The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1897-07-28
NO. 1881.


of the patient heart she .h.ra
sighted. Oh! to see hial once
more-only to see. him, to ask him
to forgive her; to tel him that
she loved him, now-had always
loved him, only her weak heart
had been led away, by a slight
fancy.
But he was far away from her:
and in distant land was learning
to forget her, nay, to despise her.
She would never see him again:
or, if she did, he would have ceased
to love her; he would regard her
with indifference, as Il stranger.
Tears, which she was too weak
to wipe away, rose to her eyes, and
slid silently down her white,
wasted checks. Aa4G now, aunt
Chloe and Fanny, thinking she
was aslDsp, ,aent down to their
supper.
Did she hear q light step enter
the next room, as their heavier
footsteps passed away? No; it
was only her fancy. She had
thought it sounded like the step
she should never hear again. She
was alone. The twilight shadows
were gathering in the large, quiet
room. She was alone; she should
always be alone.
All the while she had lain there.
burning up with the fever, she
had been tormented by snatches
of poetry, persistently echoing
through her brain. Sometimes it
would be only line or two, echo
ing over ana over again, and some
times long poems, learned when
she was a schoolgirl. And now.
as she lay there, in the twilight
shadows, she could almost fancy
her fever was returning again. for
the words of an old song she had
often sung rang so persistently
through her memory-words, that,
when she was well and happy.
when he was with her, who was
''tender and true" had oftentimes
| filled her eyes with tears, so well
had the poet painted the sick an.
guish of a broken and renlorseful
heart:
Gould you come back to ME, Douglas
Douglas,
II the old likeness that knew,
would be SO patient, and loving, Doug
Douglas, Douglas, tender and true.
"Never scornfu1 word should griev'
you;
I'd smile as sweet as the angels do
Sweet as your smile cl 1,-e sloue ever,
Douglas, Douglas, tender and true.
ooh, to call back the days that are not
J My eyes were blinded, your words wer
few:
Now, all men beside seem to me- iik
shadows,
Douglas, Douglas, tender and true.
"Oh, to call back the days tha
, are not - Over and over again
the words sounded, sounded
: through her tired brain, her tire,
heart. ooh, to call back the day
0 that are notp' when he was wit
p her, who was always tender an,
true he who had studied her light
! est words, her .Ightest fancy, an
y fulfilled her wishes, almost befor
E they were known to herself; VIII
was patient with her, loving, gen
: tie, with the perfect gentleness c
q devoted love. But those day
q could never come back again
v Those happy days, those blesse
days! "Blinded," indeed, he
y eyes had been, that she had nc
4 known they were blessed days
9 had not known that Ire, whe' wa
, the best, the tenderest, was ais
q the dearest, the nearest to he
~ heart. She was the first in h
:. mind, in his heart. And she ha
loved him always, but she had 10.
J., him, lost him forever. And nov
J., she had no one, she was sion,
Z Swifter and swifter the tears IA
,r over the white cheeks and, fo
# getting everything but her hear
ache, her heart-hunger, she erie
II out, in her poor, weak voice:
th, Paul, Paul! Come baC
J. to mel Come back to mel"
;, And was it dream, a blesse
W vision, or did that dear face ben
- over her? Did his faithful arm
. gather her to his heart, as
" whispered:
o Il am here, my darling. Z
IS you really want me? Do you loN
70 me? AMI to be so blessed &
), last?''
il Happy hearts. Happy twilight
d invaded too soon, by the faithfl
it Chloe, with toast and tea. Pal
~ had not sailed for Havana. ~as