Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-10-27

fA M England. He
o W was something
| n more. He was
~ ~ an astute man OF
the world, who
dearly loved pleasure, but who had far
too hard q head to ever allow the un-
ruly jade to run away with him. His
wife had died in giving birth to his
only son, Frauk, and he was certainly
one of the gayest widowcrs Wakefield
had ever seen.
He hunted, he kept liberal table,
and he made love with reckless
liberality that not little scandalized
some of the good people of his native
town. At the period of our story be
was fifty years of age, upright as a
dart, tall, slim, with young, fresh
colored, hairless face. His appear
ance had not altered since he was
thirty years of age, and it appeared
probable that another twenty years
might pass over him without produe-
ing any material change.
One day his son, who, without TAX
ing the trouble to notify his father,
was about to marry the lady of his
heart, received letter from his father
ordering him to so to Wakefield Upon
business of the utmost Importance.
When he reached his home he was sur
prised to learn that Mr.. Gilmour had
been called suddenly away to the
North. He had, however, left mes
sage to the effect that his son was to
remain in Wakefield until his return.
He stayed in the pleasant, sleepy
little town for some ten days, at the
end of which period the post brought
him two remarkable letters.
One was from lady love. 1t con-
tanned three words:
"Goodby for ever"
The other was signed by Mrs
Chambers, under whose roof Frank
had first met the woman of his choice.
1t implored him to return at once TO
Paisley. Some villain, she said, had
stolen Rosa's heart from him, and the
poor, bewitched girl had run away
with her new love.
Frank read these letters with
amazsment. At first he refused to
belive that Rosa, whom ne had loved
with such unselish devotion, had
tricked and Tilted him. He had such
faith in her truth and purity that it
seemed impossible for him to associate
her with aught that was dishonest md
cruel. During his tedious journey to
Paisley he promised himself that Mrs,
Chambers had been mistaken, and that
when he came to thoroughly sift the
matter he would find that his darling
Rosa had been wonderfully misjudsed.
But when he entered the little house
his heart fell within him and nearly
all his hope aed. The good old lady
had so changed that he scarcely knew
her. Her eyes were red with weep
ing and dee, purple rings surrounded
them. The kindly face was worn aud
haggard and was sadly thin.
He took both her trembling hands
and pressed them gently in silence.
Then he led her to chair and said:
''Tell me everything. Do not spare
me one detail. I can bear the truth
better than doubt"
Ere she could speak Mrs. Chambers's
tears flowed fast.
tMy tale is short one," she said at
last. "Dear, dear! it all seems like a
nasty dream. Sometimes I sit here
and fancy that her bright face will ap-
pear before me as it used, and that oil
that troubles me is but the wandering
of an idle, foolish brain. I am sorry
for you, Mr.. Gilmour; indeed, indeed
I am"
Come, come" he said; Compose
yourself, and let me know the whole
miserable truth
''Soon after you went away" said
the fearful woman, "I noticed great
change in Rosa's manner. She be-
came absent-minded, dull, and more
than once I saw that she had been
weeping. I pressed her to tell me
jhe cause of her sorrow, but sine al.
ways maintained that she was very
happy and she had nothing to grieve
her. She wert out more frequently
than sae had been in the habit of do
ing, a2d often Is announcement hours.
L did not care 30 chide her, Ert con-
less that her frequent absence from
lome perplsxea me. PERHAPS L ougat
20 hays inquired more strictly into her
and God forgive me if I
did not take sufficient care of her.
Thinking that she would soon leave {
to be your wife I felt that it would be
of me at such time to {
scold her or to compel her to pay more
attention to her duties. One after {
noon a gossiping woman, who often {
comes into my shop, told me she had s
seen Rosa walking arm in arm with
gentleman in little used thorough {
fare in the outskirts of the town. I
lost my temper, and I declared that '
the woman's statement was untrue;
Nevertheless I questioned Rosa on I
the subject. She Indignantly denied 1
the accusation, but something IN her {
manner convinced me that she was |
guilty. I cannot properly explain to t
you what cruel shock this discovery
was to me. I was too upset to pursue I
the subject then, but L resolved that c
when evening came, and after the |
shop was closed and we were alone,
that I would strive to bring her to o /
sense of her duty to me. But I never s
saw her again. Within half an hour G
litter I had spoken to her she had t
lown, and this vas all she left behind G
ler." v
Mrs. Chambers drew crumpled let v
er from her pocket and gave it to C
Frank; then she buried her face in her u
and appeared to be dis C
Inclined for further conversation. This 6
vas the letter Rosa left for Mrs. Cham a
,ers. 1t was written hastily and there i
vas a certain hardness about the phrase S
'logy that bespoke heart numbed by Il
.rief: 8