The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-10-22

1 G4nA uhNd " kAAG NAANhNENAA u AklAaAN NAs
Miss Ethel, slightly out Of breath
after her climb, stood looking toward
the east, where the first lights Of the
dawn played over q purple sky and the
clouds seemed like fakes Of floating
pink.
"Are we in time" she asked.
Mr.. D'Iierble bent his head thought
fully.
'SThere arc a great many clouds" he
sighed. 81 am afraid the sun will be
hidden"
"Ah," she said, and no man could
have told whether che said it in a tone
OF regret or hope.
A hare started at their feet among
the dew. Tiger, who was describing
wide circles around them at a gallop,
saw tho little animal and at once gave
chase.
This diversion amusedM Miss Ethel, eF-
pecially when she saw the greyhound
return looking sheepish at not catch
ing his prey, which had speedily been
lost in the mists.
They advanced together a few steps.
They found themselves hesitating al
most in front OF the central keep, which
led into the dark shadows OF a winding
staircase. She cast { shy glance at her
knight.
"Do you really want to climb up
there? / think we can see quite we'll
enough from here" He turned upon
her a r~oproachful look that was both
anxious and penetrating.
"Are you afraid, Miss EthelP That is
not right"
His remark stung her pride. She
would show him that she was not
afraid OF anything, neither OF him, nor
OF herself, or OF the problematic future
that the sunrise was to determine for
them. So she began bravely to climb
the dark staircase. D'Herble followed
her.
They climbed up, and for a long time
in semi-darkness, and only exchanging
tho most trivial remarks, and then, sud-
denly, the full daylight nearly dazzled
them.
They passed out on to a little plat
form, and Miss Ethel, flushed with her
exertion, uttered a cry Of delight at the
oxpanse Of country before her.
A tremendous circle of hills, valleys
and woods surrounded them.
The forest OF Alaspret, from the foot
Of the tower to the horizon, spread out
a wide expanse Of softly rounded hills,
which melted into the distance in blue
haze. The country reminded IL OF a
carpet that had been placed together.
Those golden spots, here and there,
are the corn fields, those gray stones
are villages-one can see the face of the
church tower clocks like so many wild
points.
The east grew roster. The clouds
we're ablaze with purple colors They
looked as ii they were lighted by gigan.
tic embers of some glowing forge.
"Ahp said the two voices together.
The sun had just shot his first CLEAN
through a break in the clouds. They
dispersed and fed away SO rapidly it
looked as if a giant broom was sweep
ing space. Then the great disk Of the
sun in his glory rose in the midst OF
the rose-colored sky.
"Ethel," sighed Mr.. D'Herble. He
saw her shining with a beautiful splen-
dor, bathed in the living rays Of the
sun.
She seemed to him the central beauty
Of the landscape vibrating with life and
light. Her naughty loneliness was soft
ened with a tender grace, and tears
were glistening in her pure eyes.
tLook," he said, "the sky is clear"
And, indeed, not a cloud was to be
seen. The air was ablaze with light;
the sun was slowly rising in the sky.
Tie sea Of mist that surrounded the
tower could be seen melting away and
ev~aporating. And the circle in-which
they stood seemed to absorb the colors
and lights with all the rich splendors OF
the woods, the cornfields and the
meadows.
A fresh and laughing youth wa
abroad on the earth and in the soft
touch OF the wandering breeze.
Scarcely perceptible mists rose from
the roofs of the cottages below. Then
the Angelus sounded it; others answer
ed back, faint and sweet, like the song
oil the larks. The birds we're beginning
to wake; life was active on all sides!
Then in the warm glow Of light which
seemed to fold them in a circle of gold,
Miss Ethel Simons placed her firm lit
tie hand in that OF Mr.. D'Herble. He
drew closer to her, and she made no re-
sistance while these two, betrothed on
the tower by the dawn in face OF the
sun and OF the world, exchanged the
solemn vows. of eternal love and regis
tered it with a first kiss.