The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1890-09-04
.ss.--..--.-s.---=a7-
EEOISE.
How the Cruel Flood Revealed to
Her Her True Love-
They had parted coldly.


They had parted coldly
Richard Holmes bad walked rapidly
up the street to his boarding-place with
white face, sternly set Hips, his hands
clasped tightly behind him, and his
whole frame quiyering with wounded
pride and keen disappointment
Eloise Ellison had turned her pretty
face homeward with proud little toss,
her coquettish dark eyes.
That she was spoiled and petted
beauty, every one in the village knew;
and that she was as willful and capri
cious and exacting, as she was bright and
pretty and bcwitching. every one knew
as we'll. Tho only child OF the wealthy
mill-owner, from her very infancy in
dulged in her every wish and fawned
upon by admiring friends, 1t was no
wonder that she was, when she chose to
be, most tyrannical specimen Of young
womanhood.
She mad chosen to be such the after
noon she met Richard Holmes, her ia
theirs book-kecper, on the street, and
allowed him to turn and walk beside
her. 1t was raining, and she graciously
closed her own elegant little umbrella
to share the larger one he carried.
They had gone on together enjoying
the rain, laughing and chatting gay1y,
1gossiping in their light way about this
and that happening in the social life Of
the village.
Perhaps he bad chosen an inauspi-
eious moment to declare his love and
offer her his hand, but, inauspicious or
not, he had spoken and received his
answer.
They had exchanged a few hot words
and then parted in sudden frigidity
which seized them both. She had added
such scorn and disdain to her refusal
that it was more than he could bear in
silence She had even insinuated to him
that it was not herself he loved, but her
fathers wealth. She had wounded him
cruelty and Intentionally, and he had
left her suddenly with cold adieu.
Eloise raised her own umbrella with a
lefiant little laugh, and glance at the
retreating figure, and then turned home
ward humming fragment of the latest
opera
Her fathers bookkeeper Presume to
offer her his hand! 1t was absurd!
Thus she communed with herself as
-she went on up the street to her home.
She tried to be angry at the presump-
ton Of the man, but in spite of herself
she could not. She had always adj
mired him-yes, in way she had quite
liked him, and it was pleasing to her
vanity to know he loved her--but, mar
riage-that was another thing, indeed,
and quite out of the question.
For days and days it rained. 1t grew
monotonous and wearisome.
Eloise, wandering aimlessly about the
drawing-room, looking over a. book alb.
stractcdly; striking few chords on the
piano; going From window to window to
look out at the falling rain and the dis
NAL landscape. was wretchedly lone
some and i'll at ease-@
Why did not SONG one comet. Even
Richard Holmes would be welcome
caller, If only to quarrel with. He used
to drop in SO often to play game of
chess or listen to her music. She wished
she had not treated him quite so badly
the, other day. Why could she not have
said, as other girls would have said
that she would be sister to him? 1t
had never occurred to her to say that
She wished that she had been less un-
kind that day wished that she had
held him oil little longer at least-it
used to he SO pleasant to have him drop
IT, Co., h<, 4
The day was closing in dark and
stormy. Eloise from the window looked
at the swollen river. and the pools that
Stood here and there on the lawn.
Suddenly she stood erect and looked
eagerly at well-known figure coming
toward the house. 1t was Richard
Holmes.
The girl stood watching his progress
eagerly, as he picked his way among
the pools of water, her lips parted, her
pretty head thrown back, her dark eyes
glad and bright
s.Lam glad he is coming she said,
softly to herself, as she stood surround
ed by the creamy draperies of the win
dow waiting for him.
She heard him ring the bell and then
speak few words to the maid who
opened the door.
Suddenly a great roar filled all the
air, drowning The voices in the hail.
drowning the silvery chime of the little
French clock drowning every thing.
swallowing up every thing in its awful
volume OF sound. There was "a terror
in itunffke the heaviest crash of thun-
der-a strange and. terrible menace in
the sound, swelling and gathering and
growing louder every moment.
Eloise stood paralyzed with fear. She
was powerless to cry out, to move her
self; she could only stand and listen to
that awful, all-pervading roar.
She did MOI think what it might mean.
she had heard vague rumors OF fears
for the great dam above, but had not
needed.
In moment 1T was all over; the
sound had come upon her in all its
awfuiness. She fell back, oyerpowered
with terror, and became unconscious.
A violent blow on her head reused her
to herself She found herself floating
on the strong current, borne along at
sickening speed, upheld by the strength
and fury OF the roaring waters.
Near her she saw the great elm-tree
that had stood before the house ever
since she was a child 1t must have
been branch Of that which struck her
and brought her back to life.
With great, dark eyes dilated with
horror, and = face white and CHASTITY as
the faces ofthe dead. the girl few along.
She had caught hold Of the branches II
.hc great tree, ana wAs clinglng with =