Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1890-10-04
EVELYN'S SECRET.
a Villainous Mans Deception and
a Happy Ending.

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All around her the golden glory of
summertime, in the distance green
hills lifting their verdure crowned
heads to Heaven, and at her feet the
ripping waves.
A girl, dreaming a girls day dream
dreaming Of her lover and his love for
her.
And he did love her. What greater
bliss could earth hold for her than
that?
True ne had never told her so in
words, but every action showed the
passionate tenderness of his heart where
Evelyn Clayton was concerned.
Gerard Carrisbroke, the master Of the
stately mansion whose granite towers
she could see from the windows of her
cottage home, loved her, and earth was
%fairer, the flowers brighter, the sky
bluer since the glad truth had broken
over her soul.
Her life had been bright enough be-
fore at the cottage home of her idolized
sister, dark-eyed Iona, the petted bride
Of a year-bright enough before, but it
was glorified now.
Her womanhood was crowned with
glory since Gerard Carrisbroke first
looked into her lovely, earnest eyes.
She was very beautiful, this Evelyn
Clayton, with a rare, fair loveliness,
with eyes Of turquoise-blue and hair of
Titan gold, with level brows and sweep
ing lashes; low, white forehead, and
crimson mouth.
Standing there, with the glow of the
sunset falling around her, she was fair
as q poets dream, her robe of pale-blue
Indian muslin clinging gracefully to
the slender, girlish form, the faint sea
breeze tossing the red gold tendrils Of
hair into closer rings on her brow, and
deepening the rose flush on her delicate
cheeks.
And then there was step on the sand
"a slight, firm step-and it was almost
at her side before she turned her danny
head and raised her lovely eyes % the
face of Gerard Carrisbroke.
II have been to the cottage just now
he said, land they told me you were
here, and"-with a happy laugh-'here
am ! as well and-sweetheart! sweet
notwithstanding off with a passion of
love in his voice that made the girl
tremble-"sweetheart, tell me | am well
GOMEZ"
''Welcome!"-the sweet voice low, the
lovely eyes dropping beneath his glance
you know you are welcome"
Evelyn, do you know how ] would
be welcomed by you as a lover, my dar-
ling? As the Irish maiden welcomed
her lover:
Come in the evening or come in the morning,
Come when you're looked for or come without
warning,
Kisses and welcome you'll find here before you
And the oftener you come, love, the more III
adore you"
Evelyn laughed lightly.
'Bashfulness could hardly be classed
among your failings," she said.
Gerard's eyes were resting on hel
face, all his passionate love cleaning in
their depths.
Evelyn, your heart must have TOLD
you how love you," he said. "Sweet
heart, can you give me your hearth re
turn for mine-your love for the pas
~sionate, deathless love / offer you?'
There was a moments silence; the
girls face grew pale, her slender form
trfembled.
Darling, have l frightened you
Evelyn, speak to me-"
Enlightened me? Well, hardly that
the color coming back to her face
but oh, Gerard! Gerard, | am not wor
thy OF such a passionate love-"
"Worthy? My love! my queenm
1t was we'll they were clone, though
after all it would have made little diff
ference. for the next moment she wa
folded close in his arms, his passionat,
love-kisses falling like rain on her lip'
and brow and red-gold hair.
"Oh, for an hour where the sun first found us
Out on the beach with his red cloak round US
Oh, for an hour, and you, love, near me,
None but the waves and you to hear me-
"All day the words of that sweetes
of %love-songs have rung in my ears
Evelyn" he said.
"'Oh, for an hour. and you, love, near me,
None but the waves and you 70 hear me y"
And 1t was all love, sweet love, tina
the waves listened to, and no word spok
he then Of the failing of ali the Carris
brokes; no word left his lips of the tel
rible jealousy that was a Carrisbrok
inheritance, a curse that had wrecked tn
happiness Of many bright lives of hi
name.
SO the bright, sweet summer passed
and Evelyn Clayton grew fairer, If POI
sible, in the happy bliss of her swet
love-dream-the love-dream so o I
knows bitter awakening.
And then, when all was fair an
bright and life like a cloudless summe
sky, the shadow fell, the shadow ths
darkened life for Evelyn Clayton, darl
ened the fair love-dream that had bee
so madly, so perilously sweet.
In love, II love be love and love be ours,
Faith and unfaith can ne'er be equal power
Unfaith in aught is want Of faith in ALL
That was Evelyn Clayton's bell,
until the day Gerard Carrisbroke's na
Jealousy laid her life barren and bar
before her.
And yet was he 30 much to blame?
God only knowsl Perhaps few lover
would have taken II less lightly.
1t was whom hope was highest an
tcrc trirhtngt thai tina a~laamiao ~a.o,