The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-25

heard that name, and for the while
the color forsook her cheeks.
"What, my dear boy, what Of her
have you thought: ?" she asked trem-
ulously
"What but for one thing could I
think, my mother? You have seen
her.
IS. Ruric.''
"And YOU have marked the grace.
tire lovc'incss, the soul given beauty
CT tie noble girl:
"l know that she is beautiful, my
son, and also that she is good; at
least so | think .
S'Then what but love could move
me with deep thought Of her? Oh,
n1y.mother, do love her! [ love her
with the whole strength OF my heart
and SOUL
s'Alas, my Ruric, she will never
dare love theep'
.sYou know not that" the youth
quickly replied, his eyes burning
deeply and his open brow flushing.
ssDid I not know she loved me be
sure I would never have allowed my
thoughts such range. We were chill
dren together, and even then we
loved. Fate has dealt differently by
us in the years that have passed
since those childhood times, but yet
am sure that her love for me is
not changed, save as increasing age
must change all the emotions of
our nature into deeper, stronger
lights and shades. p
sfBut think, my boy; you q mere
artisan, she the offspring Of nobility
and, the ward Of a duke-a stern,
cold, proud aristocrat, who looks
upon our station only as harsh mas
tiers look upon their beasts Of bur
den. i fear you will find little else
but misery in such a course OF
thought
cat least, my mother, / will see
Rosalind, and if she loves me as l
love her, and if she would accept my
hand
.sHush, my boy. do not cherish
such hopes. Why should she mate
with thee when the richest mobiles of
the land would kneel for her hand ?"
sHoldp' cried Ruric, starting to
his. feet, his handsome face flushed
and his bright eye burning. "Speak
not thus-at least not now. fat
ter not myself, but I claim a soul as
pure and a heart as noble as any
man in the land. Mymind is as clear,
my hopes are as high, my ambition
is as true to real greatness and
my will as firm as any of them. If
Rosalind seeks the love Of true
heart and the protection Of stout
arms and determined success, then /
fear not to place myself by the side
of any suitor in the land; but if
she seeks immediate wealth and the
glitter of some high sounding title,
then-ah. know she does not! But
let it pass now. will see her."
Claudia would not oppose the
wishes of her son, and she said no
more upon the subject. For awhile
nothing further was said, until Ru-
ric remarked upon the increasing
force of the storm.
"Hark!!'' uttered his mother,
bending her ear in a listening atti-
tude. "Was that knock upon our
door,"
"Surely no one is out on such a
night that could seek shelter here"
returned Ruric. "You must have"-
The youth did not finish the SEN
tence, for at that moment the knock
came so loud that it was not to be
mistaken. The youth caught up the
candle and hastened to the door.
opened it, but the blast came roar
ing in, whirling cloud of snow In
to Ruric's face and extinguishing
the light at once.
els there any one here?" the gun
maker asked, bowing his head and
shielding his eyes from the driving
snow with one hand.
eyes, returned a voice from the
Stygian darkness. "ln Gods name,
let me in, or | shall perish"
"Then follow quickly" said Ru-
ric. "Here. give me your hand.
There, now come"
The youth found the thickly
gloved hand-gloved with the soft
est fur-and, having led the invisi-
bic applicant into the hall, he closed
the door and then led the way to
the kitchen. AS soon as the candle