The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1890-06-07
Written for the MERIDI0NAL.
THE BROKEN vow.
CgIrID's WOEe


aWi1l you be true to me- tt was a
man:s voice, speaking to beautiful
girl, who stood with dow eyes.
Il shall be true to Won ang as my
life lasts \ she replied, raising her head
proudly.
Don't deceive me-, Puma! They
tell me yoi only win mems heart to.
break them and then throw them away
"How can / help men loving me
But it will do them 40 good, for i love
only you, Basil.n
II believe you, my darling, my
hearts love! [ am going across. the
Ocean, to make my fortune, and it may
be many wears before | return; but l
shall expect to find you still waiting
for me ON my return. Now, listen,
Puma, if it true what they say Of you,
and I find you false, on my return Ie5lU
Eia goM and then Kill myself for |
could not live knowing that you were
falSe.n
.sOht don't tark that way, Basil.
1t is hard enough to see yoa go, and ii
you are gone a hundred years, | shall
never love another
stPlnma,n said BASIL, taking her
hands, "will You raise your hands to.
Heaven and take a solemn VOW that
you will remain true to me while / am
gone n She shuddered.
81 don't like to take a vow"
aBut you must, or l will believe that
You are false already"
Slowly she raised her hands to-
wards Heaven and said: II sOlemnly
VOW that / will be true to Basil Miller
while he is gone.n
Now, beware, Puma, don't break
Your vow. / love You. Pluma, with
my whole heart; but were you false, i
would not hesitate q moment TO kill
you!
ssAhi What a strange love yours is,
Basil. / thought that leve was always
generous
II an afraid You do not quite UNDER
stand love yet my dark-eyed darling
Basil said, kissing her rosy lips, II
must bid yen goodbye, darling, for my
ship sails at sundown.n
She clung TO him, weeping bitter
te5rs. a0h don't go, Basil. | WI die
II you leave me Y
lit is not for long, darling, / shall
soon come back to claim my bride.
Give me d more kiss and hold up
your head so | can see your eyes, love,
those beautilal eyes I love SO well.
Give ME a kiss, and a loving look,
sweet, to take with me "a the sea-
flake me, Basil u she moaned; fsfof
something tells me we will never meet
again.
"Don't make 1t any harder for me,
Puma, for / must 60. Goodbye, darl-
ing, my own. Don't forget the VOW
you made He kissed her tear
stained cheeks and was gone.
Puma threw herself down on the
long grass, and Wept bitterest tears she
ever shed.
The days seemed long to Puma
After he had gene she piued herself
away to a mere shadow of her former
self. Days passed, but no news OF tht
ship was heard. Days glided intt
weeks, and weeks to months, still ne
news. People thought that the shiI
had been wrecked. Six years glidee
away, and the ship that Basa Mile
had left in had never been hpard from
Puma had ceased TO look for hel
t~iever's return. She was 0 engaged
to be married to a rich doctor, AM
Lowell him as well as she once though
she loved Basil. The thought of he
VOW sometimes troubled her, but no
J for long. she was one who never Dor
rowed trouble. Her wedding day dTel
near. She was 50 happy she forgot t
think Of her row. She thought hoy
handsome her lover was, and hoy
people would look up to her when SD
( got to be the rich doctors wife.
! The evening before her wedding day
|, Puma, aud her lover stood talking 0
:, the same place where she had last sal
Rasi1. What a beautiful woman SD
S was, standing there with the sunshin
falling on her dark hair, her beautifl
dark eyes raised to her lovers, WEI
full Of love light.
aPIuma,r her lover was saying, ssye
are the fairest woman in the world.
Q can scarcely realize that TOMORROW
II shall marry You, my beautiful one. Nc
a would be a fit bride for a king
4 darling. do you think your lol
for me VII ever change ~
IF / thought 50, I would kill myst
before our wedding She looked ]
. into his face, the love light dcepenil
: III her dark eyes. aMy love for VI
WILL never grow cold, Ray
'f Suddenly he bent over her, takir
q her hands in his: nPluma," he sal
e wears ago / heard that you were
fift, and that YOU were desperately
rs - ar.lIa.H wi 20 trnI