The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-04-16
HARE AND HOUNDS.

lalreSG spot IN all tnaC 1alr uemeSne.
Over arch and lattice and trellis the
heavy headed blooms rioted in bewil-
derment of pink and white, crimson and
cream, forming a glorious canopy above
the severely trimmed rOsebushes that
glowed like gigantic bouquets on either
side of the winding paths.
But Enid Fitz Roy saw neither the
flowers about her, nor the surrounding
woods, nor the clear summer sky above
all Tall and slender, she stood like a
statue among the roses, with the folds
of her muslin frock falling straightly
about her, and her fair face somber and
troubled beneath the wide brim of her
garden hat. She was very pretty girl
and should have been a very happy one,
for happiness ought to be the natural
sequence Of beauty and wealth.
The oval of her face, that should have
been wreathed in smiles, was pale and
drawn The small, curved mouth was
pressed together in an effort to suppress
a childish desire to cry. The sweet eyes
were hidden by the white, lowered lids
in either sorrow or Indifference, while
the full throated birds sang on and the
gay roses swung like perfumed censers
in the light air.
How could she heed or care for birds
or flowers, when her whole heart was
away in the dim library of the old man
sion behind her, when her brain ached
in the effort to guess at the words and
gestures that were passing there among
the frowning family portraits and the
great oak bookcases, for at that moment
Dick Lindsay was telling his loves and
hopes to Lord Hunston, the stern man
whom fate had given her for an uncle
and guardian. Ends fond heart told
her what her lover would say, how hard
he would plead, how handsome he would
look, but-her uncle? Would he relax
would he permit himself to be moved
would he-consent? And in the effort to
materialize the faroff scene Enid grew
pale and trembled like wind tossed
lily.
Hurried footsteps among the roses
reused her from her reverie at last, and,
turning, she saw her lover speeding to-
ward her.
Dick" she cried in welcome, run
ming to him and with her set face break
ing into joyous smiles. Then little
moan escaped her, and she grew white
as her gown, for one glance at Dick
Lindsay's eyes told her he had failed.
Darling, at first I hoped for sue
cess" said Dick when Enid had regain
ed some degree of self control and the
lovers had wandered from among the
ja1Ting flare of the brilliant flower gar
den in the friendly shadows of the wood.
Your uncle heard me without inter
ruption and even smiled once or twice.
l told him Of my prospects, how the
mortgage was nearly paid off the Knoll
and how l should be able to live there
in another year l referred him to Tape
son and Jenkins that he might verify
my statement as to how well the farms
were let. / proved to him that was
financially in position to aspire tt
your hand, filed with fortunes gift al
it is.
"And he said''- murmured Enid
lifting her tear washed eyes to Dicks
handsome face.
"He said-nothing. That was the
worst part Of it, Enid. If he had only
advanced arguments, might have de
feated them, if he had given an opinion
l might have challenged it. But he gav'
me no loophole for speech. He unlocked
small drawer in his bureau-yol
know the one that has carved COLLINS
heads all over it-and pulled out from
amid sheaf of papers one that wa
folded twice and was tied with tape.
II know-I know; the copy of m.
fathers WILL" cried Enid, made be
fore was born.
He opened the paper and pushed i
across the bureau to me, marking witt
a nail dent the passage should read.
"Oh, don't repeat it; don't say it!'
walled the girl, putting her hands owe
her ears, as though to shut out hate
sounds. Don't know too well that m,
marriage was fixed for me from the be
ginning, and that my father, on hi
deathbed, willed that if his only an
posthumous child should be a daughte
she should, ON her twenty first birthday
be affianced to the only son of his dear
est friend, Lord Errington? Oh, it wa
a cruel thing to do. y
"Crueler still, my darling, to ordai
that if at the date of your majorit
Lionel Errington were alive and unmal
ried, and you should refuse to becom
| his wife, you should be deprived of you
inheritance for five years and shout
even not be allowed to live in your ow
house. Those shameful paragraphs wer
all my answer Your uncle then bowe
me from the room, only sarcasticall
begging my presence at your birthda
. ball next week, during which he intend
to announce your engagement to youn
Errington.
; A hot flush stained Ends white ski
and dried the tears on her cheeks as sh
drew herself from Dicks encirclin
q arms and faced him in the narrow patti
way.
dick Lindsay, when, six months agt
l gave you my heart and my love-, I gay
them for all time, and not to take thel
back at the written word of ma
: whom never knew, who was dead b,
i fore lived. On my birthday I will,