The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-06-29
SOLD FOR NAUGHT.
rBv Mrs. Amelia z. Barr.l


guessed it, for on her face was the
shadow of doubt and perpIexity, instead
of the light of love; and her irresolute
movements betrayed a heart i'll at east
7 am going to be a fool again. she
murmured. And the worst Of it is,
like the folly"
And there were few girls who would
not have liked 1.-The folly" rpresented
by the handsome Antony Vaughan.
Over the heathery hills she watched
him coming now, his great black horse
devouring the distance between them
in long swinging strides, stopping
neither 'for brake nor for stone" and
taking the low garden wall in a we'll
distanced leap, which brought him al
most to her side. Stately and hand
some, brave and gentle, read in all the
learning OF the schools, what more could
Eleanor want? All these awaited him
nothing" while his poverty sat like a
Mordecai in the gate And so she had
determined that. sweet as these meet
ings were. this sould be the last; for
this woman had the nature of Dian in
the form of Venus, and not for love was
she going to sacrifice the more tangible
benefits Of gold and position. Still with
his arms around her. and whispered
words Of endearment trembling from
his lips to hers it was hard to tell
him so. The intOxication of his pres
ence made her for little while obed-
lent to the dignity within her; but
when he began to speak OF a definite
enga cement and certain marriage
day, however distant she broke at once
the spell which had held ler passive IN
his embrace.
s.The thing is impossible. Antony
she said, sadly. but decidedly. We
might starve. but we could not live
decentIy on 81 500 a year. My father
never is able 10 make both ends OF the
year agree comfortably. fortune Tor
bids our banns.
oh Nellyi NellyI begin to believe
what Frank Doster told me-that you
We're going to marry that old lawyer
who has bought poor Snowdon's estates
NV Godl Nelly, are you not going 10
deny it? Speak quick. it is not possible,
it is not pOssiblei you cannot be so
wicked and so cruelE' and ne neld ner
hands tightly, and looked nercely INTO
the fair, treacherous face Little com
fort there; only a cold defiance that
like polished Steel flung him BACK the
passionate love and aInazement that
almost stabbed her like wound
Once convinced of her falsenesss it was
not in his nature to sue. This beautl-
full Judas had sold his and her own
youth and hopes, and he would not
again touch the hand which had taken
so foul a price. She was amazed and
COMPOUNDED. Of such love as this she
had not dreamt. All her intentions OF
promises of eternal friendship melted
like snow in fire. He would none OF
them-he would not take the protter-
ed kiss nor see the White, DeSeeCulnS
face nor touch the OutStretched hand-
He was gone, in a storm of outraged
and indignant love, and Eleanor Raby
| knew very well that in that noble heart
her image was for eyermOre a fallen
and a deserted idol. How wretchedly
now the long. hot summer days Went
| by! And in the midst Of them antony
1crI1c f1iG
haunts. Some said he had gone to india,
| others to America; but all soon forgot
him, except the cold. proud woman, IN
whose memory he wandered ike an IN
easy ghost continually.
Then when the short, bright days OF
! September came, the rich man VINO mad
| bought Eleanor claimed his bargain,
and took it home to the little palace on
SnoWdOn Heights. A bishop in lawn
and silk ratified the transaction; her
parents made a great feast; the WOlIu
gave that assurance of approval which
/ is powerful as the nod of JOVe; but her
/ own heart whispered all the time,
And when the eclat and excitement
were all over. when life's duh, common
way and dreary intercourse brighten
! ed by no stray sunbeam of love-lay
1 stretched in wearying distance before
her. how bitterly she recalled the golden
spring time under the laburnums when
4 love glorified the meanest flower and
really painted the lily and gave an
| added perfume to the violet
For her husband she had no love, anc
| with his pursuits no sympathy He
| had been attracted to her by her great
| beauty and had loved her at first with
| a strength of passion which she might
| BY little tact have made a firm and
lasting affection; but she had taken no
pains to please him, made no efforts to
retain his admiration, so that she had
no right to complain when time and
possession robbed her of even this sem
| blance of devotion, and she understood
| herself as held something better than
| his dog, a little dearer than his horse"
And of Antony Vaughan no word or
| token came. The lands and home which
/ had been his fathers for 500 years, were
| sold to strangers; and E1eanor's heart
| lost its last hope-that of seeing him
| again Time which cares for none of
| these things went on as if there We're
no breaking hearts, no ruined lives and
change and chance made and narfed
/ the happiness of millions whom ne
| swept before him to their long home.
| I had only been q. spectator in this lit
| tie drama, and had simply watched 1T
| in that calm, complaisant way in which
! we do watch sorrows that in no way af-
| feet us. But strangely enough, the last
| act of it was played out in my pres
| ence and I was compelled by circum-
| stances and sympathy to become one of
the dramatis personae. And thus, it
| happened.
was up among the mountains of the
Colorado river in Texas. and our party
charmed by the exquisite scenery and
strange and beautiful fora wandered
out of the proper trail. Sunset found
us far from any human habitation, ex-
cept little log cabin in the crevice OF
/ the hills half a mile below us, We sup
posed it to be the home of some freed
negro, and descended to seek temporary
rest and refreshment, purposing. as soon
as the moon arose, to continue our way
to the little village. not over ten miles
distant. The door was opened to re-
ceive US before we reached it, and the
splendid looking fellow leaning on his
gun within its shadow was Antony
Vaughan I knew him at once; every
| change was only an added grace. be