The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-01-10

self. In hpr cutoff existence, EltheH9
husband or children or. household II"
teycsts. il was really Of SO very lite
Importance whether she had inherited
honor or a name Of shame. What mao
she to do with The hopes and fears
and sweet ambitions for the future,
that alone could make such a heritage
a thing Of vital Importance?
And so, existing rather than living,
months and then years years which
would have been the best ones OF
James womanhood) crert along. She
heard not irfrequcntly Of Mohur,
through indirect channels. during these
years: but he never wrote her a single
| letter. ~and-except a day or Two al
| Christmas. when be. came down to look
over accounts with his steward-he
never visited Yatton. What she heard
Of him was net news of a very COLI
solins nature. Perhaps, unde such
circumstances. it is difficult for any
reWs of the one WHO lives TO be con-
| so,ing to the one who mourns ana
vegetables. In the first place, and BE-
fore their engagement had been broken
off a year. cane word that MI. Mohun
was to ue married iii hot haste TO an
earl's daughter, q woman several years
cider than himself. and who, even in
her youth, had V been the pos
SCISSOR Of grace or beauty.
He marries fcT rank" thought Jane.
Birth without love, Sooner than my
paternity and such love as I could have
given him"
And it tool: something from the Bit
terness Of the tears with which she
vept over her wedding ring to think
of the years Of tie woman on whose
marriage day she must put it from her
breast: and that Clifford, although be
was going to take 4 wife, had not for-
gotten her enough to take 30 his heart
another love.
The marriage was broken of-some
said by the lady, others, better informed
| fancy. by Clifford himself. Possibly MS
pride revolted at the thought Of the I'M
mense superiority CT his wife's posi-
| ton over his own; possibly his:heart
revolted at the nearer prospect OF pos
scssing the face for whose ancestors
he proposed to sacrifice himself. Jane.
CT course. gave him credit for the lat
Ter motive. 1t was so delightful t0
hope that the remembrance Of her pre-
vented Clifford from being led away
tpoor JaneD by any unworthier feeling
than love-, and when the news came
that his engagement was definitely
over. her ring was consigned more
fond!y than ever to its place OF keep
inc. and Mr.. Mohun exalted. il pos
sible. to a higher pedestal than before
IN her regard:
There was another report Of his mar.
rage in the following year. This time
the bride was young and pretty, only
daughter of a rich city merchant; anu
this time. beyond all possibility OF
ldoubt. it was the bride-elect herself
who played Clifford false at the last
marrying her W first cousin, a gen.
tleman. in Birmingham, whose income
Exceeded by about six times hat or
the heir Of Yatton. And all who saw
Clifford Mohun now declared his dis
gust and disappointment to be ex-
tremeiy genuine; and he grew very
cynical indeed. people said, on the SUBJ
ject of love aid marriage and young
ladies generally; and Jane Grand, WHO
had this time laid aside her wedding
ring during the heat of the engage
ment, hung it submissively around her
neck again Oh the renewal Of Mr.. Mo-
huns freedom, and told Mr.. Follett she
considered it a very merciful thing the
marriage had not taken place, for she
knew Gifford's sense of honor was far
TOO delicate for him ever to have been
really and entirely happy with a wife
1 10 whom'he owed his wealth!
And after this there were no more
reports of Mohun's marrying; indeed,
few reports Of any kind about him
which reached Jane Grand's ears
Once, only, at Christmas, when he
came down as usual to Iatton for
twenty-four hours, she CHANGED to see
lis face through a cottage window
as he was driving back to the station
and she then. saw that lie had altered
much-his sunburnt, boyiSh face grown
pale and old before its time; and she
wondered was it for love of her, OF fol
the lady Sophia, OF for the city heiress!
and said a very long prayer for Gift
ford as she knelt at her bedside that
night.
And this was the last Christmas
when Mohun came down to settle &C.
counts with his steward, and the old
house fell more and more out of repair,
and weeds grew over the garden where
lie and Jane had walked during the
summer nights Of their brief engage
ment. and all the care bestowed upon
! alton by its owner was the Telling
yearly Of much timber to supply him
with ready money for the payment Oh
bis continually increasing debts.
Go be- continued.)
Ui1r}a,a Miufake-