The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-06-03
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that she met Julius Gardiner, and her
heart, starving for sympathy and COM
pansionship, sprang at once to answer
his warm avowal of deep, sincere love.
She had never known what it was to re-
ceive such affection as her lover gave her,
aud she gratefully returned it. And in
her love she had found only happiness.
1t was Julius who had consoled her when
her aunt died, leaving her alone in the
world. Julius who had urged speedy
marriage, that he might have the right
to comfort and protect her. Julius who
had made bridal tour OF his long busi-
ness journey and given her every leisure
hour to explore all the sights of the many
new places in which they sojourned.
julius who had watched her tenderly
when her life seemed going from her,
after baby came, and gave her new life
by his loving voice and gentle caress.
She had thought their love perfect
as strong in his heart as in her own. But
on that June morning, oil this happy ces-
tainty had gone from her, and her heart
seemed breaking at the loss. She took
no further interest in the exploring ex-
pedition through the old house upon
which she had started so merrily, but
rocked her baby in her arms, and unused
over the one appalling discovery she had
already made.
julius found her so when he came in
to his dinner, and anxiously inquired the
cause of her woe-begone face and red
eyes. But for the first time his tender
sympathy met repulse; not an angry
one, but one that was equally puzzling
to him, it was so full of mute reproach,
and no entreaties could give him any ex-
planation of the cause.
For days, this atmosphere of gloom
and mystery hung about 1saura. She
neglected all the little household duties
in which she had delighted; she would
sit for hours in silence and idleness, her
face white. her eyes fixed mournfully
on vacancy.
Julius was distracted. Loving his
wife with all the fondness of tender,
true heart, he was grieved and augercd
to see her fretting constantly, yet refus-
ing to give any reason for such excess Of
sorrow.
In vain he tried by every tender de-
vice to win her confidence. She only
kept more profound silence, while yet
most evidently doubling the sincerity of
his professions of love and regret.
At last, the result Julius dreaded fell
over Isaura, and she was prostrated by
low nervous fever and became very i'll.
The physician limited at some mental dis
turbance, and prescribed quiet; and the
husband, thoroughly aroused by fear, ex-
elted his authority with some show OF
harshness.
"You are nursing some chiu,era," he
said to poor, pale Isaura, "and 1 insist
upon knowing what it is"
"Oh, Julius, don't be angry!' she
moaued, pitifully. "Perhaps may die,
and then you can marry Magdalene."
"What upon earth are you talking
about2 'Magdalene! Who is Mag
dalene?"
"The woman you love. I am sorry,
Julius, thai have stood in the way so
long. 1t would have been better to have
been frank with me and told me the
truth before we were married"
"She is insane,' thought poor Julius,
bursting into cold sweat of horror;
"she has been nursing some delusion till
it has turned her brain and made her
All anger was gone from his voice as
he bent low over his wife.
Darling" he said, "do not think of
such things. You cannot doubt my love
for you!"
The blue eyes that had grown dim
with excessive weeping searched his face
eagerly. Then, as if nerved to desper-
ate effort Isaura took a folded paper
from the drawer of table beside her
bed and handed it to her husband.
ssRead that" she said. 81 found it in
the room upstairs that you told me was
your room while your parents lived. 1t
was in the drawer of bureau there,
with other papers. You told me I might
overhaul anything I pleased, aud read
that"
Woaderingly, Julius opened the paper,
while Isaura scanned his face, watching
for the confusion of detected guilt. To
utter amazement, julius, after reading
the paper, burst into a. tt of laughter,
clear, ringing snd hearty.
"Oh, Isaura," he cried, when he
could catch his. breath, "the sins of my
youth are being visited upon my head
with vengeance. Oh, it is too good"
And another paroxysm of mirth fol-
lowed.
81 don't see anything funny about it,
said Isaura, crimsoning with anger.
Julius read aloud, with mock en-
phasis:
'DEAR DIcx:-You utterly mistake both
my heart and principle If you imagine for
one moment that will avail myself OF the
pitiful excuse of Isaura's loss Of fortune to
break our engagement. Dearly as l love
Magdalene, bitterly as regret the tie that
binds me, l will never, never SO disgrace
my manhood as to desert the fond heart that
loves me.
''Isaura knows nothing of my mad infat-
uation for your sister Magdalene, my hope
less love for one [ may never seek to win.
She trusts the professions Of love made BE-
fore knew tho secret of my heart. She
loves me! And I, who sought her when
she was supposed heiress, consider it
point of honor to keep my faith with her..
Guard my secret from your too fascin-
ating sister, from my promised wife,
and"
Here the paper was torn and the con-
fidences of the lover brought to an alb
rupt conclusion.