The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1888-01-12
LOVES WAKING.
The FicIIo Bertha Dupre and Her
Husband.
(From the Cincinnati Enquirer


time laid heavy on her hands. She lost
all thought of the book that she had lust
read, and which had slipped from her
ap to the carpetod floor, soft, thick and
rich in colore.
The October sun played wantonly
through the slightly opened window
upon the curtain hangings and the gildcd
nails of the furniture.
Bertha dreamed of herself as the
maiden; recalled the day of her mar.
rioge, two munths ago, aud one by one
Fthe days, the hours which had since
rolled by, and from time to time you
could sec her shrug her shoulders and
pout her lips.
Bertha is not pretty, yet somehow, if
you could only see her, you certainly
could not help feeling that she merited
being loved. The heavy treasure of her
chestnut locks massed at the back
straightened up her head into IN atti-
tudo of noble, graceful pride. Her
brown eyes, ordinarily indifferent, often
mocking, forget themselves sometimes,
and strayed Off into dreams. And her
mouth, a little large, perhaps, but it
knew how to laugh one of those clear,
ringing laughs that you felt came from q
real good, honest soul.
Love? We'll, no! she did not love.
Why? It is that eternal history: A rich
heircss, commoner, though%a Partisan,
who promised herself within fifteen
years to bear title and have sssalon, +"
she had not understood that the bravo
young man who called himself simple
| George Duprc and lived ten months out
Of the twelve on his landed estate, know
ing Paris only by several weeks of each
year there, had given to her something
as rare as a fine name in bringing to her
his great, good heart and strong youth.
All, If he had been D man of the world,
II the womon had spoken in low tones of
his toltics, the young girl would then
| perhaps have remarked that in the great
| blue eyes of her lover there was enough
franEnGsS for all her confidence; love
enough for q wealth of affection. She
Ctld not know that man has no time for
love III Paris; that solitude aud the free
cir Of the woods are the best counsolols
OF the heart. Bertha never once doubted
| herself, and l should have never guessed
it ii she had told me Of it, and this was
how it came about. While che lay there
dreaming, the sun commenced to setand
the indiscrcet ray cast into her chamber,
slid over the fowery carpet and cum
ningly approached the young woman.
Il kissed her feet first, then her knees,
and mounted even to her face. Dazzled
by the light, Bertha rose to go and close
| the blinds.
Now, near this window, in the en-
brasure, stood a pretty little piece Of
furniture usually. lCclal with q key.
This day the key had been left in the
lock and one Of the drawers was left
partly open, and among a common lot
| Nf no hn q
letters bearing Georges address, and
self, and noting the superscriptions to
be in the fine, light hand of a woman,
and rs silence rci9ncd in the closed
chamber, the ray Of the sun itself having
disappeared, she united the ribbon that
secured the letters and began the lead
| ing Of them.
! The first said simply:
'4ou are not thoughtful, my dear
friend. l asked for a few roses, small
! bouquet for my courage, and you sent
me q shcaf Of flowers! | pardon you,
but sec that you are wiser in the future.
BY by. 'LoUIsE."
A packet Of letters is like book; one
| loves to finger over the leaves and glance
through them before reading them.
| Bertha took from the middle of the
package an envelope ornamented with q
silver monogram and drew out of it
another billet; it vas scarcely larger
than the first. but it saih more, termi-
mating with these words: "You are
handsome!" This time it was signed
'Loulu."
Thi., E,ave renewed interest, and, her
curiosiL. touched, she absorbed herself
i'll their reading for Il long time. She
became passionately interested, for her
hands tromblcd each time she unfolded
a lettcr. One time even she displayed n
little shiver Of anger, and the telI-tale
red flushed her countenance.
Suddenly she heard q voice calling her
from without, that Of her husband, who
had returned, She closed the drawer
quickly, ran out upon the steps and
! found herself fnco to face with George.
He was standing thore, his gun negli-
gently thrown on his shoulder, cap in
his hand and Il little dusty and little
| tanned, but young, strong and happy,
The day had been q good one and ac-
! cOrding to his custom he told her of his
! luck and of the incidents of his hunt.
Bertha looked without saying any
thing, and i'll looking ut him and listen
ing to his clear, vibrating voice she
seemed to hear another voice, the soft
voice Of a woman, breathing into her
ear and saying to her: "Tell him. You
arc handsome"
"Come, tell me- said George to her.
81 have asked you the question now
three times. Shan't we have dinner in
half an hour? l am dying Of hunger.
What say?"
every well; certainly" said she,
comiug out Of her revcrie.
While he mounted to his apartment
she remained thoughtful several min.
utcs, oarossing with nervous hand
Jack, the fayorite spaniel. OF whom
was she thinking? Stopping for several
minutes she then quickly ran up the
steps and entered.
In the smoking room, before the same
drawer of the same piece Of furniture,
Bertha resumed her interrupted reading.
She opened the last letter Of the package,
which ran thus:
"AIY DEAR FRIEND: They speak of
your charming finance, and know you
must love her. TO you say, BE hap
ipy.' TO her [ can wish nothing, Has
she not snatched all this good fortune
from me? Does sho know the full