Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-01-01
SOW FIRST rCBLIsBBDl
ilRe Right Of Translation is Reserved.
CHAPTER II -EvIL TIDINGs.
AN EyENTFUL sTOkT

IN the secluded district where r 3se
cottage Is situated there were no news
paper shops, with Startling posters, to
announce the great events Of the time
even OF the preceding day-at the utmost
confines OF the earth; thus Burmese news,
Ike other news. came but slowly to the
vicinity of Stokencross.
DAY or two after Amy's marriage, end
si the transient excitement thereof, came
one which Melanie Talbot wss never to
forget
Ia the air there was strange stiffness,
that ooded something, she thought, by
It's actual calmness ard sadness, and Me-
ienie was Just then impressed BIZ that
emotion. wnen paper, day or SO old,
was purposely left in her way by her
Uncle Grimshaw, and thereon, the first
Item that caught her eye was news from
Burmahi
"rhank Godl" had been MIR. Grim
shaw's exclamation when he read therein,
Melanie now felt her heart sinking in
her breast, AID something prophetic OF
coming eyi!-a terrible fear-fell over
her.
The writer detailed briefly the capture
OF Myon Gyop, the advance to Ava, and
Whist we have related elsewhere, with the
subsequent fall OF Captain Montressor,
and the too probable death, after capture,
OF his friend, Captain Montague LoEs-
dale, IN the Jungle, after the operations
had concluded and the fighting was sup
posed to be over.
"As the bodies CT some OF Captain
Lonsdale's party were found floating in
the river, and all dreadiully mutilated,
not 3 doubt remains" added the tele-
graphic dispatch, "of the fate of that
gallant young officer at the merciless
hands into which ne fell-Dacoits of the
worst type. The subsequent, discovery
OF his white helmet, battered out of all
shape and covered with blood, has been
deemed by the S.aff as ample corrobora-
ton Of their worst fears-another valu-
able life lost in this inglorious war"
Twice, at least, she perused these aw-
ful tidings, and sat as IL they had turned
her into stone.
"Melsnie!" said S voice-her uncle's
a low wall answered him. It's very in
tensity made him SILVER, yet he had in
his hand, crushed up, letter just re-
ceived from Mrs. ChillIngton-a brief but
eXultipg one.
$50, so, this is WE'LL" she wrote; "the
wretch who has stood SO long between
that fool MeleDie and wealth and rank is
gone at last. End her nonsense at once;
the girl can no longer have any excuse for
delay. How shall enjoy The Crystal
Palace fete tonight"
Like one In dream, Melenie smoothed
out the fatal psper with tremulous but
tender hands, and carefully folded it, like
one who knew not Whist she did.
In our lives, il is said, there are times
H. -
that they seem tc mark turn in them
turn We never, never reach again; and
so il was now with Melenie Talbot.
Uncle Grimshaw WAS not one given to
tenderness, even in his best moments.
He knew not Row to console, even when
ne wished to do so; and in the present
instance he felt only intense satisfaction,
and continued to polish his bald head,
and twist up mis- absurd side tufts, while
he beteok him TO brandy and water, leav-
ing Melsria TO the care Of old Bethie, who
had been kind of mother to her from
childhood.
Passive, but fsltering, she allowed the
fatal print to betaken from her hand, IS
she was put in seat by the kind old
woman, who watched eDXiously, with
pain and wonder, the crest change that
for time had come over her. Melsnie
was, as yet, fearless. The slight colour
had gone from her cheeks, the light from
ner eyes, and for time she seemed more
dead than alive as she sat dropping in an
easy chair.
One hand was pressed heavily against
her left side, IS If pain was there; her
breath csme in fitfuI gaeps, and her head
reclired on the breast Of Bethis, whose
arms were round her.
Then the latter brought her some wine,
and ineisted upon her swallowing it. She
made no effort TO do SO, and the glass
ratified against her teeth till, with q low
CRY, she burst into passion of tears.
A storm of sobs shook her slender
frame, but were species OF relief. Bethia
WAS not sorry 10 See the tears cOme-ex-
perience taught her that anything was
better than the supplied snd despairing
expression Of that sad young fsce-the
liked horror Of nthe hsggard eyes; and
when the soDs grew fainter and less fire.
qaent, Melenie reclined on the old
woman's ample breast. like the child sne
hsd been. and wept freely.
So passed the first Dreadful day of sor
row, and the night came, yet brought with
it no relief from care-no escape from
thought.
Taken prisoner and put to death by
Dscoits-no trace of MIN found but his
bloodstained helmet! Dead, after deem
ing her, perhaps, false, her letters having
been intercepted, Melanie thought, as the
full force Of all her misery rushed upon
her life cold dark wave beneath which
she bowed her head. Could she ever take
up the prosaic duties of life agsir-when
that life, her heart. her soul, all seemed
TO have left her?
All thss made existence worth having,
worth hoping for. was failure now, and
nothing remained but blank fall OF bit
ter and Lnnvailiug sorrow. But no sor-
row can last in its first keenness, and in
time she would realize that 1t would in
evitably and inexorabiy be, in the words
of Philips:
By Time subdued-what will not Tin e subdue
In the freshness and poigrancy OF her
grief, his face, his figure, his eyes and
voice came painfully, wildly before her
in memory now-again and again more
than ever, his expression when the nrst
secret Of their nesrts escaped them mu-
tually, and when she felt the tender
touch, the cIingirg OF the lip that hrst
gave here 8 knowledge of all lovers
kiss contained.
How far from what she wished it to be,
her treasured photo seemed now; but
how inexpressibly dear it wes-desrer
than ever was holy relic to the most
pious devoted!
Save her brother Reginald, now more