The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-28


Lucian Hartredge WAS what the mothers
of Savannah called "a safe young man."
That is, he had capital income, was liz a
paying business besides, and was amply
able to support a wife in luxury, whene YER
he chose TO take unto himself that expensive
commodity; he came from u good family
the best, in fact, the most aristooratic in
the whole of Chatham county; aud last
but not least, he had fewer vices than any
young mau in their list of acquaintan res
He had strong selt-control which never al
lowed him to dehase himself, and his re-
spect for womanhood amounted almost to
reverence
Therefore when the realization stole
coldly over him that he had begun to love
an unnefned, uneducated mountain
"Cracker"-lOved her merely for her great
beauty of face and form, for her simplicity
of heart and soul, but loved her desperately
nevertheless-he stood appalled,.
During his first visit he had remained ct
the cabin about a week, and in that week he
had had but few chances of conversation
with Clarissa; but his eyes followed her
every movement, her every expression. He
was completely fascinated. That she was
conscious Of this close surveillance he could
not doubt, for, looking up suddenly, she
often caught his gaze fixed upon her, and a
burning blush would die her face and milk
white throat and then die away, leaving
her very pale.
The ore he carried home with him was
pronounced worthless, and all thought Of
the Screamer Mountain mine was aban-
doned He told himself that he was glad of
this-that he would not again be exposed to
the danger OF that beautiful face and the
magnetism Of those brown eyes.
Yet, st the end of two months he again
found himself on Screamer mountain. II
the iron pyrites was a failure. he had dis.
covered another miRe more tempting aud
even less likely to bring in any returns.
1t was April. and spring was all over
nature. The pines though preserving their
steady dark greenness all the year round
now seemed different. The sap was rising
and they gave out strong resinous odor
that filed the air, while the branches were
tipped with little tender shoots OF lighter
color. The laurel. also perennially green,
showed foliage lighter in tone and was in
full bloom, the large, delicately pink flo wers
cup shaped, the edges deepening in hue al
most to rose color
Lucian Hartredge pursued his way up the
mountain rather slowly, FOR his love was
still contendIng with his self-contempt. and
the latter was dying hard. Then suddenly
the obtect of his meditations stood in his
path. His horse SHE'D and Clarissa started
violently.
He dfsmounted and stood at her side.
he said gently, his hungry eyes drinking in
every detail of her marvellous beauty.
Probably at 40 when her bloom was gone,
she would be yellow and wrinked aud
homely as her mother. but now she was
exquisite.
81 CANT say ez the oreeter skeered me, "
she replied truthfully. II was TUX back at
ssein' you uns. Hits bin 80 long sence ye
left. eose we uns never lowed ter sot eyes
on ye agin."
eft has been longer 70 mo than IL could
possibly seem 20 you. had no earthly
business coming back now, ONLY couldn't
stay away" The glance With which this
was accompanied gave no room for misun-
derstandinR, for though unsophlstloated she
was still = woman. The flush faded, les wig
her very pale, and her Dyes. meeting bis 10
ore hseting glance, looked ike the startled
eyes o. a faHn,
But there was no time 10 speak further
They bad reached the fence. aud Josh Coffee
was sitting la the door cleaning biz guu.
Hls gFeeting was cordial
IVY. stranger. be exclaimed. dfoDpiag