Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-21
4 SACRIFICE.


ne1h Lambert. lie wAS yount
wveelf a that time i've or SIX ana
fcsntv. fun Of aspirations for . better
nnrsr existencs than tho life We leo:
M day-dream, cherished 70. : long
ss.. - 70 leave society. and choosing
scmn retired spot, live there alone with
.stnrs jn study and contemplation.
~Tslkv his friends called 1t when
NAV hard Of Il. But Kenneth,
thrcufh al his work--and he was no
0Isr--retained the notion Of this plan.
Al last.an unexpected legacy enabled
him 70 leave the bar and purchase the
chosen site for his new home.
Il was . ruined chapel on the side OF
: moor, . place he had known all his
life. OF the wayside chapel nothing
Vas left but an archway. Behind this
be had new walls built, dividing the
house into two rooms, one over the
other. When al was completed he
vent there. Some people. | know,
thought him mad his sisters laughed,
saving be would soon be tired of his
scheme. l believed in him. would
gladly have joined him, but man with
: wife and child is not . free agent. He
cannot retire into life Of contempla-
tiop. however much he may wish it.
/ went to see Kenneth in his new
homo. The place was almost inaccessi-
BILE: had not Kenneth met me on the
hilltop and shown me the way over
moor and moss l should never have
found it. The chapel was in . copse !;
: Wild stream brawled byit. The oak,
alder, and holly were restrained by q
fence from encroaching on the chapel,
and marsh-plants thrust their stems
through the bars. The nearest house
was . farm half . mile away. Ken
neth's bedroom was simple I; his sitting
room furnished in perfect taste. On
the walls some fine etchings, . plaster
relief whence smiled the homely face Of
Socrates, on . bracket an image OF
Buddha. Between these was IN engra-
wing Of Dore's Vale of Tears. Books,
too. there were in plenty. and the fox-ter-
rier-such were Kenneth's companions.
"And nature" he said when made
this remark.
Sand here it is that you will stay,
in peace and quiet" I said, "until
your mission sends you forth?"
"Peace and quiet?" he answered,
smiling; "no, those are not for me. |
have q presentiment that this ideal life
will not last long. shall marry"
looked incredulously at him. He
showed me bis hand. :" 1t is written
here" he said ~ see it only too
plainly. Far as it is from my desires,
it is fated."
For more than six months / heard
nothing Of Kenneth. We went for the
winter to Torremouth, and my wife,
and to our surprise and pleasure found
the Lamberts had the house next our
own. We had a fat, and on the fat
below us lived Mrs. Vernay. Mrs. Yer
nav was the belle Of Torremouth, and
Justly; / never saw any woman so
bartholomew shall again see such a
face. She was tall and slight, with a
fair skin, blue eyes shaded with dark
lashes, and her shapely head crowned
with really golden hair. No art was
there--it was all nature, nature in her
utmost perfection. She was young, a
widow, said to be enormously rich; but
had she been q beggar maid We all
should have worshipped her. Young,
old, single, married, there were none
but paid homage at her shrine.
Frank Lambert was badly bitten by
her charms. He was two-and-twenty,
home for his first long leave. Mrs.
Vernay encouraged him more than any
of the others; perhaps being such a
boy she looked on him as safe game.
know that she stole his heart with the
first glance of her violet eyes, and that
be has never recovered from her infu-
ence.
We were sitting together one after
noon IA the Lsmberts' drawing-room
WHEEL Kenneth walked in. Torremouth
was not more than ten miles from his
retreat, and he had walked over, not to
pay his mother q passing visit, but to
stay IL she would have him.
Did any mother ever refuse to re-
ceiye her eldest son? How the girls
laughed at him declaring their
prophecies true, and saying he was
weary of solitude. l felt little sur
prised at him. Only one person pre-
served her faith in him; this was
Grace Cheslyn, the girls friend, almost
like another sister. She was staying
with them, and upheld Kenneth what
ever we might say.
Mrs. Vernay diped 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 glittered with dia'
mouds and rubies.
We oil came and paid court to her
Kenneth included. She looked with
interest at him, saying:
"Ah! the hermit brother. / have
so wanted to see you. Have you lef
your seclusion?"
"Yes, as We all knew he would,
auoth Marie Lambert. "The colo
weather on that moor could not be en-
dured."
my sister is Mistaken" said Ken
meth. 81 left for other reasons, anC
did not particularly like coming away
ffom my solitude"
1--WE will teach you the pleasures o
society,"" Mrs. yernsy cried. "Soli
tude is horrible. Man was not made
to live alone.''
Did / see Kenneth vince? l could no
tell.
Then Grace came, asking Mrs. Vernay
to write in her birthday book. Ans
the beauty inscribed "Lily yernay" il
clear, beautiful writing, matchlcss a
herself.
Kenneth read it over Grace
shoulder.
"Your name is Lilith," he said t
Mrs. vernay. /.
"who told you thats" she asked
and he replied
II know it," without offering an
explanation.
ssLilith horrid!" murmured Grace
- nth Frank Mrs. Vernay moved K