The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1894-03-16

him emerge from the rayinc, and her
heart would give a glad bound. Never
was the witchery of the moonlight SO
strong, never was the music Of the
evening breeze so sweet, Rebcccp 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 ravino with Re
becca. Certainly he must bid her
goodbye; even Aunt Susy could not
object to that.
81 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.
Nov or never" thought he, and
then, bracing himself, he said, in
answer to Rebecca's inquiring glance,
"this is the lady l have promised TO
marry"
Rebecca smothered gasp. A late
wild rose, the last one, hung little
way up the bank and she turned away,
reaching upward to pluck it. 1t gave
her a 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 | an to marry brother lsraels
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 "brother Israel's
SON." He took the rose from her cold
and trembling hand with a hand as
cold and unsteady, and folding it it an
envelope put it in his pocket next his
heart. he stood silent q few mo-
mcnts. 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 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-room! How his
friends would ridicule him, while she
would be only a target for the small
wits of his setl He could not protect
her from the annoyances OF false
position, and persuading himself that
he loved her too we'll to bring her into
an uncongenial atmosphere, he put the
mad dream aside He took her hand.
Good bye" he faltered-and then he
folded her close to his heqrt-"Oh,
my darling! l could not help loving
, you, but | never meant to tell you SO.
, Forgive me, oh, forgive me l could
. not help speaking, but have promised
7 to marry this lady and | cannot breal
; my word. -
g He had chosen his words we'll
, Poor little Rebecca could not under
S stand how wide was the social gul
{ which lay between them, but she coulC
e comprehend n moral obligation. TC
4 her promise was sacred.
p "Givc me kiss of forgiveness, h,
implored, with voice choked will
e emotion. And there in the gorg
S where first they mot, these two fond
r foolish young lovers wept and parted
5 Ten years after Diamond, then
), grave family man, went through tn
a market followed by a servant carryin
q q large basket. He paused at a stan
of country produce. There were roll
It Of golden butter, baskets Of snow
q eggs, jars of limpid honey, and row
= of plump dressed poultry. There VIZ
= something familiar in the face of tn
u attending Bunker woman, and in th
q sound Of her voice as he inquired tt
y price OF her commodities, and it W.
q not long before memory establishe
It the connection. 1t was Rebecc'
grown stout and commonplace. 81
r had Il comfortable double chin, m
n the once glorious eyes looked out ov,
o ruddy masses of flesh. Her hair hi
II grown coarser and darker and the III
II pies had almost yielded to the cor
1t pulsion of rigorous bindings.
ot cheerful, long-haired, broad-shoulder,
r man assisted about the stand and O
re casionally addressed her affectionate
ar as Becky" Diamond filed his bask
+ with purchases while memory W
RS busy with the past. Time, the gre
disenchanter, had done his work we
d. No CLEAN of recognition lit Rebeccl
eyes no sorrowful memory disturb
II | l. -. r1onrI,- hon. M