Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1888-06-30
FENLOW'S FOLLY.

II stood up ealnt and bleak, and
bare. almost always in the shadow, thai
solemn old building. 81 standing monu-
lnent to the folly Of ON" man who i'm
agined h" was to revolnt ionlIethc world.
Or that part of it at least that rcvov,d
around Tidewind as center.
$50 that is fcnlow's Folly" said
Paul llildrcth, as he stood beside the
beautiful Alma Dane and passed down
into the deep shadows of the gn,h where
the immense stone building stood over
the little stream. and seemed part of
the gloomy picture with which nature
had invested hat lone spot
Trees lining the hillsides shadowet
the pace, save for brief bit at noon
day, when III" sun in his dlurnal round
prePed for Il short time into the solemn
gulch
s"That is ,Fen'"w's. Folly" answered
the glrl, her sol, mn gray eyes shadowed
with the gloom ol the scene II have
often wondered what WAS inside those
old walls, but, YOU see, haven't vet
gained courage 10 make the exploration.
Perhaps you would 20 with me. >
Not for the world y he answered
'itii % . ilduHtttl, tHtf say,
and | have no notion Of shocking nv
nerves by visit to the old ruin Did
you tell me why it was built"
''For a factory of some sort, but the
protector died before it was completed,
and no one cared to finish the work since
fcnlow left no property
"Indeed" :"
There was pulling look in the ewes
of handsome Paul IIidreth, as he
plucked at his mustache and regarded
the sonhrc ruin thoughtf;.lly
Folly, indcc,l' he muttcrod. "5y
the way Cousin Nina, do Won hear from
our mutual friend. Gerard ManningI |
supposed you AND jlc would have ioineci
lives and fortunes before now"
4 hear nothing"
And yet the gloom ,lecponed in the
| gray eyes, and IL touch ot pallor shot
into Alma Danes checks. Why had this
reference to Manning 50 affected herr
The man at her side understood, and
bit his III a h offered his arm aud the
TWAIN walked slowly down the countr,
| ROAD. The walk extended half a mile,
ending at the comfortable residence of OLD
! Squire anc whose broad acres were
counted by the thousands, and who haG
lailghlngly promised his only child Almt
a good fat du, k on her wedding dav.
once IN her own room Alma gave ven
TO her feelings in dry sob rs she sank
low in the willow rocker and caled har,
at the floor. Why did Gerard Manning
not Gomez T. sis was the burden of he
grief. At length she came to her feet
and from drawer i'll the bureau near c <
| iracted letter. Sh. opened il and rea,
Tor tho doIcnth time
Ny pARLl>o ALMA:-l >hall lie with vo,
on III" 'fhof June If ! live. and tnen h
"ortt shall know ~ eur h.trpthal | ha.
pr">I'rrtl, and eNpect 10 sat >y the exaction
even 81 50 eNactiur sire as yours Man,
kiss 5 and goot hve GERARD
\ precious mi>sivc that. For tn
dozenth time Alma pressed it to he
lips, then. with a ehulier. dung it from
her. .and sank once more tu the low chair
1t was now the 22d. and Gerard Nan
ning had failed 10 appear. If IN
alive viii lie with vou IN the on,h h
had written Conil il he that he wa
dead Alma felt u >nothering >cn>atio
= the thought. But no if anything ha,
gone wrong with Gerard the telegram
would have quickly informed her Of Il.
For two laws her handSom, cousin
Iaul ilildrcth, had invested the squire
home with his presence, and he had bee
very attentive 10 ; pretty cousin, VII
hai, on a former occasion, refused hil
for the sake If the love Gerard Mannin
Ia kindied in helrt
Paul Was more than ever attcntiy
dlnng his present sist
Il Thought ! must ofnc before >ctt;n
out for Europe, h. explained. | nj, a
y drown my sorrow III foreign land =
THIS hal reference 10 his haptle
love fQr Alma Size ptlcl him as Il
r,gaifei the handsome splt unity Of il
face, pit.ei. and waited IN vain II
coming If Gerard Mann.n NJ.
y OIL have met I'll III Walton louh
lcs., said PaIl. oarclt>>lv. en the thll
day OF lis vi IT, II Saw Ii riding wIi
! Manning on the lnotnInG q the ~0t.l.
boardcd tile ;.Iin. '
"Inc,cr met her" vas Alma's salen
! answer II don't think Nj. Nann!r
ever mentioned her raine IN nv hear n
The SIX dog | suppose h wAntt
, to Keep it secret, hu, the gossip IL :
i that Mls, Walton i~, an h~Iie>> anI II
Gcrsri i desperately mi;:ea. | iii Z
have tried there myself only. You >tc,
! couldn', marry for mere gold. Il -
in my nature. believe am not co