Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1893-07-07

is good and grand in the world, then no
doubt whatever can be thrown upon the
rcrvency and depth of my affection
How truly and sincerely | love you,
Vance Wyeville, no one can ever know
And shall love you always and for
ever"
"Then why, darling, oh, why, this
strange refusal to marry mc?" demanded
Vance Wyeville, in anguished tones
"Why IS it that you are resolved to ban
sh me forever from you sight, in this
strange manner2" and tears appeared in
the lovers eyes as he again drew the girl
nearer. "You surely owe me an expa.
nation. Have l in any way offended
you?"
Jessie Moreland shook her head vigOr'
ously, still striving to escape from the
arms that held her.
"You do not doubt the sincerity of my
love, darling?'
"No. MOI"
ais your mother opposed to our un'
on?"
"Not In any such sense as your words
imply, dear Vance. She only fears that
our marriage would be an unhappy one.
That's ALL"
"What singular misgivingl Have
von any idea what can have inspired her
with such an extraordinary fear?"
The maiden was silent, as If afraid
that reply would lead to grave compll'
cations of situation which had already
become intensely painful.
ain any case, your mother Is not the
cause of your refusal" pursued vance.
81 must look elsewhere Have you heard
anything against me?"
aNo. Vance. And If had, do you
think any ones ISLANDERS would have had
the least effect upon me, other than to
inspire me with contempt for the SLAM
derer?"
as it because am unknown, as almost
every young doctor is bound to be at the
beginning of his carccr?" pursued the
lover, earnestly.
"M0st certainly not"
as it's it because | am dOctor?"
The maiden shook her head again.
aWhat nobler profession could you
have?" she asked. as there anything
better in the whole field of human toll
and study than to minister to our fellow
beings. curing their diseases and rellev-
ing their sufferings?"
"Then what. in heavens name, Jessie,
is the trouble?" demanded the lover, i'm
petuously. "Why not be frank with me?
If there Is really any reason why you
should not accept my hand in marriage,
the very least you can do is to tell me
what it is.
He waited few moments for the an
swer of the sorrOwing girl, and then ex'
claimed, earnestly:
"Oh, Jessie, Jessie! l cannot give you
IN! You must not ask me to do so. You
wrong Yourself as much as you wrong
me by any such thought. Become my
own darling wife, and Danish all this un-
rest and apprehension forever. You
cannot possibly doubt my love, dear Jes
sic. after all the assurances / have given
you Of it,"
"Oh. no. no, Vance"
"Then why not marry me. darling?"
"I cannot: ] must not. dear Vance,"
assured Jessie Moreland, writhing anew
in the loving embrace which so persist
emily detained her. "There is a curse
upon me-a curse which has been hered-
Itary in our family for many generations,
and of which am the latest victim! A
terrible curse." she added, with bated
breath. (which ] will never, never per-
petuate. and which | am determined
shall end wita me! A horrible and with
ering blight and affliction, which the
women of our race have long been DOOM
I'd to think about the last thing when
they lie down at night and the first thing
when they awaken in the morning! A
hideous and dire misfortune, which poi
sons every JOY Of our lives, and makes
us wish with the dawn of every new day
that it might mercifully be the last"
Vance Wycvile was startled by the
wild, gloomy impctuosity of the girls
speech and mien. her eyes and face glow
ing with as keen an anguish as il her
feet had been on living Goals of fire!
"No. Vance. can never marry you,
she resumed, in a wailing voice, but one
than which nothing could be more stern
and determined an this awful hour
the last we shall ever pass together
| have candidly avowed that | love you,
but there it all'must end There's gulf
between us which can never be crossed.
AS dearly as we love each other, | saust
persist to the end in this strange refusal.
II do not dare marry you. A marriage
between us, darling" and her voice be-
came low and broken, "is wholly out OF
the question. 1 love you too we'll to
wrong you. love you to well to wreck
your happiness. TO me, the memory OF
the last few months will be like the
memory of lost Eden. To you they
need appear only as a brief, joyous
dream. Go, and forget me-"
81 must go, of course, if yon insist up
on it" returned Vance sadly, "but can
never forget you. Believe me, darling,
these last few months will always be as
sacred to me as to you Not as dream,
as you suggest. but as the most glorious