Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-04-14


Can you think that ], living in the
house with Miss Elwood, can be ignor,
ant of the attentions you have paid
her? Nay, do not attribute this tc
personal feeling, for, believe me, it i:
a matter of indifference, save that your
conduct ia unworthy gentleman"
"In visiting Miss Elwood, if I have
erred, it has been through my love fol
you. have gone there hoping to SEE
you, yearning for the knowledge thai
you were well at least, and longing tc
break through the crust of icein which
you infolded yourself. I admire Mis-:
Elwood only as friend, and do moi
for one moment aatter myself she
entertained a.diherent feeling toward
me. This is folly, dear. Look at me
once, Edith, with your old, frank gaze,
and If my eyes speak falsehood, Danish
me forever"
"It is hopeless, Mr.. Rallings.
have ceased to care for you. III did
not know how small matter it was tc
you I should say, L an sorry but in
the long months when friendly word
would have been, oh SO welcome, only
silence met me; and if, as you say, 9
mantle of ice infolds me, it is because
have so long lived banished from the
sun that its rays can no longer pene
trate the frozen interior. 1t is best
so"
"You cnll it best, then-best that
the heart, once SO warm and true,
should become an iceberg; best that
your faith should be converted into
skepticism, your belief into unbelief.
Rest happy IN your creed, then, Miss
Loring, but take care lest you do moi
wreck yourself against the sharp rocks
OF suspicion" L"
Six months later. Edith Loring,
sitting in her school room, is inter,
rupted by Miss EIwool.
"Oh, Miss Loring," she says, "Mr.
Rallings has been thrown from his
horse and badly injured. They fear
he will not live. Is it not sad?"
every sad," was the quiet reply, but
as she spoke the words the ice seemed
breaking from her heart, and she fell
fainting to the floor.
During all these months che had
scarcely hearl Douglas Raliings's
name, and; to her surprise, his
absence from the household had been
but casually mentioned; and Miss Ell.
wood, in her daily round of pleasure,
seemed to have no time to note that
such was the case. His words were
true, then, when he told her he had
been to her only as friend. Gould
it be that it was she who had honored
him, and not he her!
When consciousness returned, and
with it the memory OF their last meet
ing, her coldness and indifference, his
earnest, loving words, she knew she
had deceived herself, and the love she
supposed buried beyond resurrection
was deeper, truer, more intense than
before it had been tried by fire. Poor
childl She was weary of the fight,
and now she could never tell him that
she ownel herself worsted in the
battle. But one evening few weeks
later his card is put into her hand.
She has learned ere this of his re-
covery, but she is amazed when she
goes forward to Welcome him to see
what an impress his illness has left
upon him. Pale and worn, he stands
before her with outstretched hands,
but it is with the old tone he speaks.
"Little one, l came to find my wife,
Is she here?"
Her answer was MT word-spollen,
but with her fair head pillowed on his
breast, be needed none; and when,
two months later, he claimed his wife,
Miss EIwood stood with her at the
altaz rs her chosen friend, New York
Ledger.