The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-01-31
THE GIRL HE LOVED.

|
the slim hands above her bosom. For
eight long years she had not seen his
! face, but when last she saw it
through mist of tears as bitter us the
| brine of the seat was white with tho
| pain of their parting.
'1f / could take you with ne, nv
love, my life!" he had cried out. rs he
held her in his arms; and she. with
sobs rising in her throat, had cuun-
selled him to be patient-had whisper
cd to him that she would wait until he
could come for her-that she would be
rrne to him in thought and word-that
when he came he could find her there,
all his own, just as he left her.
Ali, not as he left her would Roy
Jameson iiud Vala Lee; for a long and
terrible illness had blanched her cheeks
and sunken them. The eight years of
waiting, of separation, of loving
| thought for the absent one had left
| their mark on the girl whose soft lips
had shyly rctGrned his kiss of farewell
so long ago in the cleaning.
She had stood long before her mir
ror, scanning her altered face and her
fral slight figure. before going to the
window to watch for the first glimpse
of him; and she had turned away at
last with Il smile.
"My heart is just the same" she
said to her herself, thrilling all over
with gladness, land my old bloom
will come back to me when Roy is
here. Oh, the long, long years! But
now-now they are behind me, and
only love is before; for he writes that
he is succeeding at last and will come
for his bride"
She colored from throat to brow as
the murmur passed her lips. Such a
glad soft glow stole over her delicate
face that for moment it was as fair
as it had been when Roy Jameson,
looking on it, told himself that no man
had sweeter beacon to light him to
success.
Then she saw. in the amber light of
departing day, Il shade of swiftly-moy-
ing darkness afar off, aud knew that in
a very few moments her lover would
be with her. And she turned from
the window and ran like child
through the short corridor, and down
the stairs and out to the little rose
wreathed verandah.
There. where the branches climbed
and wreathed, he had hidden her
good-bye; there should he receive her
greeting.
Aud she drew back to the shadow of
the rose-bushes, every pulse in her
body beating in time to the fever of
her gladness.
She scarcely heard the light footballs
of her young sister Ina; she did not
heed the pretty girlish figure that
passed her and went down the steps.
She was listening, heart and ear, soul
and sense, to the hoof-beats that came
nearer, nearer, and paused at last be-
fore the gate. She was listening, with
thanksgiving to God upon her lips,
to the quick light step which would
have made her heart beat, she thought,
should it pass by the grave where she
waited-her lovers stepi
And when it paused below, she
leaned forward from her concealment
to see wherefore.
All, was it because for so many years
she had made of creature an idol,
that such blow was dealt her there
the woman full of love and longing,
who for years had yawned for sight of
one face, sound of one voice, touch of
one hand?
there; but the face, alight with love,
was bent over Ina; the hand held Ina's
closely in its own; the voice called
Ina every tender and endearing name?
"Oh, hush!" she heard her sister
say, in her merry girlish voice. You
are so dreadfully mistaken. Mr.. Jane
son. / am not Vala, but her little sis
fer. and Vala expects you. See, she is
there among the roses"
The girl drew her hands from his,
and ran lightly down the path; and
Roy Jameson lifted his wondering
eyes to the face and figure of Vala,
a crimson stain on either dark cheek.
That the girl he loved, was pledged
to-that white-faced, ashen-lipped
woman, with cheeks as colorless as her
dress, and such n still steady light in
her great hazel cyesP
He mounted the steps slowly; all the
speed of the love had left his step;
the love-light had died from his eyes.
Surely it was Vala who had laughed
in his face and left him-Vala as he
remembered and loved her! This pale,
still, stately woman, who waited fOi
him so quietly, could not be the bride
Dazed, chilled, cold with a nameless
disappointment, he reached her side
and put out his hands to her. .
"ValaP" he asked, half enquiringly
And she laid her cold fingers in his
| palms-no more.
Yes" she answered, in a voice tina
sounded strangely in her own ears; %
am Vala, but the years have changed
me; they have been kinder to you Roy
Ina is just what | was when yon and
last met here. am almost as |
stranger to you. 1t will take us SOM
time to recognize each other"
How her heart pulsed and pant
ed for one tender word-one word tha
would let her know how dear he hell
the faith and truth of all those years
how much more to him would be tn
love of the woman than her beauty
But no such word came, and when I'M
returned to them, she found then
seated side-by-side, but with nothing
love-like in their position, and Roy
eyes followed the younger sister
merry face, and dwelt on it again an
again until it grew warm under his re
gard; and Vala saw, but made no sign
although in this whole world of achin
hearts none ached so keenly rs that q
the woman who, having waited TO
eight years for her lover, saw his fac
at last, and found it cold to her n
love-light on it.
The moon pceped through til
branches before Roy took his leav
and went to his home-the simpl
humble home which he had left tha
he might find better fortune in tn
world abroad.
And as he rode under the moor
beams, more than once he sighed.
bright glad face had been with him
all his wanderings; worn white on
had met him on his return. He ha
forgotten that years and pain coul
, , fade and change his girlish love; an
: now
He sighed again, and at that momel
,, a dark object fitted over the roadwa.
and his horse sprang to one side. III
! leap would have done no harm, bl
that deep trench had lately been du
by the roadway, and the startie
: horses hoofs struck the edge of j
l slid, recovered, slid again, and nor