Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-02-14
VALA LEES LOVER.

TUT elRuJ lOHR years suo udu nut
seen his face, but when last she saw it
through a mist of tears as bitter as
the brine Of the sea--it was white
with the pain Of parting.
If could take you with me my
love, my lifep he had cried out, as he
held her in his arms; and she, with
sobs rising in her throat, had couu-
seled him to be patient had whispered
to him that she would wait until he
could come for her; that she would be
true to him in thought and word; that
when he came home he would find
her there. all his own, just as he had
left her.
All, not as be had left her would
Roy Jameson find 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 returned his kiss
of farewell, so long ago IN the gloam-
ing
She had stood long before her mir
ror, scanning her altered face and her
frail, slight figure, before going to the
window 10 watch for the first glimpse
of him; and she had turned away at
last with smile.
My heart is just the same, she said
to herself, thrilling al. over with glad.
ness, 'and 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 sue
ceeding 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 hlmself that no man
had a sweeter beacon to light him to
success.
Then she saw, in the amber light Of
the departing day, a shade of swiftly
moving darkness afar off, and knew
that in very few moments her lover
would he with he-. And she turned
from the window and ran like a child
through short corridor, and down
the stairs and out to the little rose
wreathed veranda.
There, where the branches climbed
and wreathed he haG hidden her good
bye; there should he receive her greet
ing.
And she drew back to the shadow
of the rose branches, every pulse in
her body beating in time to the fever
of her gladness.
She scarcely heard the light foot.
falls 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 and nearer, and paused at last
before the gate. She was listening,
with thanksgiving to God upon her
lips. to the quick, light steps which
would have made her heart beat, she
thought, should it pass by the grove
where she waited--her lovers step!
And when it passed below she
leaned forward from her concealment
to see wherefore.
Ah! was it because of so many
years she had made creature an idol
that such blow was dealt there---the
woman full of love and longing, who
for years had yearned for the sight OF
one face, sound of one voice, touch Of
one hand?
The voice. the face, the hand were
there; 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. hushp she heard her sister say
In her merry, glrlish voice. You
are so dreadfully mistaken, Mr.
Jameson, am not Vala, but her sis
ter; and Vala expects you. See. she
is there among the rosesp
The girl drew her hands from his
and ran down the path, and Roy
Jameson lifted his wondering eyes to
the face and figure Of Vala, crimson
stain on either cheek.
Was the girl he loved. was pledged
to, that white faced, ashen-lipped wo-
man with cheeks as colorless as her
dress, and such still, steady light in
her great hazel eyes?
He mounted the stepps slowly; all
the speed of the lover had left his step,
the love.lght had died from his eyes.
Surely it was Vala who had laughed
in his face and left him--Vala, as he
remembered and loved herl This
pale, stately woman, who waited for
HIM so quietly, could not be the bride
for whom he had come.
Dazed, chilled. cold with nameless
disappointment, he reached her side
and put out his hand to her.
'Vala?' he said, half inquiringly.
And she laid her cold fingers in his
palms-no more.
Yes, she answered, IN voice that
sounded strangely in her own ears. q
am Uo1o. h,,t tho vaa rc havn chanOad