Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1889-06-28
II PROMISE.
BY ROSE TERRY COOKE.

"Nlva, Viva, ! must go
"You shall not You shall not. You
belong 10 me!'
The beautiful little creature stamped
her tiny foot on the turf, as she spoke !;
her eyes famed with anger, fiery flush
shot up into her dark cheek.
~ belonged to my country before l
ever saw you, Viva" answered Tom
Creighton, in a sad but steady tone.
"You shall not so, thoi Ahl dear,
dear, darling Tom, can you leave your
little lassie to die of fcar2 Don't you
love me2'
She gathered the tall fellows hands
close to her heart aud clasped them
there with strange passionate strength.
Tom stopped and lifted her to his bosom
as If she had been a tiny child.
81 could not love thea dear, so much
Loved not honor morep
he said, slowly, bending his head to her
car. A splendid hcad it was, crowned
with close curls soon to fall before the
shears, and its symmetry to be hidden
by forage-cap; and the face did not
belle the head its strong, regular fea-
lures, its cleft chin, and resolute lips
all 'gave the world assurance of man,
while the expressive gray eyes revealed
humor, tenderness, pathos, passion, and
possible flash of rage.
''Don't talk to me about honorlr
sobbed Viva, hiding her face on his
shoulder. II shall die If you go away
from me can't can't bear itr'
There was no heroism about Genevieve
L'Estrange; her French descent had
given her inexpressible charms of aspect
and manner; she was as slight as girl
Of ten years, and no higher than her
overs shoulder, but the contours Of her
exquisite figure showed the roundness
and grace of woIhanhood, and her
piquant, glowing face was alight with
all the fire of an intense feminine nature.
There was nothing childish in the red
mobile lips, the delicate irregular fea-
'ures, the brilliant dark eyes that
sparklel or melted according to her
mood, the abundant silky black hair
that fell to her feet when it escaped from
the heavy coils that seemed too wcighty
for the lovely little head they covered.
She was spoiled from her babyhood,
being the only child of wealthy parents; !;
not a wish had the wilful creature ever
been denied; never had she wanted a
luxury, or failed to indulge caprice !;
indeed, it was but caprice
that this very summer had taken her TO
the White Mountains before the great
hotels were opened, to small house near
the village of Franconia. She wanted
to see the spring blossoms of the North,
to gather the dawn pink arDutus she
had so often bought in Broadway,
from its lurking places under the pine
needles of the forest; she had heard of
'fhe shy Linu@a," the white winter
green, and many another early flower
that fades before fashion comes to ex-
plore its haunts, from school friend
who lived in northern New Hampshire
and so, weary Of the early terrors Of the
"a asanAAA ysrss's
from the two years in Europe that fol-
lowed her school days, and the long
winter of dissipation in the city, she
had intimated to her obedient parents
her desire to visit Franconia; aud they
took her to the Pine Hill House accord
ingly.
Hero she met Tom Creighton; his
father and mother lived on farm neal
by and the handsome young lawyer from
New York had come up to say good-by
TO them; for nc had enlisted in q gciun-
teer regiment and daily expected orders
to the front.
Viva had met him often in society
and the two opposite natures, in meas
ure counterparts had heen mutual,
attracted. Tom Creighton was a iypi
cal New Highlander, strong, obstinate
enduring, with rigid sense Of duty a
his dominant trait. He did not entire
ly approve OF the war, for he wa