The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1894-08-10

alone, watching and waiting for her
4 recreant lover. Sometimes as the
shadows shifted she thought she saw
him emerge from the ravine, and her
heart would give glad bound. Never
was the witchery Of the moonlight 80
strong, never was the music OF the
evening breeze SO sweet Rebecca sat
until the moon went down and the
clouds gathered over the stars. The
song of the night wind changed to a
wall that found echo in her heart, and
by and by the storm burst in all its
fury. With sinking heart she gave
him up and went sadly to her room.
Diamond promised himself one more
stroll through the ravine with Re-
becca. Certainly he must bid her
goodbye; even Aunt Susy could not
object to that.
q am going away this afternoon, :"
said Diamond, as he and Rebecca were
taking their last walk together.
Rebecca gave little start at this
unexpected announcement and dropped
the bonnet that she was swinging by
the strings. As Diamond stopped to
pick it up the picture of Miss Devon,
which he had repentantly returned to
its accustomed place in his pocket, fell
out in full view.
"Now or never" thought he, and
then, bracing himself, he said, in
answer to Rebecca's inquiring glance,
'sthis is the lady I have promised to
marry"
Rebecca snothered gasp. A late
wild rose, the last one, hung little
way up the bank and she turned away,
reaching upward to pluck it. It gave
her moment in which to recover her
self. Her womanly pride came to the
rescue, and she rose to the occasion.
As she turned again she said, calmly,
"And 7 am to marry brother Israal's
son.
This was new phase Of the matter.
If any one else wanted this sweet wild
flower, Diamond wanted it more than
ever, and he felt an overwhelming re-
sentiment toward s'brother Israel's
son." He took the rose from her cold
and trembling hand with hand as
cold and unsteady, and folding it it an
envelope put it in his pocket next his
heart. He stood silent few mo-
ments: How unlike those beautiful
eyes were to Julia's small, piercing,
black orbs, that wealth Of ripping yell
low hair to Julia scanty frizzed locks.
In q moment of delirium he thought to
break his engagement with Julia and
take this fair girl to be his wife, and
then the absurdity Of it all appeared.
How out OF place she would look in
his mothers drawing-rooml How his
friends would ridicule him, while she
would be only target for the small
wits of his set! He could not protect
her from the annoyances of false
position, and persuading himself that
he loved her too well to bring her into
an uncongenial atmosphere, he put the
mad dream aside. He took her hand.
Goodbye" he faltered-and then he
folded her close to his heart" Oh,
my darlingl I could not help loving
you, but never meant to tell you so.
Forgive me, oh, forgive me! I could
not help speaking, but I have promised
10 marry this lady and cannot break |
ny word"
He had chosen his words we'll. |
Poor little Rebecca could not under
stand how wide was the social gulf
which lay between them, but she could
comprehend a moral obligation. To
Ter promise was sacred.
''Give me kiss of forgiveness, he
with voice choked with
motion. And there in the gorge
where first they met, these two fond,
oolish young lovers wept and parted.
Ten years after Diamond, then a
rave family man, went through the
market followed by servant carrying
large basket. He paused at stand
+ country produce. There we're rolls
f golden butter, baskets of snowy
gigs, jars of impid honey, and rows
f plump dressed poultry. There was
omething familiar in the face of the
tending bunker woman, and in the
ound of her voice as lie inquired the
rice of her commodities, and it was
OF long before memory established
le connection. 1t was Rebecca,
rown stout and commonplace. She
ad comfortable double chin, and
,e once glorious eyes looked out oven
lddy masses of flesh. Her hair had
rown coarser and darker and the rip.
les had almost yielded to the com.
nlsion of rigorous bindings. al
leerful, long haired, broad-shouldered
an assisted about the stand and &C.
addressed her affectionately