The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-09-30
OoeOnsend BradY,
coeyr8h3Aepoo. BY r scRIDwER:s soNs s

only spent with you without you l
welcome the death your guardian will
undoubtedly intlict upon me-"
"Yct YOU waited so Tonga year and
n half-wby did YOU not come? p
She stopped. She had spoken in n
low, tcndcr whisper, looking down at
the sea beneath them and ~plucking
~ncrvously ut the loose plaster of the
old walk. Death SO imminent for love
and lovor-nay, not for love; that were
ctcrnal-brokc down petty convention.
Where were death and love there, too,
should truth and honesty bc-and hon.
or.
lic laid his strong hand gently down
on the small white one outlined upon
tho gray weather beaten rock Of the
parapct. With upturncd palm she met
his grasp. Her eyes were lifted now.
She drew strength from his strength;
a dGwning hope hickered into being in
her torn heart. He was so strong and
true he surely could do something
there must be some other way. 1t was
the tribute woman pays to man.
He read Alright, with eyes keen from
affection, the mute, piteous appeal in
her swcetly lifted face, but he could
only smile sadly In answer with n ST.
lent shake of the head. There was no
other way, then, in the marked path
she must walk. Have mercy, Lord!
"Was 1T long TO you, dearcst?" he
qucried, his dark face alamc. "To
mel have been Il fool. Nothing should
have kept me from you. To trust to
messengers, lcttcrs-a fool-too later
Silence! The hands unclaspcd; ties
were broken. "Too late." He turned
bitterly away.
"Would that we had met in happier
days" she murmurcd sadly, making n
brave effort at self control.
"No r~cproachcs, Lady Elizabeth" he
answered, the touch of Formally In the
address showing his own equal strife.
what must be must be! At least l
have met YOU before l die, and for a
and dreamed Of you and held you the
lady of my heart. Fer death itself
cannot rob me Of that sweet joy-for 1t
Is past"
They looked apart, and heard above
the voice of the great deep, the III
fathomable sound Of the moaning
surge far beneath them, chatting against
the pebbles in the still morning, the
wild beating of their hearts. After q
little pause he continued morn softly:
"And you-you will forget the young
Irishman, the soldier OF fortune, whom
untoward fate threw across your path
and in the love of your noble husband
may YOU be happy"
"Nay, not So" she said softly, taking
his hand again, her eyes filling with
t~ears-this time she was the stronger.
MY heart is not made Of such tickle
stuff. I shall do my duty, keep my
plightcd word-evcn you would have
me do no less than that-but not more
stcadfastly than L shall keep you with
III my recollection. But do not talk OF
death; you must not. / know the adj
miral-hc has Il kindly hcnrt"-
81 would not live" replied the young
man quietly; "for life is death when
the heart is dead"
"Tcll me-" asked the girl, n~ervously
breaking the almost insupportablc ST.
lence, 'wcre you there when my moth
cr's picture fell last night?'
Eyes, so near to it that 1t almost fell
into my arms" he answered, smiling.
"a bad omcn!' she murmurcd, shak-
ing her head.
"What! That it should fall into my
Rrms?"
mo, that 1t should fall at ALL"
well, l do not believe in omcns and
it's In the arms Of another that you
fall, at any rate. He gets the sub
stance, | the shadow, the ~illusion-and
even that is broken,'
And SO oven the shadow Is lost"
said Elizabeth.
Not yet. Open my heart, you will
find 1t there" he answered quickly.
u how like YOU the portrait was!"
Yes, ! am said to look like my nath.
CIR she answered, striving. as we all
do in tragic moments, to reach the
height of the commonplace. "In the
dress j now wear, under the changing
fashions, the likeness is not so strik-
ing, but Whcn | am gowncd rs she
was, in the identical costume, which is
still in existence, by the way, and sit
rs she did, I'm the dim light in that old
chair. the resemblance Is evcn more
striking"
Would That I might 500 YOU thus
in that dress of the oldcn time, Moth
ing except your actual presence i'm the
nall has ever startled mo so much cs
thnt imaG" of tho past did last night.
You are so Ike your picture, but more
beautiful, I think"
All, yes: youth and the present are
nlNnN tlp mora hon,,f,f,l Tl,o II