The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-01-06
y By SYLvANUs COBB, j..


and love
eyes, I see.
well, so far God is good in hav-
ing given you that power for such
enjoyment !"
Yes, / see.'
.Well, now, under that law, when
my father and mother died / found
| friend IN the duke and here have
found a home. But circumstances
have changed. The duke has be-
come wicked in thought-he wants
more ney-and he will prostitute
power which in obeyance of Gods
law would be good to my ruin.
/. Now, God cannot save me without
reneling to pieces one Of his most
powerful laws and one which is
meant for universal good. The
moment he does that he destroys
that principle of human dependence
whence flow those most holy virtues
of love, friendship and charity. He
must act by universal laws and not
by partial rules and individual ex-
ceptions. So as long as l can enjoy
the blessings of social life | must be
! subject to the evils Of treachery and
social wickedness. Do you not un-
dersfand now
see, / see, the girl murmured
thoughtfully.
Ave, Zenobie," the mistress add
ed, while a holy light shone upon
her eountenance, 3God has made us
subject to ills here. But look be-
yond the grave, and how bright it is
with hope! have father and a
mother there. Oh, in all my misery,
even In the worst state to which the
bad duke can reduce me, I would not
change places with him. You seem
ed to intimate that God would see
me suffer and yet let the duke tri-
uraph. Triumph? Oh, Zenobie, for
what would you have that mans
heart in your bosom and his soul in
your keeping "
81 would rather die!'' the girl
cried, while a cold shudder ran
through her frame.
Then, you see, he does not 60
clear. Oh, how blind and simple
are those who imagine there can be
pleasure in sin!''
This opened new theme to Zeno-
bie's mind, and she pondered upon
it a long while. But by and by she
came back to the theme from
whence they had started, and in pur-
suance thereof she said:
Sl[y mistress, are you sure the
dake will persist in this 2"
"Aye, Zenobie; / know he will" !"
Rosalind answered, while the old
sludder came back to her frame and
the old grief to her soul.
"And have you no hope"
"Only one-in Ruric. He may
help me-"
cob, 7 hope he can! He is no.
BILE man"
Rosalind answered with look Of
gratitude, and Zenobie proceeded:
"Where IS the titled lord more no.
hle than he? Oh, were / to choose
husband now and he was free and
/ was in your position I'd choose
Ruric Neyel before all the emperors
Of earth"
$50 would l." returned the fair
maiden.
IF [ were countess, as you are,
ola, how I should love to make such
man count y
esBut my marrying him would not
make hin, a count. Were he count
and like what he is now in station
his marrying me would give me the
title. But we poor women do not
have that power
sWell, then, we should so much
more have the right to choose our
own husbands"
Rosalind made no oral answer,
but her look showed that she SYM
pathized with the sentiment.
ssMy mistress" at length spoke
Zenobie again, this time IN a low
whisper, "why may we not leave
this place.
Rosalind started as though she
had heard the speech of a spirit, and
for moment look Of hope gleam-
ed upon her face. But it quickly
passed away.
"Alas, where should we go!'
This was a part of the plan which
Zenobie had not thought of, and
ere she could make any reply one of
the female domestics entered the
apartment and announced that a
| woman wished to see her Young mis-