Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-08-02
THE LOVERS RETURN.

THAT young lady whom you seem to
admire so much, said Joe Evans. as we
walked around the ballroom, sis Diana
Evrescourt. She 1t was who Tilted Earl
Harcourt. The poor fellow went over t.
Europe to hide his sorrow and l read in {
foreign paper to-day that he lost his life
during terrific storm in the mount
aims.
AS looked at the girls lovely face, SC
pure in its expression, | could hardly be.
lieve that she had sent poor Harcourt tc
his death.
Joe left me few moments later, and
saw lie was talking very earnestly to Mis-
Evrescourt. was in the midst of dash
ing waltz when terrible cry startled
every one in the room and l turned JUS
in time to see Diana Evrescourt fall heav
lily to the floor in dead faint
In an instant all was confusion. Bu
no effort served to break the eath-likt
faint, and amid murmuring expression:
of sympathy and curiosity as to the cause
Of her sudden illness, the motionless fig
ure. with its rich robes flowing, and it
golden head dropping like broken flower
was tenderly lifted and carried from the
room.
81 am so sorry | broke it to her Sc
harshly," Joe said, as he walked home
"But how should / know she would care;
The girl has some heart, after all, il
seems"
"Joe," said, "have you ever thought
that some mistake may have been the
means of parting Harcourt and her
That it might not have been her fault?"
That could not be-" Joe replied de-
cidedly, for Earl showed me the letter
which she sent him breaking their en-
gagement. No girl could have ever loved
a man and written as she did.
Two years afterward | was walking
through crowded thoroughfare, when
came face to face with stalwart looking
young man whom | could hSve sworn was
Earl Harcourt or his twin brother. Al
once the thought flashed over me that per
haps my friend had escaped death in the
mountains, where he was supposed to have
persisted two years before
AT the risk of making a mistake | step
ped to the gentleman's side and told him
that his resemblance to my lost friend
Earl Harcourt, prompted me to address
him.
He looked at me keenly moment, then
said:
II am Earl Harcourt myself" he said
And you-yes, / remember-you are
Hugo Benton"
That night we talked way into the
"wee, sma hours" and ! listened with
vivid interest to the account of his great
peril and providential escape from death
But why have you never returned t
American | asked him at length,
A shade passed ever his face
Because" he replied, America is toe
full of painful memories for me to evel
wish to 60 back. Save Joe Evans, there
ii no one there | care for, and / made VI
my mind long age Gas time went by and
brought me no word from him) that new
interest must have crowded his old friend
from his heart OF course | had no idet
false report Of my death had reached
him, or | should have understood hi:
seeming neglect. When did you see hin
last, and how is hep
Now had come the opportunity fos
which had been waiting. Drawing Joe'S
latest letter to me from my pocket laid il
in his hand 1t ran in this way-and The
reader will not wonder that as Earl Har
court perused its contents strong agita
ton was visible upon his dark face:
You inquired in your last concerning
Miss Evrescourt. have a reparation t
make to her. In my anger for what
deemed her cruel falseness toward Ear
Harcourt / spoke and thought bitter
things of her, as you know. | have lately
learned that the poor girl equally will
my dead friend was the victim of clev.
crly planned plot.
Her father ardently desired her mar
riage with a wealthy sutton whom he ia
vored, and thinking if the engagement be
tween her and Earl could be broken of
there would be no obstacle to his schemes
he himself initiated his daughters hand
writing in the note which sent Earl {
broken. hearted man away from his own
land.
at was through friend, Mr.. Evres
courts lawyer, that learned the above
While examining his clients papers aftel
his sudden death few months ago III
discovered indubitable proof of what
have told you and knowing of my affec
ton for Earl and that blamed Diana fol
all that occurred he felt it his duty to tel
me the facts of the case.
Even as | write Diana Evrescourt i
very ill. fear she is not long for thi
world: you know her mother dice
young"
That was all hat bore upon the history
am relating.
AS nay be readily surmised the next out
going steamer numbered among its passen
gers Earl Harcourt
Though | was not on hand to witness
the meeting, l leard afterward how quick
ly, in the refulgent light of love which
fate had so Unexpectedly restored to her
Diana Evrescourt's illness of body an(
sadness of heart left her.