street, with his eyes thoughtfully wan
deTiug over the faded old house and its
neglected grounds,
Pausing where boy was idly swinging
OH 3 gate Of one OF the new houses he,
said;
II see the property over there is for
sale. Who ia the present owner?"
The boy, like most boys, was anxious
to give all the itiormation in his power.
"Old MIR. LRndon Graves was the owner
but he's dead now-been dead two years
aud the place belongs to his daughter,
Mrs Alice"
miss Alice? You mean Mrs.-CurtiSP ?"
said the gentlemen, hesitating at the last
name.
"she amt Mrs. Curtis, That's my
mothers name" replied he boy.
And lady who had been standing un.
seen amid the shrubbery came hastily for.
ward.
She was tall and dark-eyed and comely
and she looked keenly Ut the stranger as
he stood ia the twilight.
Miss Alice Graves has never married."
nhe said. ~ suppose you must somehow |
have heard the old story which got about !
Of her running away with Mr.. Curtis oil |
thu evening she was TO have married an.
other. II was all a mistake-a false rs.
port, She merely rode short distance
with him in his gig, 10 take leave Of an
Old lady oil whom she was fond. But the
morse was young and Bkittlsh, and
!aking fright at something, ran away,
throwing them both out. People believed
i told IN elopement, until when, some
hours after, they were found on the old
mill road, Alice badly bruised and Joe
with his leg broken. The man she was
" have married believed II, and left her
without word. Joe Curtis 10 my bus.
band now" she added with smile, "and
ALICE Graves, though she has not lacked
offers, has never married. She could not
easily get oyer disappointment like that"
"Bnt why was not he-Was not Mr..
Warner informedW inquired the stranger,
In voice OF such suppressed yehemence
that the boy turned aud looked at him
wonderingly.
"Alice would not allow 1t. She was as
proud as he; and when she heard that
no had gone, she Raid:
" II he could believe such a thing OF
mo, 1t ia as well that We should part. Let
him GOT
but it went to her heart, and, for my
part, think she has never forgotten
him."
The stranger made no reply, only pulled
his felt hat lower over his brow, and Mrs.
Curtis added;
III you would like 10 inquire about the
place, you will find Mis- Graves d home.
l saw her upon the porch few minutes
ago."
She watched him as .he went slowly
down the street.
"HU thinks that did not reco: Mise
him. AS II would have said what l did
about Alice 10 any one but Gilbert War.
ner And can see that he has not for.
gotten her, either. All, l hope II may all
come right now!"
When colbert Warner knocked at the
door Of the old Graves house, It was opened
by lair, graceful, sweet looking woman,
10 whom he had no difficulty In recogniz.
ing his old love, Alice. BUTT was not un.
I'll he stood in the full light OF the parlor
lamp that che. knew him; and then she |
inyoluntarily drew back step or two, and |
looked at him with white face, as though
she had seen ghost.
"Alice-don't you know me 2" he said, |
holding out his hand.
VI know you; but why do you come
hereY" she answered, as though striving
TO be cold and proud, while her voice iai.
tered aud her eyes filed with tears.
~ came to ask forgiveness" he replied,
"Untll to-day thought that you had
wronged me-and you did, Alice, in not
letting me know Of my wrstched mistake.
SO many years Of happiness lost TO Us
both Oh, Alice, Is It too late May we
not yet be % happy as we once expected
10 be2"
1t took some time, some pleading, some
humiliation, on Ids own part, for high
minded Alice had been deeply wounded
by his too ready belief In her desertion Of
him. hut still her heart had never really
swerved from Its first real love, no more
than had his own; and when Gilbert
Warner left the little town, It was 40 he
had hoped TO do fifteen years previous-
with Alice Graves as his bride,
-
An lmpendiuR (lueRLion.