El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-15
:: THE LITTLE CHURCHYARD :

II any one knew it, | was sure that Mrs.
Gray. the motherly housekeeper, did. /
asked her to tell il to me-
The story Of those two fair faces and
the wandering master, as you call him.
il one and the same. Hilda, she said at
length. Il will tell it to you now" And
settled myself to listen.
'Lcnore Dalton and Ivy Gordon were
stepsisterS. Ivy being the daughter OF
Mr. Dalton's second wife, but treated by
Mr.. Dalton as if she had been his own.
II was the orphan daughter of n friend
of Mr.. Dalton. and. though only three
years older than Lenore, | was made her
gOverrcss and companion, for Lenore at
II knew little nothing save music. and
Of that she was passionately fond.
Ivy Gordon was the same age as Lee
more. but looked childish in comparison,
for Lcnore might easily pass for 20.
.One day Mr.. Dalton brought home 4
distant relative of IGNORES on her moth
er's side, saying he was going to be their
guest for some time.
"'Oh. Helen. he is so handsome Lee
more said. meeting me on the stairs, for
had not been at home when Alured Vim
cent came, that | am in love with him
already"
81 cannot account for it; but, standing
there. 1 felt that somehow the coming of
this handsome stranger would bring sor-
row to Eastonmere.
1.-TWO weeks later Lenore gave ball,
and. when at her urgent request 1 went
down. the pariors seemed vision of
fairyiand.
'.LenOre looked strangely beautiful in
her dress of pale rose silk, her raven hair
falling in heavy curls over her shoulders
down to her rounded waist, and above
her brow glittered diamond aigret. Her
neck and shoulders cleaned like polished
ivory beneath the foamy lace that cover
ed them
I'm all the gay crowd Lcnore was the
gayest. for her idol, Alured Vincent.
stood near her, admiration pictured in hiJ
proud dark eyes and grave sweet smile.
But l noticed how often his eyes wan
Gered from the beautiful face beside him
to Ivy Gordon, who stood some little dis
lance from them. looking like some fair.
pure lily in her simple white robes.
I'm that moment l knew that Alured
Vincent simply admired his brilliant
cousin, but that he loved my lily blossom,
as I always called Ivy Gordon. The
weeks passed on. and still Lenore Dalton
was blind to what was patent to all 9th
er eyes-the love of Alured Vincent for
Ivy Gordon.
But at last her eyes were opened, for
one fair, bright evening she and / strayed
down the oak path together, she talking
and | MISUNDERSTANDING with a deep
pity at my heart, for she was speaking Of
her lore for Alured vincent
Suddenly, with low, sharp cry, she |
stopped and chung to my arm.
"'Sec-see. Helen? she gasped, white |
even TO her lips. And 1. glancing through |
the Intervening trees, saw Alured Vim
cent. his arm around Ivy Gordon. whose /
golden head was resting his shoulder, |
and his face alight with deathless love.
Like statue Lenore stood, her
breat coming in short quick gaSpS.
"No other word came from her Inns till i
we came 10 the ruins of an old house that |
had once been the home of the Daltons |
Of Eastonmere-
"Aii around it ran n balcony, surround |
ed by frail balustrade- 1t must always /
have been frail, but then the wood was /
enough.
without a word, Lenore ran up the /
steps. and l followed, giving no thought /
to the matter, as we often went up to sit /
there.
Before long Alured and Ivy passed /
Lenore leaned over the balustrade.
"'Come up here, my babes in the |
wood she called. as they were going on
ivy laughed and ran up the steps, fol- /
lowed by her lover, whose handsome face /
was flushed with happiness. and 1 no
ticed that a diamond solitaire glttered on Il
enc OF Ivy's slender fingers.
81 saw IGNORES eyes rest on the bril- i
n4nt genuine gem tnat tOld us Sne nau II
promised to be Alured Vincent's wife, i
even if his radiant face had not told us
before We noticed it.
"As Ignores eyes rested on the gem l Il
saw a red flame shoot into their depths,
and then she bent suddenly forward and,
catching Ivy, dashed her against the frail Il
balustrade.
"A Wild cry rang from Ivy's lips as the
woodwork gave way with a crash, and
the next moment she was lying cold and
still on the ground.
with a mild moan, Alured dropped |
down to where his darling lay, her golden
curis stained with blood, her fair young /
face upfurned to the sky
He stopped and raised her in his arms
and bore her to the house. AS he laid
her on the sofa he bent and kissed her
lips Then nature gave way, and, with
Eroan of anguish, he fell forward on the
floor. the blood gushing from his lips.
For many long. weary weeks Alured
Vincent lay battling with death. Life and
death hung in the balance. and. though
life conquered, Alured Vincent was never
himself again. He lived, and nothing
more. The future held no charms nor
hopes for him. Ivy Gordon was dead.
and his heart died with her. 1t could
never wake again."
And LenoreT' l said questioningly.
"Lenore Dalton was found drowned In
the take when they went to search for her.
"Once a year Alured Vincent comes
hack to his own land. as you call it. but
he never comes nearer Eastonmere than
the little churchyard where his darling
sleeps On every anniversary Of her
Death he kneels beside the quiet grave
where Ivy Gordon rests."-Exchange.