The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-07-28
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Very i'll. my poor girI--o near the
valley of death that its shadows all but
enccmpassed your life
Bring me looking-gIitss-n
stared breathlessly into its crystal
depths. Thank heaven-I was pale
worn. haggard. but not scarred with the
hideous prints Of the disease had been
battling with
How does it happen tina, am not
marked ~ asked, with a deep respini-
tion of fthankfalness
Through your siep-mother's unremit-
ting care, day and night, Isabel, YOU
ought to love her very. very much. for il
ever guardian angel dwelt in human
form, she has been one 10 you !"
Was my heart nodded ont Of aiamant.
instead Of mortal flesh and blood? For |
hated my step-mother still. I thanked
her, it Is true, but her gentle sigh told me
that she was not deceived BY the empty
form ef words.
/ | Was Just oonyaieSeing sufficiently TO
III up. when Colonel Tresselyn came to
our house He had been an Old school
friend of Estelle Raymond's, before she
married my Either, but it - chanced that
! l had never seen him.
+ He was tall and handsome, with large,
dark eyes, a rieh brown skin, and a face
and figure ike the sculpture5 reI,resen-
tations Of Apollo And the soft. South
ern grace Of his manner was as fine a. il
was attractive to me.
The first day that knew l had fallen
in love with him, WAS the day first fan
cied his manner had a deeper shade Of
tenderness than its wont toward my step
mother.
The light flashed blindingIy, bewilder-
ingiy in upon my soul Nv beautiful, ha-
tel stel-mother-she was not then con-
tent with stealing from the motheriess
girl a fathers treasured love, but she must
fain take also away the dearest jewel of Il
woman's life, the heart Of man she low
ed most dearly
had recourse TO my usual I<lHacea for
a sore he,trt-solitude sought the lone
IL depths of the autmn-tinted woods
to think and dream, and burn in upon
my heart the passionate consciousness Of
my own grief and isolation. And could
not have told whether had been there
hours or only minutes, when voices in
the leaf-shaded aisles beyond, were float-
ed gently 70 my ears-iny step-mother's
tone. mingled with the sweet, deep ac-
cents of Colonel Treselyn They did not
know l was there, but had neither the
spirit nor the pride to reveal my pres
ence.
1t is useless, Ralph Estelle's sweet
voice spoke = know that am still
young in years, but such things a. love
and marriage are over for me-
And You will not be my wife -
4 Ne Ralph-but It IS not that do not
esteem and respect you y
"You send me away frem your he
said, in somewhat piqued tone.
-There YOU are wrong again, Ralph. ]
would fam keep YOU by my side, as a
dear and valued friend. Ask Is.sbel to
be- your wife.-she Is young and beauti-
ful. with rare richness of nature, and a
heart which viii appreciate you a. you
deserve. As Isabel's husband YOU can
scarcely fail to be happy, or"
And here the growing distance between
u. and the rustic Of the leaves drowned
their receding voices. and ! sat there
with exultant throbs in my heart Ought
l to have been indignant? Should /
have spurned the adulation which had
been laid first at another's shrine |
can only answer ;hat II loved the
Colonel,
In that hour my manner a. well a. my
heart altered toward my step-mother and
on the evening when Ralph Tre~elyn
asked me to be his wife, went to her
and told her Of it. with my arm upon her
shoulder and my heart pressed close
against hers.
Il am - glad. Isabel r. she whispered.
And not alone that you and Ralph are
to be happy, but because think you
have finally learned 10 love me-
Il do love you, mother " Whispered,
softly.
Mamma - I said, c.,rresSingly, one
day, when We had just returned from our
wedding tour, " wonder that YOU did
not Ike him. -
Did ever tel YOU. Bell, that l did
not love him ?"
" Are you in earnest ,"
Just thus far" she answered, That
might have learned 10 loye him a. Il
wife, had allowed myself TO do 50. But,
Bell, there were two obstacles in the way
Your dear fathers memory, and your
happiness. l read your heart, dearest,
and knew that Ralph needed only to do
20. too. To- love YOU a You deserved -
And YOU have sacrificed yourself for
me - exclaimed, almost revercntially,
a. if there was something saint like in ner
gentle beauty
1t was no sacrifice. Isabel. ANY fleet
inc fancy may have felt has vanished
long ago, and | am happy in your hap
pines"
And - the unseifi~h, steadEisi love OF
my stepmother conquered my wiliful na-
ture At last
The White House.
Most people believe that the $4,000 Il
year which the President gels - his