The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1888-03-29

II do not ask your answer now he said,
gravely "God forbid. Perhaps l should
not have spoken so soon You know COM
plrative.y nothing of me save that have
been In busin ss' and met with heavy losses
But let me say this Tomorrow go back
to the world SIX months hence l viii ask
your answer II you say, come-that Is
enough. Shall 1t b. sol"
There was silence in the room for mo-
ment Ethring fancied he could her the
quickened beating OF the young giti 8 heart
as she stood motiorless before him in the
half darkness
1T shall be as you wish,S she said And
softly withdrawing her hands from his clasp
she gliled away
LII was not one to wear her heart upon
her sleeve She took up her burden OF duty
as of yore, but as the days went by after
Ebhring had gone Lii was vaguely con-
s:ious that som sthing was missing out OF
her life Yet at the same time 1t was rs
though life itself was taking on new bright
ness and beauty. As she sat at the old piano
in the twilight, sometimes her lips would
shape ito the tend sr smile which is the re-
flex of happy thoughts Aud then from the
white keys came appropriations of wonder
ful sweetness and beauty.
Before leaving her Ethring had spoken
briefly OF Rose, the or nal OF the photo
graph she had s,en His deceased father
had been anxious that Ethriny should
marry hsr to unite thu two estates and
drawn from him a half promise that he would
@think of it F" But the more he thought
of 1t, the more distasteful the idea. To Rose
herself it dill not Seem to mater much
either way A rich marriage WIS the desire
of her heart-loye quite a secondary con-
sideration
Il am en-. rely alone in the world now,
with no one TO pleass but myself have
written Miss Anstraih TO consider herself
free to marry the man of her cho!ce," he
said That was all
April and May with bud and promise
gave way TO their sister months of blossoms
and fulfillment One more month and-her
letter would cone?
l. w Mrs Merrck, the rector's wife,
who handed her the New York paper con-
tanning r-ther extended notice of the
mi rriage OF Robert I. Ethriug, the young
millioralre broker, whose successful recoup
from his tremendous losses last winter will
be remembered, 10 Mrs Rose Anstrath, the
charming society belle
4" So strange he shouldn't have sent you
cards, dear she said, innocently. And LII,
who had summoned oil her pride AMI cour-
age, very quietly replied that it was per-
haps an overs ght And having completed
her neighborly call, went home
When LII got to her room and had locked
herself in she did not cry or faint She
came from different stock. LII only threw
! off her hat and fell on her knees by the
bedside, bury.ng her white face in her
hands The rgoniz'ng cry which went up
to Heaven was only ineligible TO Him
whose ear is always open.
little paler-l little more quiet, LII
went about the everyday, common ploco
| paths of life which must be taken up
whether the heart curry its direct ache per-
petualIy with it or no. For the blow she
! had received served first TO show the
strength and dep h of a love now remain
ing only TO lie crushed out
! One pang was sti to be added Six
mon his from the time of Ethring's depart
ure came a letter-containing the delayed
cards, is Lillian knew by the size, shape
and feeling OF this missive This she at
once reinc osed to the printed address on
the corner of the envelope, adding merely
| these words:
II return your letter and contents with
out opening Amy further communicat on
of whatever nature from you, Mr. E,hr.ng,
| will meet with like return
/ LILLIAN STASFoRTH "
| Now, on the evening when L hiring had
declared his love, Jack, who had entered
the room unobs rived, heard goodly share
of what was going on, before he had pres
ence of mind enough to beat noiseless re-
| treat.
He was an honorable, manly boy, and
kept his knowledge to himself That Eth
ring had written Lii at the expiration OF
the appointed time filed his heart with
exultation. But when he knew she had re-
turned the letter unopened, Jack felt that
something was wrong
What, he had no conception until late in
the TO lowing winter. Bobby Merrick hap
pened in conversation to speak OF Mr.
Ethrings marriage. And being a nasty sort
of boy alluded in haunting sort of way to
the fact that folks said Lii Stanforth was
bre kin her heart over it,'---------.----