The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-01-09

face of each figure turned toward me
beheld my own. The figures glided
around me, then seated themselves
on the opposite side of the apartment,
each looking at me steadily and with
NV own dark eyes. Gradually the
figure nearest my right seemed to
invest itself with the accessories Of a
picture and thin mist hid the others
from my sight.
A child Of ten summers stood in the
ward of an old brown farmhouse, with
the westering light over the sunset
streaming over the building and bath.
ing her tiny fingers in flood of gold,
did not speak even in a whisper
while the picture OF my entire
childhood was unrolled before me, but
Thoughts like these glided athwart my
brain:
"Was I once that happy-hearted,
wild romping child whose greatest
care was the loss of some woodland
pet?"
Even while I sat gazing the scene
slowly faded, and out from the dim
mists that had infolded the figure near
est the child rose fair and clear the
second picture before me.
A slender, beautiful maiden stood
| in the moonligt beneath the rustic
porch draped with honeysuckles that
climbed over the farmhouse door.
It was Daisy, but child no longer.
She wore neat, but simple dress of
pale pink muslin, and single white
rose plucked from the bush beside the
the doorstep adorned her hair.
| Suddenly q firm step came up the
walk leading to the farmhouse. 1t
was a young and frank-faced man
whu joined her, and Daisy blushed, land
they went in and sat down together
in the moonlight by the west room
window. Eloquence was not neces-
sary to love in those days, and Daisy
and Charles Gordon sat long in the
moonlight and taxed together.
Charles always thought he must
leave at 9, but he is in no haste to-
night. Ten, half past 10, II goes by,
and there they stand in the noon
light. When they part, q tender
kiss burns on Daisy's cheeks and q
slender gold ring CLEANS on her
finger. She and Charles are betroth-
ed, and she goes to her chamber to
sleep the first dream of q happy
plighted love.
For a moment I stretch out my
hands toward the maiden in the
farm house, but the scene grows dim,
the figures fade and another picture
unfolds before my view.
1t wa, bridal scene. Charles had
grown more grave looking, for he
was business man now, and three
years had added luster to Daisy's
fuller figure. Both were trusting and
beloved and saw none but clouds of
gold in the long vista of their future.
I could only sit and gaze longingly
and eagerly while the phantom faded
away from my gaze. Another pict-
ure now rose before me. -.
| I saw myself clad in cheerful
morning robe. Charles had prospered
lin business, gold poured into his
Golfers, and with Ambition and Pride
and score of demons in her train.
1t whispered; ...
"You are young and you are beauti-
full. In the great world you would be
an acknowledged queen: Put your
husbands wealth to use. Let not your
beauty fade out in the nursery.
Your child will get on we'll enough
. in the nurses care. Live in the
world and shine like queen"
And this was the beginning of
the shadow which darkened the pict-
ure. saw the glitter of the ball,
the splendid furniture, the silver
plate, the gay equipage aud the
stately apartments, and amid it all
through the opened door of a neglect.
ed nursery saw pale, drugged
'l4year-old child slowly dying. The
end came. The tiny rosewood casket
was closed over the features of the
child who died Of motherly neglect
l saw a strong man bend in convuls.
ed grief over his dead boy and then
20 out silently and, growing gravel
day by day, turn to his business
again. heard frantic bursts oil
grief from the stricken mothers
mouth and clasped my jeweled
hands in anguish.
A long pause fell between, and
then another, the last, picture fell
before me. recognized it's faithful
ness at once. Ten years interviewed
between this picture and the preced.
ing one. I had not changed save to
fuller and perfected beauty. Every.
thing was as plain as day-the
magnificent furnishings of the home,
with Persian carpets, costly tables,
bronze and marble statues and china
and silver wares, and through these
walls I moved, a cold and beauti-
full woman of ice.
I shrink from the portralture with
ldiSmay, But while / sat and gaZed,
into the picture glided a pale, care
worn man wearing the same express
sion I bad often seen upon my
husbands face. How changed he
looked from the hopeful, manly
Charles Gordon who had stood before
me in the moonlight! He had been
grave and silent man ever since his
boy died, but there was now some
fresh trouble eating away his life.
"What has brought this about?"
In moment my question was an
swered. Into the magic picture
came shadowy finger which pointed
10 the paper-strewn table at which
my husband sat. gazed and beheld
revelation, and mechanically my
eye ran over every paper he opened.
The catalogue was fearful-a long
array of bills-plate, furniture, statues,
jewels, silks, long array of which
which I recognized distinctly my
own agency, and balancing this cata-
logue stood tangled trade, empty
Golfers, with the word "PantcW writ
ten as with pen of fire. While he
sat and unfolded each paper and laid
it aside stole nearer and gazed upon
the one he had just taken. 1t was my
latest bill the hill for nv ball dress.