The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1892-02-25

orc of the most curious love stories |
er"r heard, Uncle John tOld me. | give
II "rrh0tim, only emitting the names Of
I'll" actors, sine" the story is true, and
s''3r of them may yet survive.
In thr autumn OF IS was returning
home from Tennessee, riding horseback.
n was the fashion of young men in that
day, and stopping for the night wherever
] happened to be.
| WAS in --- County. in western
North Carolina, that land of beauty and
uuWrittcn romance, and my road lay
through tn" most beautiful country |
ever saw. Such low lands and meadows
Why, they We're the very FL Dorado of
cattle and stOck-raisers. \ sudden and
violent storm drove me for refuge to the
first house in sight. which proved to be
that Of General O..
\ splendid place it was, kept like an
English lords.
Such timber, such meadow lands, such
wide stretches of cultivated fields
Why, it was II perfect picture. | never
saw such IA superb domain in all my life.
i'll which it was set. 1t was II perfectly
ideal home in all its appointments.
General G. was the soul of genial
hospitality. \ tall handsome. courte g.
Gus. and very scholarly man, fit lord for
SO fair a manor.
W" seemed to take Il mutual fancy to
each ether. and stayed on from day to
day until had spent IL month with him.
One night, over our walnutS and wine
| happened to he struck by the incon-
gruity of such a beautiful home being
only n bachelors den. and looking up
suddenly, | said:
How comes i. general, that so we'll
Ei1dcd ca:,.. holds no singing bird?
Why don't you put IL fair dame as mis-
tres, i'll this lovely house,"
\ lcrp flush rose rs swiftly as sheet
light ming in his face. and he answered
rather roughly:
Do look like Il man that Il fair wo-
man could love-"
| looked him over critically. \ tall
ttalwart, wci:-proN"rVrd man of fifty
five or sixty. with IL rather stormy, but
very handsome face. every inch Il man.
=nd IA gent lrman--onr who could be
loved. aud ~cil loved too. And | said
quickly.
Il thirN you are Il man who could bot h
win Ind hn!d = lady's lo.iu2. favor if YOU
AIRED t. try
II" laughed har-hIv and then said:
ID" YOU: Ehrn To prove the fallary
Of . v"un, mans opinion Ill tell YOU d.
story that have never toII to mortal
ear "N"rit my fathers.
he'll | NJ Il Young man Younger
than YOU ar | lived with nay father
a-ru~. IT," r":d yondrr, where my sister
nov li\,"~.
We Two VIE my fathers only chill
Grrn, aud h" never let uS leave him
". nrr.. ,dura."d together hv an En-
.,li~h tuIur- ,u oxford graduate and
Though liiG:i never gone to college WA !,
fairly Wet c'i.."atrd and had the taSt -
aad habits # Gentleman.
Ou" summer. thirty Wears ago this
N."r. our qI!"t WAS invaded by somn
'ou5iu~ al my fat hers from the eastern
PIT al III" s;at''. who brought Wit them
% .UunE lady who was Il cousin OF theirs
With their arrival "a new life dawucd on
mo. Laura, the young lady visiting
with them. WIS the first unmarried VIC
man of my own rank that | had ever
kr"wn. She was a beautiful woman,
ans tn" sweetest, loVrlirSt. most low
able creature in all of Gods great uni
verse
Il fell in love with her AT sight. and I
am in love with her now.
We We're always together, riding,
walking, boating. reading-all the time.
L asked her /" marry me without a
lear pi rtfUSal-Silr seemed To he 81 alb
solHteiy a part Of nay life-and she ac-
C"ltrd me as frankly And | swear be-
fore Heaven ! never druht"J that our
future lives w'r" to lee PASSED ro-et her
They returned To he low country in
October, and was going down in April
to be married
As soon "a they left | began to build
this house as q home for nv wife: and
every hour of my waking life was at
sorbed in the thought of hen. | seemed
to be So absorbed in the consciousness
Of her that | did not miss her actual
presence.
About four month; after she had
left, one day my father said:
Charles. when did you hear last
from Laura
~ don't understand you, sir
answered, stupidity enough.
" by. my question was very simple.
When did you sc2r last from the woman
who promised TO marry you?'
have never heard from her, sir
Never heard from her! Nuy. what
! the matter: Has she auv foolish
scruple against answering your letters"