The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-10-03

be revenged, II the hour should ever come
her repent her cruel words on bended knees.
How little did he think that the hour he SO
wished for was so nearly come!
The last day Of September had come-to-7
morrow she must bid adieu to the haunts OF T,
her childhood. must begin her drama on the
stage OF life. When evening came she seated
herself on the rustic garden seat where Har.
old he'd first whispered his love; and in fancy
saw again those brave, true eyes; felt again
the soft pressure Of his lips, and saw again
the handsome form Of her lover far away in
other lands. With the tears streaming down
her n, cheeks where w wed the lily With the rose,
10 beautiful moon, as you sail on in your
journey through the blue vault of heaven,
bear some message to my darling in those far
over him tonight for me. And shining stars,
sweet forget-me-nots of the angels, watch over
my own Harold and bring him safely back to
Her soliloquy ended, she arose and slowly
wended her way to her room. Did she not.
see the letter that fell from her lap as she
arosef No. she had forgotten it-Harold's let
body else saw,-and his heart beat high with
hope, as he crept from his lurking place be- Z
hind the large magnolias. and hastily picked
up the letter letter. an and gIanGed at the post-mark,
he reached the highway, seated himself be-
hind clump of trees, drew box Of matches
from his pocket, and began eagerly TO peruse
Yes, 1t was from Harold to his betrothed
wife. He sang the love OF bis heart in his
sweetest strain; he was working hard; her
love instilled new life into him; he would
strong man shook with emotion-with hate
for the writer as the truth dawned upon him.
He clenched his fists and vowed solemnly be,
come Harold Percy's wife while he lived.
The moon moved on in silent majesty. the
silver light fell over him, the stars twfnkled
on In n, their far of realms, and the light
grand old oaks; still the silent figure moved
not; He was pondering deeply, his mind was
as the troubled ocean; dark waves Of fear
rushed oyer him great pillows Of wild
great and improbable were they.
"fail or succeed, have said it." -
ures, and passed his hand over the pale, ex.
cited brow Of Claude Durant, for It was none
other than he He gave long look at the
house; turned and was soon lost In the
gloom Of the wood. 80
PART II.
october had come and had nearly passed In
to November. The stately mansion Of Her
bert Clyde was closed. The old house.keeper
was gone. Only few tenants fingered, wait
Ing the gathering M Of their labors. The fair
Durant was master now. He had left to tray-
el no one knew where. No one knew that he
was going until one morning he boarded the
train, and said goodbye" 70 DR.. Gray who
was standing BY. With a synical smile he he
raised his hat and said, s5sS
~ leave to be- gone many months; before /
return many days will have passed."
The train sped on, and it was many days be;
fore Col. Durant set foot on Carolina's sol.
Lois was settled in her vocation as teacher.
She loved her work; 1t made her forget her
sorrows. The pale, sweet face OF the "Little
Teacher" as she was called. made an impress
sion on every one who gazed upon it. The
| children adored her; the older pupils wor-
shipped her as they would have Venus Of old,
| in short, every one did her homage. ,'ss
Dr.. Gray wrote often to her, and many were
the fatherly admonitions he gave her. She
knew she had two warm friends, 1.-The old DR..
and his wife, and nd she strove bard to gain their:
parture with pleasure, thinking that she
would thus be relieved OF the pain Of meeting
| him again. = I
that he shall cause you to drink the bitterest
dregs Of the cup OF woe! Little do you think
| that he shall cast dark shadow DER your In
nocent life! It is better that our fate is hid
den from us; that we can not read our future
on the sibylline leaves OF fate.
Four months had passed away, and they
brought only sorrow and Anxiety to the heart
Harold: Was he sick, or was he tired OF her !
These thoughts had so preyed upon her mind,
that In her dreams she would see him lying
sick In his Western home. Again she would
|
ness she would break the spell OF sleep, when
10, she would find IL all dream! No sooner
had she closed her eyes in slumber again,
than she would see him fold another form to
soft murrhurs to another, when the terrible
truth would flash over her, he loved another,
| false. She would start up in her frenzy then
she would calmly whisper,
first" Oh Faith, that comes of love, thou art
stronger than death /; more lasting than the
grave! She wrote to him time and again, but
never word did she hear. until her very soul
was crushed with passionate longing. She
had no one to whom she could 60 for sympa-
thy; no one knew her secret. She knelt, and
In the anguish OF despair opened her heart to
Him, who does all things well; she raised to
Heavens white throne the petition,
"Father be mercifnl, my burden is greater
than can bear" Was this the punishment
inflicted for breaking her promise 70 dying
father7 Was this the bread she had cast up.
on the waters coming back to her? Day by
day disappointment, like canker, ate her
very heart away; the danask hue OF the rose
no longer glowed upon her cheeks; her steps
grew languid and slow; q pensive melan-
choly settled over her mind.
| AtleDgth the vacation days arrived when
importuned to accept the position the next
session, she refused, saying her health would
here another year If no message comes from
my brave. true love ere then. I shall have
found a last resting place." q
| WDeu sue returned 10 Dr. trays, he was
distressed at her condition, and firmly said
she should never leave them again. II he
| guessed the cause OF the change he never
spoke word. He knew she would unfold
her heart when she could summon courage to
speak her Thoughts One evening as they
were sitting in the gloaming, she sat down at
his feet and leaned her head on his knee.
DR." she said, at is more than q year since
| Harold left.'
He felt her shudder, as II a cold blast had
struck her; he doubted no more, that one
shudder had revealed her secret.
| Yes, and that reminds me, I have not ask
ed you word about him since you returned.
Where Is he now?"
In the moonlight, he saw q deathly pallor
mantle her brow; her lips quivered, the
quick tear rushed to her eye, rs She replied in
a sad, dreamy voice,
al do not know where he Is. I've not had
word from him in seven long months. I do
| not know what has become of him. Some
times iancy he is dead, agair think he has
| forgotten me-his old friend-his-"
She stopped, the words died on her lips,
| why ced she tell what he had been to her
since he could never be that again? She
arose, went to tho piano, and SO plaintive and
| sad were the strains that f1oated on the STILL
| ness, that they sounded like the wall Of some
dying soul; indeed they were the echos Of q
heart, that never again would know happi-