Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1893-04-15

,aket There j. ,ay, rnockIn- me with
lis tiny clasp hands ani en,w!nci iai.
.iais. He was false y ne. Some fairer
face hal won his hea-,, aai he hai sent
ny ring back 10 me!
It had never been my habit 70 show
my feelings on any occasion, so closed
up the pretty crystal egg, locked i,
away iu M jewe! box, aud went down 10
liuner. Father noticed tha. was very
pale, but accepted trilng headache a.
An e1cnc, aud L'zzie made 10 comment.
She was deep in the study Of our visiting
list, and iding few cards to those al
ready sent ou,.
The next week was all vhirl. Some
how lid manage - push back my per
sonaity and give myself to my cousin
The duties Of hospitality were pressing,
for We hal bidten all our ''dear five
hundred friends TO the welding. aud
TO tho re e,,tion afterward. | had e.-
capped a bridesmaids s,position by p'cadin,
that or hostess; but was very busy, and
only at night could LET nv sorrow nave
its way. How much | had loved how
perfectly hal trusted Herbert, learned
N those days, when All my love and
trust seemed thrust back upon my own
heart. The last drop was added to my
cup Of misery the very day before Lizzies
wedding. Father c,me home earlier
than usual, and cane t. my room.
"Bessic, my dear he said, II heard
some news to-day that will come to you
sooner or later, and ! thought l could
tell il more kindly than any one Sc"
Bert IS married. | thought, but
-onii not speak the cruel words.
''i1crbert Wilson ha, come back. my
dear, and taken partnership in the ncm
!or which he has been travelling agent
for two years. lie hal a legacy, not
very large, but sufficient, with MS own
value to the firm, to give him a place.
| He knows, my dear, that | only wanted
him to prove that he cnul,i take care Of
a wife, and hc should have come to me
at once, after what he has said, both to
YOU and u M. Bessie, it is hard
thing 10 say, but am afraid he was
counting upon marrying yonfor my help,
ing hand in business. Now that he does
not need that-Therc, thcrc"-.or
| broke down at last-''d don't cry, dear; it
is better for YOU to know him as he is. y
Then nc took me in his arms, my dear
father, and gave me sucn carcssln5 ten
e!erncSs as my mother might have done.
[ had nv cry ou, on his breast, and then
faced the truth. and knew could
never be utterly miserable while my
father lived.
We agreed IL a.v nothing 70 I'zzic
and dressed her myself to = 10 church,
thinking no fairc- bride had ever been
seen. nor one that was more carelessly
entenng upon the ncwA solemn duties
before her She chattercd with tht
pretty cluster Of -irls VINO were u D'
nor bridemaids. and was the brightest o'
them ALL Wacn we drove up to the
church door, we found Mr.. Gordot
awaiting us, and after some futterIng o
| lace and flowers in the vestTy room, tn
bridal procession sailed up the broa
aisle, L!zz.e On papa arm ana hl. Tot
don escortlnc his married sister.
l slipped into my pew, and when N
ewes wandered. | saw-Bert Wllsoi
looking at L.zzic with dazed ekpres
sion, as II she was par Of nightmare
Then urderstood. When the or-a
peeled forth Tic we'd lin, march. an
Mr.. and Mrs. Gordon walked slow
down the aisle. caught Herbert's ey'
an smiled. Two minutes later he vi
beside me
you w:ll come 70 ny cousins reccE
ton" said, shaking hands. II shoa,
have sent you cards i hal known 20
address.
II saw the card, re sail, in %
cho1ed Invertebrates Gordon ~
Elizabeth Basset,