Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-03-16
LOVE CONQUERS.
81 THE AUTHOR OF DORA THoRNE,'
"a ROSE IN TnoRNs," ETC.


had been 50 unuttcrably happy, so blessed,
his life enriched with the very crown vi
all gifts and now
II cannot face it again. he cried. IL
wish TO Heaven that 1 had never left my
homer'
Ills aching heart turned to home. The
love there never faitercd, never failed. He
might be i'll or well, rich or poor, content
cd or miserable; 1t did not matter ~
hoIne.
At home his old father, his Kind, uomcly,
loving mother, aud his beautiful sister
were Away, the same There was the
centre Of love, there Was true comfort true
consolation. An, il he could but reach
home and die there.
lie never could return to the lie he had
lost. Everything had ceased for him. lie
could work no more; lie could never again
take amy interest IN his profession: he did
not care ii he never 70, from the ground
aglin--and yet lac lUngcd tor comfort ~
home.
lie raised his face, al wet with tears, TO
the bright blue sky. 1t was the second
time that for her sake ne had gone through
such an agony; but from thi>-thc second
onc-he should neNer rise. He had been
mad TO think that one so beautiful, 80
proud, 50 peerless, would be willing TO
overlook his inferiority Of birth.
"My life has been all "a mistake" lie said
TO himself. ~ ought never 10 have given
up home. Ii | had to begin life again, and
was offered a kingdom, / would not leave
home"
Long hours passed before he left the
spot where heart and love had been crush
ed within him. He had made up his mind
to give all up and return home. He cared
no longer about being >ir Raye's heir; he
hated the great world he was weary of
its honor>, weary of life, weary of every
thing; he would 20 homc--at least they
loved him there. lie had fought SO long
that strength and ambition seemed dead
within him; he could fight no more.
When he had been ut home for some
days, ne would write and tell Sir Rave;
and tho future could drift rs it would
OF what use was it TO wear his soul away.
to fret and fumc, to do battle and light
All that life could hold for him was dead.
lie stretched out his arms with awooful
cry. All, beautiful proud lasc-ah, scorn-
ful sweet lips. The memory Of them
would never Diet would bc like the
sting of a snake to him for all time.
He would 90 home; there would be
comfort for him in the chimncy-corncr.
lie must so back to Kings ely fc, hs
must say goodbye TO Lord and Lady
Charnwood--thcre was no need to tell
| them that he he'd been beaten in the race
Of life. Then he would 20 straight home.
When he tried to walk, his limbs failed
%him-they had no strength; lie was like 4
man who had drunk too much wine. lie
had to nerve himself and make a desper-
ate effort.
He reached Kings Clyfe at last, pray
Ing Heaven that he might not sec the
woman Who had rejected him with such
cruel scotn. She need not have been so
cruel to him, he thought, although She
was an Earl's daughter and he a poor
farmers SON.
There was no sign Of Lady Lilias. Vane
went to his room, packed his %portnlan-
tcau, and then asked TO see Lord Charm
wood. lie told him that particular busi-
ness compelled him TO leave Kings Clyhe
that day. lie thanked him warmly for his
kindness he said everything that was cour-
teous and kind to Lady Charnwood, babe
goodbye to Lady Fayne, and left messages
Tor the rest OF the guests.
Before going away he wrote q letter TO
Lady Lilias. lie might never see her again
but She should read the truth if She
would not listen TO it.
you would not listen to me, Lady Lii
las" his letter began-''you would not
hear one word; but YOU have sent me from
You. You have killed all that is bright
and hopeful IN me; you have made my life
bare and desolatc. Read what | have to
say. never intended TO deceive you. /
had but just realized the fact that l must
tel! YOU all and | had u faint hope that,
even when you knew it, YOU would love
me still. Ali me, how futile and vain that
hope was!
"Perhaps you nave done wisely. From
your high estate it Is far To stoOp TO one 50
lOWly as myself. You shall know all the
truth; you cannO despisc me more.
"Iou told me you knew all; then YOU
know that the Meadow Farm is my home,
the spot where | was born, the home /
| grieye now ever to have left. The farmer
whom you saw at work there is my father
the kindly comely woman who welcomed
you is my mother; the bonnie winsome
girl who was with me under tile oak Is my
sister. All false pride, all false shame dies
from me As | write the words. Lam proud
OF them, proud OF their simple ways and
loyal hearts. They would not have spurn-
ed me with proud biting words.
"When | was = child 1 had a talent for
drawing and inventing. Sir Raye Wharf,
when ill and broker in health, was told to
try the benefit of country air. lie came
to stay for Il few weeks at our house; he
was kind enough to think Tue u genius, and
offered to adopt me, To bring me up rs his
son and heir. But he made this one con-
dition. | was 10 give up home, take his
name and those At home were ~ give up all
claim 10 me. They did not like it, the SIM
pie loyal hearts who thought so much OF
home-love. But for my sake they did it
because Sir Kaye told them l was genius,
and he would make me famous. All, Heav.
en-, what has fame brought to me except .
broken heart?
81 left home; but through all those
| years the homc-love never died. | sent
them al that | could givc-mOncy, pres
ents, letters. every toksn of love. Yet rs
the years rolled on, TO my sorrow and my
shame l thought less of them. Their
ways were not ny ways. | hate myself
for saying il; but their manners and FASH
ions Jared on me; and gradually | grew
inclined to keep the secret OF my lowly
birth hidden from every one-abCye all
from YOU.
IL hate myself for ii now. | see all the
m%cannesS, all the b~aseness OF It,. | throw
aside all false colOrs; | east on my borrow
cd name. take my stand on the threshold