The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-12-27

with Il iaint smile, you never loveu
the man."
"No, sir" the maiden answered,
gazing up into her guardians face,
with an nquisitive look.
$50 | thought, so | thought" AS
Olga thus spoke he smiled again and
moved his chair nearer to Rosalind.
81 am well aware" he resumed,
that your affections have not as
yet been set upon any one who is
capable Of making a proper com
panion for yoa through all the ups
and downs Cd life"
Ro2alind'S eyes dropped beneath
the steady gaze Of the speaker, and
her frame tremblcd. But ere she
could make any reply the duke went
on:
"My dear Rosalind, | have come
now upon a business which | may
justly call the most important of
my life. have not approached this
subject lightly nor with overzeal,
but | have come to it through
careful consideration and anxious
study"
Here the duke stopped and gazed
into ROsalind's face. She met his
gaze, and her eyes dropped again.
She trembIed more than before, and
dim, dreadful fear worked It's way
to her mind.
"Rosalind." the nobIeman contln-
ued, when | was but 10 years of
age, | was married with a girl whom
! loved. She lived with me four
short, happy years. In that time
we were blessed with two children,
but they lived not long to cheer us.
| And then my beautiful wife died,
and the world was all dark and drear
to me. | thought | should never
love again. Time passed on, and
| you were placed in my charge.
When you first came, | loved you,
and | wondered if you were to take
the place of the children | had lost.
But you grew quickly up. Your
mind was expanded, and your heart
was large. ] found that | could not
make a child of you, and then ! sat
down all alone and asked myself
what place it was you had assumed
in my heart. Can you guess the an
swer, Rosalind?"
! GAS a little child" answered the
maiden, trembling violently.
''No, no, sweet one! pondered,
and | studied, and examined my
self carefully, and | found that the
memory Of my departed wife was
fast fading away before the rising
of another one just as pure and just
as holy. Now do you understand"
"No, no. Oh, MOI" the maiden
uttered in frightened whisper.
"Then listen further" continued
the nobleman in low, earnest tone
and with strange fire in his deep
blue eyes. "AS your charms of both
mind and person were gradually de-
veloped | came to look upon you
with new feelings, or, | should say,
with the old feeling more fully de-
veloped looked around me. |
saw my sumptuous palace without a
legitimate female head. In my par
les had no companion to assist
and guide NE, and in my loneliness
| had no mate to cheer and enliven
me-. } wished not that such should
be the case. At length my eyes were
opened, and | saw plainly the spirit
that was moving upon my soul.
looked upon you, and | knew that
had found the woman who was tC
give me JOY once more. Rosalind
l love you truly, fondly, and | would
make you my wife. Now you can
not fail to understand me, can you'
Rosalind gazed up into the face
of her guardian, and she was pale al
death.
"Iou do not mcan-Ohw
1t was a deep, painful groan, anC
the fair girl clasped her hands to
ward the man before her.
"Hold" he said almost sternly
81 am not trifing now. l am no
only serious, but firm in purpose
When you were placed under m,
charge, your father babe me do as
would, and now | would make yol
my wife. The Count Damonoff wa
the first who came for your hand
and had he been a proper man, ant
had you loved him, | should have in
terposed no objections, but YOU dii
not love him, and that affair is past
Now / lay my claim upon YOU, ant
my fortune and title l lay at you