The Osceola times., 1886-12-04

a ahu SIX months ago had come hack :,
rrerean, bought at a good round nr;c,
oh0ckoe' MS ancestral home, some fou,
,hlies from the village, and followel
mat W falling nearly in love with m,
pcautliul Miss Deering. The neiobbor
hood mammas all put out decoys yery
vigorously, but he was either a ycry
, on or very inexperienced specimcn
ne ne passed unharmed and unallured
ana Kept his allegiance openly bound 10
isaDel Deering. lie had been a very
unique frank, uneXacting lover. seem.
ing TO feel it quite enough that be
should be allowed undstur6cd and nm.
'rainmeled expression of his own love.
"a lew days ago he said to Isabel, as
'hoy stood on the gallery steps:
DO you know that you have never
said nor even hintcd that you cared any
thing about me, Isabel?"
Haven't l?' Isabel laughed one of
her ripping little laughs, which was AL
most a caress. I've been clever in ey.
lract!nIg promises from you. at any
rate. my
fragments, he corrected. ecboinc
lrreslsllbly her smile, as he laid a shane.
~ brown hand on her shoulder. and he
sad: 81 love You very dearly. Isabel. :"
"Foor fellow Isabel utilized one of
her patient smiles. PAY all and get
nothing
"But you do love me a little. don't
your And you don't love any one else
better" His face grew dark and
stern as he spoke ~ couldn't endure
that
Isabel thought of these words as she
half confessed to Maggie lingering
tenderness for Robert Stanope, and a
half resolve formed itself 10 tell Mr..
Stuart she did not love him and give
herself back her freedom. But the
thought of relinquishing her triumph as
mistress of Shockoe, of all Of Mr.. Stu
arts immense fortune, was too much
for her vanity. The wedding was over,
the congratulations had been offered,
the lunch had been served. and Isabel
looking very charming in her much
talk-of-go-away gown, was chatting
mcrrily with her bridesmaids in the hall
as her brother approached her looking
greatly annoyed and said, with some
hesitation:
isabel, Mr. Stuart has had tele-
gram; he must 90 to Nevada at once.
The train starts in five minutes. lie
wishes You to decide Tor yourself
whether you will 90 or stay. You are
free TO do as You choose
All eyes TUNED to the young bride,
who was by turns pale and red
what did he say, Philip she repeat
ed again and again. "Surcly he can
not expect"
mo, he doesn't expect any thing
The company had withdrawn 10 the
parlors, and brother and sister stood
alone. only Maggie Stcrns was near
and more than certain what lsabcl's de-
,ision would be-, sIler brother says;
DO as you choose. Life out there is
,ery hard, and a woman would not find
my society.
GLOW can | decide any thing all in
moment somebody help me-Maggie
ell me what to do Isabel turned ap-
,ealngly to her friend. but Maggie
,nly shook her head. This was n case
he must assume herself. ADO you sup
iose he thinks | ought to 90, Phil?'
he asked, suddenly; but why can'th he
yait?"
"Because he cant, suppose, her
rothcr said, biuntly, "lle must 20 at
nee. Come, its train time; say
uick-"
Wont he come TO say good bye?'
sabel asked, in hurt tone.
"No; said he couldn't stand it, He
5 awiully knocked up; by the way
lerc's a lctter-don't want to read 1t,
please, TIL tomorrow"
LET me see HIM oa, at least
"No use; trains of ! hear the whis-
lie. Poor fellow Phil could not help
,aying-'l believe he half thought
,ou'd come, but the letter was written
N ease you should not
The letter which Phil Deering had
handed his sister ran thus:
when YOU road this / shall be muny miles
away. was an inadvCrtent listener 10 your
yesterday evening which 70
vcaled more e. me Than oven you yourNeli
are conscious OF, perhaps To assrciuc WIN
YOU daily with suspicion in my hctrt would
mako lie Il torture 10 US both. Therefore |
20 away. feeling TINT THIS Is most what you
would desire, aul wishing only TO conform 70
" hat would be Tor your happiness. You nave
what your Nmhiti n craycd, John stuart
fortune and the protection of his name. IL
L. believing that his life can be best spenl
looking o. your happiness WIN the nrrad'h
of the states between MS that go. believe
that know YOU TOO well % fear TO nave inc
srtf tg m vpnl nll name from "a lNIlf
breath Of scandal IN your keeping. en-
ioin that you 20 at once 70 Shockoc-Nhefc J.
alas! had thought TO be so happy-that you
live there as hcrts John stuart wife. lou
viii nnd at your bankers carte-hlanche TO
draw as YOU wish. SHAH write you regularly,
and require of you a similar recognition or
onr relations JOUN STUART.
"p set not thought of duty, or les CON
venauccs. induce YOU to seek TO follow me.
If your inclination had ever faintly promptid
thereto YOU would have gone win me ana
this would have been burned, undelNcfcd'
wish no unwilling allegiance. you owe me
nothing. / have ns you said yesterday, alui>-
iress for ShockCe aud you have sausned
ambition
The months rolled by-gradually the
wonder of Peream spent itself in van
imaoinincs aud the strange absence ol
Mr.. Stuart ceased to be the constant
tonic. After the first few months II was
rarely mentioned TO his wife, whose lie
ot Shockoe was ceaselosS round OF
rayetv. which Peream considered rather
questionable taste in viow of her nus
bands prolonged absence, She was
usually gay and apparently careless les,
when the matter was mentioned, ou,
rather avoided explanations, dubbed
herselfthc gras,-widow, but generally
MANAGED TO mention items of news
from her husbands letters when friends
whose Judgment she might value called.
These letters came. regularly. Never
personal, never remotely limiting at ms
inner self, but filed with charming ac,
coun,s Of western scenes and life odd
characters and incidents of the Mining
.orld. and Isabel gradually realized
hat her husband, whom She had seem n,
cd scarcely TO know, was uil'iSually