The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1900-01-26

, HER SHATTERED IDOL !
/.

n EX MEREDITH was looking into
N the young, upturned face with an
expression half of pity, half of amusc-
ment. In all his life-his reckless. hap
py. daredevil life-he had seen nothing
like this creature beside him; nothing
half so fresh, so innocent and beautiful
She was a rose, with the morning dew
yet bathing its waXen petals; a cluster
of ripe fruit, with the soft color yet
lying, a dusty tint, upon it; tender,
beautiful, living thing, almost diyin-
ity in innocence and purity.
Her dress was q brown stuff, with
never a ruffle to relieve it. She wore a
white, turned-over collar and a gold
cross to fasten it; her hair, with all
its thousand crinkling, shining waves,
was combed back from her face and
tied with blue ribbon, after the FASH
ion of the Scotch snood, and left 10
wander at will over the gracefully
sloped shoulders, and look where you
would there was no sign of art or fash
ion, only her beauty, freshness and
youth to designate her from the two
grandmothers who were her guardians.
80 you were never in loye?' qucried
worldly-minded Rex Meredith, looking
down at her with those cruelty beautiful
ewes Of his and scanning every line
of her sunny face.
IN love? Yes, all my life, with my
two grandmas. Grandma Nentn0r, She
is my fathers mother, and has planned
to keep the farm in order ever since
l can remember-and all for me, mind
you. Grandma Thornton, my mothers
mother, has made the butter. and kept
the house, and taught me TO work and
be content. If ever any girl was
blessed. who had no parents 10 love
and care for her, it is myself; and !
love my two grandmas better than any
thing else in the world
Better than you will ever love any
thing else?" he queried, in his per-
suasiye voice and with his large, soft
eyes fixed pleadingiy on hers.
She was not rufiled yet, even with
all these powers which in his life had
so seldom failed hils, but with q steady
gaze looked up into his face, with the
calm, passionless eyes Of little child.
81 hope so, for If loved anyone else
better, I think my grandmas would
turn away and grieve themselves to
death"
"But you might like somebody lit
tie" pleaded this worldly tempter un-
willing to go away and leave this hu-
man flower to waste its rare fragrance
in the narrow garden Of these old wom-
ems hearts. You might like me
a very little-for, like your
self, / am alone; aye, more alone than
yourself, for l have no grandmas TO
love me-"
She laughed, and then grew full Of
pity.
81 do like you-very, very much; but
think you cannot need grandmas as
l do"
He bent over her, and while the clear,
soft, trusting eyes were Fitted to his
face. he drew nearer and nearer, un-
til he left a kiss upon the white fore
head.
A great flood Of crimson shot over
her face-a blush that colorec the
round cheeks. the dimpled chin, the
soft. round throat, and hid itself be
meath the high brown dress; but she
could not hide the gladness In her eyes.
A kiss like this meant tenderness and
love TO her, and who would not be
loved by man Ike Rex Meredith, the
handsomest fellow she, in all her simple
life, had ever seen?
"You ought not" she began, but
be checked her.
Don't say that, Ellie. l mean no
harm to you. No, rather, mean
He did not end the sentence. for some
one called Ellie just then from the
farmhouse--a soft. sweet voice, whose
bidding Ellie never disobeyed; and she
turned and gave him good-by from
her eyes, and was gone.
81 had better go, and never come
back here" said Rex, leaning for
moment over the gate. and looking
wistfully at the farmhouse and its lit
tie paradise Of trees. shrubs and bios
soming vines. "She would make her
way into my heart, and, once there
well. the world is too old a story TO ne.
could never find anything TO remove
her. and | should lose my place and
degenerate. The wisest thing can do
IS TO go away and forgetl"
So IL would have been. but he did
not 20 away. Through all the soft
hazy sumner be fingered in the vii
lage, near the cottage Of the simple