Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-08-30


might have developed into beauty
but. pshaw! don't | know how these
country girls grow up! Freckled, and
tanned, coarse and awkward. tow.
headed, ignorant and narrow. minded.
am well out of q troublesome scrape
and have good reason TO DO thankful.
He thought SO in good earnest when.
in the following winter, he met at last
the woman whom he called ''hs fate;
at sight of her the light and ambitious
heart--that Daisy's simple loneliness
had touched. indeed, but never really
won-was stirred to its hitherto un-
suspected depths, and awoke to real
passion.
They tell me am like your statue
Of Marguerite. said Miss Raymond to
him. with her calm and gracious smile.
81 should like to see it, and judge for
myself if you have no objection. "
He had no objection, though he
dared not say so. it was such a fanci.
full and idle one. In his soul he shrank
from allowing the woman whom he
loved to look upon the modelled face
Of the girl who had loved him. and
whose trust he had betrayed.
| For he could better appre now
what he had made Daisy suffer-now
| that his own heart was awake.
IF she loved me as love this queen
| of hearts" he thought, what must
my infdeltv have cost her? Poor lit
tie, innocent child! Heaven grant that
this woman. who holds my heart in
her fair hands. may not fling it away
as did Daisy's"
And mentally he vowed, standing
beside "his fate" and gazing with her
on the "MarguerIte"- seek out the
poor crushed flower he had worn so
lightly. and ask her pardon. and to be
to her always a true friend and brother.
Aura Raymond, the beauty and heir
ess. stood long before the statue with
out word. 1t may haye been the
memory Of Marguerte's sad story. or
it may have been tho pure and simple
| loveiness of the hower.lke face, Thu at
touched her heart-but. rs she gazed,
her own face grew clouded. AMI look
of pain and trouble grew in her deep
violet eyes.
Then suddenly she turned to Cyril.
She was stately always, bat she SEEM
ed imperious now.
What was her name?" she asked
him.
For his life he could not have re-
fused to answer. Could not, even to
win her. deceive the woman he adored.
Il call her Daisy" he said, hum
bly,. at was pet name, only she
was a sort of distant cousin-I do not
remember her real name Daisy
Vane.'"
"And did you love hcrP-I know
that she loved you-no need to tell me
that; | can read it in those candid. in
noccnt eyes. Did you love her, Cyril
DantOnP'
Then he told her all. His vanity,
his faIsehood. his awaking to real love.
his penitencc for the wrong he had
done Daisy.
81 never knew how great it was till
loved yoW" he cried. For until
then never knew what love was! Oh,
Aura, you are doarer to me than my
life! | have no wish to I've unless |
win yOui"
And so feels Daisy still for your
she cried, with her lovely color mant-
ling high. and her violet eyes growing
deep and dark with emotion.
Or so she dit feel a few months
ago. when saw her and learned her
story. | know what her sorrow was!
1t was to win you back 10 her that |
first sought to meet and know yOu"
Face TO face they stood. looking into
each others eyes. the woman flushed
and proud. the man pale as death.
"You have deceived me. thcn-as |
did Daisy he groanod. thrilled with
my true heart-as | did with h ers.
hn
his face with his hands--''I am Justly
punished"
Sho laid her soft white hand upon
his arm and looked up into his face,
with smile like that of Marguerite
herself; the proud impcr Gus air was
gone-she was gentle, pleading, ten
der now, az Daisy could have been.
Mo- she said 81 have not trihed
or deceived. for ioUe yOn, Cyril!
Nay" for he would have caught her
i'll his arms. mot until you are free!
You are Dajsy's yet. unless she gives
me to you; | hold it nothing that she
gave you back your freedom when you
asked it-what could her pride do
less? She is not, to-dar, the little,
simple girl you won; she is called
beautiful, and she has studied hard to
| be worthy of you and had ample
means, left to her by II relative. She
is no more the simple girl you cast
away, but proud woman, Cyril. But
pride could not cure her love. and she
| grieved for YOU, aud l vowed that |
would bring you back. Let me keep
nv word. Come back with me to your
mother's house, and to Daisy and
| let her decide our fate.
But he hes tated. If she should
hold me bound,' he said-'hnd love
your
But she smiled happily.
'She is too proud to hold you against
your WILL" she said.
will you Gomez"
'Anywhere-with you to lead!" he
answered passionately
She held out her hand.
Il will lead you to your happiness"
she said. quietly.
The journey was a short one. and
neither spoke many words on the way.
both were full OF the thoughts of what
the coming interview would bring
forth.
Cvril, especially. cud geled his brain
to think what his fair companio ions real
motive could be. and he was inwardly
gnawed with the pangs of doubt and
of remorse-dOubt whether Daisy
would be strong enough 10 let pride
overcome love, or whether the passion
would be too strong for her; and re-
morse for the part he acted towards
her; and which cansed a feeling of that
dangerous emotion. pity, to spring up
in his heart towards the woman he had
treated so coldly, and who loved him
so we'll.
Aura, on her part, had half-mused
half-expectant expression, which in.
creased CyrIls perplexity. as every now
and again he gave Il swift look into her
clear o. es.
At length they reached their destina.
ton and tho evening sun bathed the
landscape in crimson splendor as they
drove up TO the gate. How familiar
was the scene!
Those seem to be the very same
meadow daisies whose heads / switch