HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Sentinel, 1882-04-28, Page 2A
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.14011,6110ELtioW44 LAST POEM
• itItlad Sliver, In the White Itleuntalmen
, Bones, April) IT—The titie of Ittr.LengfelIoves
. Iastconftibuti it to the Atlantieitt "MadBiver,
in the White, Mountains,' It it a dialogue
betweea it traveller and the mountain strew:li—
the reae ouestionin , • 0 r yerrep y egi an . a would do her good, and, bunting up . her
of
Was Unole joseph there? ' By stea rfig
sense the meadow lathe rear of the hduse
liai
the distance to the graveyard was sh rt-
ened more than half, atd could not be ore
than the ttighth part of a mile. She o d
walk sa far, she knew. - The fresh air.
I d
last givinguifila his ytlatie, • -long niiused hat the impatient gir star
A brOoklet, nameless, and unknown stopping once or -twice to rest a
• Waal at itrst resembling;
. dizty faintness came ov,er her. and en
A little child that all alone
continuing on untlithe spot she sought Walii
conies venturing down the stairs ot stone„ reached, 'There were three graves, one 'old
VIA"
irresolute and trembling..
Later, bywaywerd fancies ilea,
For tiae wide wdrld I panted:-
- Out,of the forest, dark and dread,
•AoreSa the open fields I lied, -
Like one parsned and haunted.
and sunken, one made 'when, the last
ter% snow was on the hills, the other!
•end new. That was all. Tiede To
was not there, and -vague terror en
Reddy% heart loathe had been taken.
to the asylum. . • .
"I will get him out," she said; "1
• take "care of him. I should die with 4th.ng to do; and I promised grandpa
She could. get no further, for the ruak of
memories which came over her and seat.
ing herself on. the ground ohise!to the faew
grave. she Iaid. her face upon itiand sobbed
piteously: •-
t.Pseed DIY arrag, sang. aloint,
• .
My voice exultant blending •
With 'thunder from the passihg. cloud ;
Thewind the forest bent and bowed
•• The rush of rain descending.. .
heard the distent ocean .
Ininloring And entreating ;
Drawn nwatil ceerthis rocky wall
• • I plunged,:and the Iola waterfall,
• blade answer to the greeting
_
And ▪ iaow, beset with many ills„
- A toilsome. lifel follow;
_Compelled. ta eerie! from the Witt
• These logs, tOtha impatient. mine
Below thereto; the hollow..
let, something. ever cheers. aed therms
• The rudeness- of ray- labors,;
Daily X water with these -arms.
The-cattie, of hunered tareie
• And hex°, tha lairds- for neighbors.
• Men. call inesmad„. and. well they may.;
- when full of rage and trouble .
- X beret my hanks of sand and °ley -
And, sweep their wooden brido away
Like withered reeds or stubble.
Now, g0-011(1'writo thy iittie rhyme. -
As-, of thine own creating
.Thouseerat the- day, is past its. prime- -
• I can no.longer waste ray tiake
• The millsere tired 01 waiting..
•
Men ROT LTLAST._
*1=1,1ins.
A- 'sCielEtY IVEL
,
By the_ manor of Edith_ Lyre,'" " gild:red
-• "Forrest lifensep' "Qhateact d'Oe.'' etc.-
CIIA,PTER
esh
ph
red
Will
J• •
" Oh.„grandpa„.I'na se lonely iithotitou
alt; I almostwiskI was Iying. here in !the
:eniet yard." • I .
Then • e, storm of tears - misted,
after which': Maddy -.grew calmi
'veith her • head still. 'bent - down
. !hear the- rapid step coining. -d
:the greasy roa& past the marble
ni-
nd
did
wu
-litotes, to where she was crouching iijpon
,theground. There- it stopped, and. tt . a,
l
.half whisper some ime called, -" RIa- dy 1
=.ktaddy 1" - • f. '
Then she started, and lifting up her- ' ead
saw- before her .Guy Remiogton. FPr a
:hile-
etraDEN 0110We 1}V4IFTER.,
Of the days, which followed Maddy had
- no distinct coneeiousness. Rut only knete
that other hands than hers !aired for the
dead;. that in the little parlor a stiff, white -
figure lay •; that neighboring. women.
Stole. ilk, treading on tip -toe, and. speaking
in hushed voiess as they consultedenot her,
: but Mrs. Noah, who' had come at once,
end• dared for her , and hers .ea
That elle-lay all -.day In her own room,
where the suaimer breere ltlew 'softly
• throughthe window, bringing the perfume
• of sumer flowers, the sound of -a. tolling
• heli, ofgrinding wheels, the notes- of a low,
. sad sung iu faftering tones and of;
.many _feet moving from the door.. Then
' • , friptidly.faces looked. upon her, asking
• how she felt, end. whispering eminoueiy to
each other as eheatiewered,;
" Vary well; is grandpa getting better?'
Then Mrs, Noah sae with her !Or a time,
fanning her with a palm -leaf fau sei& brush-
ingthe away. Then Flora, carne up
• witha man whom -They called. "Doctor,"
and who gave her sundry little pills and.
powders, after which they all went- out arid
left- her there, With 'Jessie. Who, -had, been
. crying, and whose soft- little hands. felt so
.-cool on her_ ho_t-head; and. whose lieges_ on
-her lips_ madethe tears start, end brought'
• et thought of Guy,. making her ask "if -he
was:at-thee: funeral." She did not kndvr
whose funeral she meant,: or: Why. she used.
that word, only it seemed to her thatjetisie
had, inst. dome back. fromi eamebody's grave.
and RAG 011ie& If Croy was. there.
"No,." Reale said.; "mother Avanted. -to
write and tell him, butvie don't knovrwhere
he is,:" - , -
And this was all Middy could recall of
. the day succeeding. the night. of her hist
. Watch at her gratidfather'eside, until one
balmy August `afternoon, when,. on. the:
• Iferietiale -hills. there lay that smoky haze
so like. the autumn time hurrying on -apace
.and wilet through her open- Window stole
• the fragrance of the: later sunirner lowers.
Then', mit. wakiegfroai an ordinary sleep,
• • 'ehe woke suddenly to coneeloosnees, and.
• staring at:out:the roonawouclered if it were.
• as late as, the.western km. want& . indicate,.
and how she came to sleep so _
had -come from Aikenside with the
Fora while she lay thinking...and tiEt.13110.
moment she regarded him intently,
he said to her kindly„:pityingly ;
"Poor child, You have suffered so rn
and -I never knew of it till slew days
At the sound Of that loved. yoke spe
thusla he everything else was 'Virgo
•and with a cry of joy -Medd), stretche
hanktowar& him, moaning out -
" Oh, Guy, Guy,where have -yoti.
•when 1 wanted you, somuchr . -
Maddy.did not know what she Waci
ing, or half comprehend the:, effect it
on Guy, who forgot everything save
.she bed Missed him, -had turned. to
in her trouble, • and it. was -no
his nature - to resist' her tppeal.
a Spring- he was at her side, and liftin
in his arms seated himself upon her
er's grave.; then straining her tightly
bosom, he kissed heragaiia and again.,
burning, passionate kisses they were;
'took from Maddy pewit of resist nee,
even had she ivished,tto resist, whiol4 she
did not. Too weak to reason or se , the
harm, if harm there wire, in being oved
-by Guy, she abandoned liereelf for a rief
ittterVal to the bilge* of knowing that she
was beloved, and of hearing him tell h r so.
"-Darlinglffacidy,"- he said, "1 went way,
because you sent me, brit now 1 have
hack, and nothing shall fart us again.
are mine: I claim vu here at your
all hie powers- Pf self-control to keep fzem
writing to Div and ,asking to be released
,fron2 an engagement so irksome as is had
becorde. • He had neglected to .answer
Agnea' letters.when he first left Mine, and
she did not know' 'where he _was -Until a
short tin2e before his return, when she
wrote- apprising hlin Of grandpa's death
and Illaddy's severe illness! This brOught
him at oilee, and Maddy's involuntary
outburst when Oho -met -him in the grave.
yard changed ;the; whole ourrent.cf his
intentions. Let what would come, ,Maddy
Clyde- should be hie. wife, and as such
he • Watched over her constantly Imre-
ing her back to life, and by his =miner.
effeotuallyoriletoing all remark, so thati gorgeous: beaqty of decitymg-nature seemed
-
the oeighborawhisPered among themselves 80 cruelly to mook her anguish.. _As long
what /daddy's prospects were and, as was as Guy was there, breathing the same air
Trite natural, wares verylittle more atten- With herself, Ste kept Up, 'vaguely don-
tive-to the future lady of Aikenside, Poor Soious Of a shadowy: hope that something
Maddy! It wee a terrible trial which -awaited, would happen .withbut her instrumentality,
her, but itmusthe met, -and eowithprayere something to ease the - weight pressing so
and tears she fortified herself to meet it, hardupon her. But when she heard Oaf
While -Guy hung aver her, tever. guessing Of he bad really gone, that a line had been
all that was passing in her mind, or 'how; reeeivedfrom him . after he- was on -hoard
when. he was out of eight„, the.hps he had the steamer, all hope died out of her 'heart,
longed sa much -to kiss, but never-hadcrince and had it been:right she would have prayed
that day it the - graveyard, quiiered With that she might die, and forget ho* -utterly
anguish as they asked for etrength- to do miserable *email.
Utah,
wan
ing
ten,
her
I •
Say -
had
that
hire
in
ith
elier
oth-
his
Hot,
hich
S777r.,
more than one pilgrimage to Honedale,
where she expended all her arguments
trying* make Maddy revoke her decision;
but Middy was firm in what she deemed
right, and as her health began slowly to
improve,and there Was no longer an excuse
for Guy to tarry, he Started for England
the latter part of October, --, as 'unhappy and
unwilling it bridegroom, it may be, as ever
went after a bride.
- CHAPTER
TH INTESVAL BiFOBE TAB: kieelAGE:
' -
•
keday never knew how she lived through
those bright', . autumnal- days, When the
saw- Agnee,lostead ii&gliting from
the (*snags, and was donsoious Of' a: thrill- -
of gratification that .gnee shouldhave-
come to see" her. Blit Agneailbusiness was.
with the Weak. man, poor Uno1Joaeph; who
was sleeping -when ehe-dame, and so did.not ,
hear her Voice as in . the _tidy -kitchen-.
she talked talifaddY, appearing extremely
agitated, -and -casting her eyeeritpidlyfront
one part o! the j room to another,- restang.
now upon the tinware hanging on the wall.
and now -.upon the gourd. sing -in the
water -pail Which stood in the old --fashioned
ink, with the wooden spoilt; directly over .
the pile' of \- stones- cove** the drain:
right ; crybag.ciften; help tee, Father,- to At last there- °eine to her three. lettere
do my duty, and give me, tclO., agreater in; onehota Lucy, one - horn. the doctor,and
olination to do it than. I. now poseeetit.. - one fromGuyhiMe-elf. She opened Ltey'S
Meddy's.beatt failed. her sometimes; and find,. and read of the Sweet errs great
she Might have yielded to the temptation happitese in - seeing ,Guy again, of her
but fere letter from .Luoy, WI Of. eager Ferro* to find. -ISM_ so thin,, and
anticipations cif the time when she should changed; hi" all pave' his -extretrie-:kinanecti
see Guy, never to Part again. to her, 140.eftvetini etUdy-of her wants:, and
"Sometimes," the wrote, "there comes -evident anxiety to. please her -0Very
over me a -dark foreboding of a -fear recipe -et:- On this -Ludy: dwelt, until Madd3e0
that Iehall 'raise the -cup- now just Within heart seemed to leap "up and alnitett turn-
mY• reach; but I pray- the bad -feelings_ over, so sOilereety it *tabbed' and soiled
away.. I. am sure there is no living -beiug_ 3With-itaguitch. She out in the -woods
Who will 'coraie Ibetween :nia to -break_ my when she read the letter, and laying her
heart, and se -I -knew Odd &Atli _face.in - grass sobbed as elle never
.well,' -I trust Hinr. wholly and -dean sbbbed befOre. - -
'deliht" . • • , - ' -The doctor's letter was opened next, and
It was. well the letter name when it did; Maddy read withlalindingtears;, that'which
as helped midasi_ to meet the hour she for a moment inareased her pain and pent -
most, dreaded; and Whieh ottine at last oa to her heart an added . of disaplacrint-
an afternoon when Mts. Noah had gone to. Meta, or a sal* Of *pang done her, she
couldnot tell wilidli. Dr. Holbrook was to
Aikenside: and Flora hadgOnenn,an errand
to a neighbor'e two Miles away, thus leav-- be married the same day SS Goy, andto
irig.Guy free to tell. the story, se old, yet Luny's shiterldargeret. - • -
always new him. Who•telle it and to her "Maggie, call her;" he: trote, •"because
who listens, the citorYwhioli; as Guy told it, that 08;01e-ilit sia -much like iny.. first -.leis,
Sitting by Illaddy% side,withher-hands in. Maddy, the little- .girl: Who tliought Was
his,. thrilled her through' and through, too. old* be; her.htsbalid, and so made me
-Making the sweat. drops start -out around very wretchedfor a time, until I met and
her lips and underne&thher hair ; the story knew Margaret Atherstone. have told
which made Guyr.hlitiself. Pant nervously her of you, llladdy-; Would, not marry her
and tremble- like -6; So earnestly he without,' and she -seems Willing. to take 'me
told her . how Icing. he had loved her,. PS 0,03. We shell mite, home with 'ally,.
of the. pieture Withheld.. the: z jealousy • who hi the Mere motet* of 'What. he was
he telt each' time. the doctor tamed her, When I last. taw :him- He hati,s told' me
everything, and.. though I 'doubly ". respect
the: selfish -joy_he' experienced- whed. he
heard thidoctof was -refteed-of his grow-. 'you 1100, 1.,daunot say that I think you did
Ing disstitiefitetiou With hie engagement, his quite right. -Better that one .should suffer
-frequent resolves to break it, his...final:demi- than two, and .1.Aucy'e iS a _nature which
will forget far etsater than your* or- Guy's.
I -pity you ••.
These thing§ were familiarto the proud •
.
woman,. she had seen - them before; and
-sight of them brought to her ei Most —
remcireeful regret -for the p-ttst,- while:her
heart ached cruelly* she *Isbell ehe had
never -croesecrthat threshold, or, -ea:seeing
it; hid, never brought rh.fii to one of its -
;Manatee. Agnes was changed . in _various
way.* All hope of the dootok inta long
!ince_ been given WI and , as teeie.grevf:Ak
within her,eubduing her - elfishness, and
inaking_learf itr Maregentle and &Maiden:11e_
for others than she had been .hefore,_ Ta. -
&faddy :. she was - exceedingly kind, and. ---
never more lio it matter than now, when
they talking :together ih - the hiimble.
-kitchen at the cottage. . : I. , .." -
, You look -tired --and sitik," she :add.
itna
.".. Your Cares- havibeen too:: ugh for. you.
Liaf the sit by your uncle till he wakes, and
older the inether _nature wa :stronger .
ome sion, which that scats in the graveyard had
You reversed, and the/ea-eked if she would- not
oth- be hie—not doubtfully, : but confidently,
-
-er's grave. Dear Maddy, did not kn. of -eagerly, as if etre of her answer. •
all this till three -days ago, wben A
letter found me almoit at the Rooky
tains. 'Xhen I travelled day and
reaching Aikenside this :haorning,
nes'
man-
ight;
and
doming- straight. to Hoteaale. I wish. had
ante before tioW thatIknow you ; W. ' tted
me. -Say that .agait,. Maddy. Tel :.tae
again thit. yot Missed and wanted tie "
_ ...
• Hewas sinoothieg her -hair; .tie her earl
still lay pillowed, upen his breast, i he
r.ouldtot see the spasm Of' paio which cOn-
torted her features AS he thus. appeal A:to
her, Half bewildered, --Maddy could • not
at first:make:out whether it. *tate - a ills"-
fial dream Or a -reality, that she was ere'
in Guy's tirme, with his kisses on her cire-
11%0,r-tips and cheek, his. words ot lo. p in
-
her ear; and the soft- shmorr - sky e -.tilin
roil
Own. upon, her. Alas. it was.a dream rom
'Which she was .awaketed by. the.thciug t of
one across the sea,' whose . place . she had
usuriled„ and this it Wee whielibrong t the
,grieved expreesion to • her --face- as .she
answered motlinfullY ; ' - - -1 • -
" I .did want you, 413u3e. wheti .1_ to
'. b .now-a-ob, Guy--;Luciy•Atheretone• .
' . 'a gesture of inapatiende Guy Was
, about to answer; when -something i ;the
bes,vy.falt of the littlehancifroin his. •P out-
deralarnied hitt, and 'Rapti -up the dro ping
:head he csaw that . Meddle had '-fai ted.
0
Thee back across the meadow -Guy
her to -the cottage,where Flora, Nell
just returned from a neighbor's .wh
she had gone Upon an errand, was lo
forher in much affright, and wonderit
bore•thha der
king
who
wet,
tired horse which showed so plainly how
thought,- a sad, scene came back to her, a ' - • .
hhands d; be hard it had beet driven.
night when -her a been ell-
Theyoarried Middy again into her ittle
chamber, which: she never left unti the
golden harvest Sheaves were gathere in,
;and the hot September sun was ning
-a
Maw nurse, a cotatant attendant, who dur-
ing the day seldOm left her except to talk
With and amuse Uncle joseph, 'mot' fling
below because no one sang. to hi or
noticed him as Blackly usid to do.. II had
not been, ent to the asylitm,es M ddy
feared, but by way of -relieving Flor had
• the loon —a stilineee broken only by the bean taken to Farmer Green's, where h was
tidlting of. the dock 'and tile"-pnrang of the, :so hothesink and disciontented that at
house cat, which at eight -of Illaddy arose instigation he - was suffered to re urn
from its position near the door and came, :to the cottage, crying- like a little r WU'
forward, rubbingits sides against her Areas 1 when the -old famihe.r. spot was. re Thed;
•...And trying in various ways to aNince its joy I:kissing hid -arm -chair, the cook -stove the
•folded in those of the dead, add that dead
-her grandfather. - Was it true, or Was she
laboring under' some hullueination of the
brain 2.. It true, Wes that whitepallid
• face still to be . seen in the room the fruits of autumn. But now. she
- below, . or . had they buried him
. ;from- her sight? She. would know, and
• with a strange kind of nervousstrength she
rose,- ?ad throteing On the wrappers. and°
.elipPf3rs which lay near, she descended. the
Stairs, wondering to And herself so weak,
and -half shuddering at the deep stillness a
. idly
self,
ho
y to
the
, or
at teeing oue whose caresses it had missed.
• .60. long. The little bed room off the kitchen,
where grandpa, slept and died, was vacant, ;'
the 'old-fashioned eget was pit. away, -as
every vestige of the old man, save the"
broictrimined, hat which: hung upon 'the'
Wall justwhere his hands. had hung% and
' Whieh looked so Enoch like ita 'owner that
with a gush Of tears Maddy sahlo upon the
. bed, moaning to herself, "Yes, grandpa is.
dead. I remember tow. Bot Uncle
Joseph, where is he ? Pen he too have
died- without my knowledge?" and -she
lOoked around in vain for the lunatic, not
itArtice„ of whom was to be -found. .
•• Hie room was in perfect order, is was
everything about the house, showing that
Flora, was cid* the domestic goddess,while
Maddy detected also various things which
recognized as' having creme' from.
Aikenside. Who sent them? Did
• .thay, and had. he been there too while claim. her :the coming - autumn.
she was sick?. . The *Ought brought " letter Lucy' ha&. respo
throb of joy to fdaddy's heart, but it soon onichly, swetly reproving Guy for am not., I wanted Maddy Clyde, and told
passed away as She began to wonder if. his impatience,- . softly hintiog . that at-,. her so, hut she refused- me an made me
Uncle Joseph, too, had ,cliedt and here -tetly he had been Qui0.: as culpable as ler-. "pronaise to manic Lucy ; so I'm going to do.
Flora. Was. It was not far to the Ifonedale self inthe inafeey Of deferring their iinfion; that very thfci. • `-.1 a.,'M going to England in
'buryingrgrohnd, and, Middy ilonld.eitethe imia appointing the. briclal_idarfor a few weekei off:c4stion. as Middy is better,
headstones gleatning through the 'Atigustfif Deceit/At • Atter Ohl Waireettled Iv and before the sun of. thiwYeir teats I shall
sunlight ; could discern. heematheee, and i felt better, though the old 006 spekielhill 4t3 a married • "- ; _ • , • k•-,
- knew that two fresh Mounds at least:were heart, where Maddy ClYdeliad been, -Fes 'After iTeith's infitience wa
made beside it, But were there three? very sore still, and -sometimes it required it favor of Maddy, and the good lady made
tongs, Mrs. Noah and Fiera; and ti
offering to kiss the Lord Gaverkier hi
as he persiatecl in` calling Guy,
declined the honor, but listened quiet
the °rasp man's.promise not to spit
ernatlest,kind of. a. spit upon the floo
anywhere except in ititlateper place."
. Guy had. passed throiigh several sta s of
mind during the interval in Which. we . ave
seen so little of him.. Furious at one t me,
and, reokless_ as 'to consequendes, he had
determined to break with Liicy andin rrv
Moldy, in spite 'ot every:gay': then,
sense of honor came over lin, he reso
to forget Maddy, if possible, and An
Lucy at once., It .was - in this . last m
-Alas for Guy! he could not ,helieve he
heard -aright When, turning her head away
for a moment while she prayed for strength,
Maddy% answer came, "1 cannot, Guy, I
.ournot. • acknowledge the lovewhich has
stolen upon me, I know not how, but can;
not do this Wrong to -Lucy. ,Away :froth
me, yonwill love •her again. You Meet.:
.Itead this, Guy then say if -you can desert
'She pla.ced.Luoy's letter in his hand, and
,Guy read it with a heart -Which anhed to its
very core. It Was Cruel to decietie _that
gentle, treating girl, .weiting toi lovingly of
him; but to lase Middy was to his midis%
ciplined nature more dreadful still, and
casting the letter :aside he pleaded again,
this 'time With the: energy . of despair,
for he .•• read his fate in -,Maddy's
,face, and when her ' lips a Second time
ciontrmed -her first reply, . while she
appealed t� his sense -of honor, of justice,
of right, and -told laim he could and must
forget her, he knew there was no hope; and,
man though he was, bowed , his head ,upot
Maddy's hands and, wept 'stormily; !with
mighty' thoktiag Sobs, Which shook his
frame, and seemed to break up the very
fOuntains• of his life. Then to Heady there
name a U,Erible temptation. Was it right
for two *he loved. as they did to: Hie their
lives Apart ?,--right in her to. force too. Guy.
the fulfilment offvovis he conld-ziot literally
keep)? 44- -mental - struggle* are. always
-the more 'severe, rie -Middy% took all_her
strength away, and for many minutes she
was sa white and still that Guy roused
himself to oarefor her, thinking of nothing
Viet except to make her.better. -
s
ved
rry
d,.
and. -'while roaming over, the Weeern
.country, whither after -hielanishmen he
had gone, that- he wrote Lhoe str nge
kind: of letter, saying hehed waited far her
long. enough, and sick or well, he sh uld
• .To
ded
It was a hang :time ere that 'interview
ended, but when it. did there was -on
Middy% faces peaceful expression, vihich
only the sense ot having done right: at the
cost of a fearful sacrifice could give, while
Guy's bore traces • of a great' and crush-
ing Bono*, as he Went out from Maddy's
.preeenda and felt that ta him..she Was lost
forever. He had promised her he would
do right; bad said he :Would marry Ludy,.
and be to her what a. husband :should be;
and he, had listened While she talked of
anifther World, where 'they neither marry,
nor are given in. marriage, and where it
Would got be sinful•for them- to love each
other; and as she talked her face had. shone
like the -face •of an-auget.' . He bad held one
Of her hands at- parting, bending low. his
she laid thd other on it as she
.blessed him, letting her fingers thread his
eon brown hair for it ..moiniant and linger
caressingly among his -curly 'looks. --Rut
that -was over now. They had parted for-
ever. . She ,was lying -where he 'left her,
cold and, white; and -faint with dizzy' pain.
He -was riding swiftly tearer& Aikenside, hie
heart beats keeping time to the swift tread
ofhishorses' feet, and his mind a confused
Medley of distracted theighte, mild which
twefacte itOod out prominent and; clear—
he-had lostMaddy Clyde, and hadpromised
her .to marry Luoy Atheritone. •
For many days after that Guy: kept his
toorn, *tying he was sick, and refusing • to
see any one save Jessie and Mrs: Noah; the
latter of whom :guessed in part What had
happenedondimputing. to far More
otedit than -he deserved,: petted atid pitied.
and eared -for him until he grew weary of
• , • • „
it, and said to her, savagely : . - • :
AtfYou needn't think nact 80 000d, for:
„Thie almoit killed- Maddy; She did
not love the -doctor; but the knowledge -
that . he Was to be -married added te
her misery, while what he said of - her.
decision was the climax of the whole: Had
her sacrifices been for nothing -7 Would it
have been better if she had not spilt Gut(
away ? It, Was anguish Unspeakable to
believe so, and the leafless wcods never
echoed to so bitter a ory of vein as that
with which she laid her head on the ground,
and for a:brief moment :Wished that she
Might die: GOd pitied,His child then arid
for the text half hour she hardly. lingo/
what she suffered: -
yoUgo op to bed." ' " . - .-
.- Very gladlyMaddyaceep ed. the efferecl -
relief, and iittetiy.worciatit With her con-
-et:Int -Vigils, ehe was mien -eleepinglioundly
in her owia foam; while Flora in the • little.
hack rcioni of the house Wittiabuey with her,.
ironing. • .Thus- there was o. One-- tO ,see
Agnes,: as.- She went „siowlY into . the sick- --- '
..toomWher-e TInolis josePhr lay,lii&thin face 1 --
upturned to the light,- and hie lips:ocasion, 1 •
ally Movitt as - he: - muttered in. his sleep.
There weic atatratige. contrast between that '
Wasted. ienbeoile : arid.. that proud, -queenly
welt-tab:nil:let . She .could - remember a tithe.
when the superiority was all upon his side,.
a time - when in her childish estimation he - --
wati the. - erabodunent - 01 every- wetly::
beauty, and the knowledge that he loved .
her, :his sister's little hired girl, _filled her -
--with pride ..and . vanity. A:great change .: • -_ -
had vitae to them both sineei those. days, - --'1,--:
and Agnes-. is ' - she IviatChed liiiii , tied : -
smothered the dry - of pain. Which- rose to .
her lips at sight•of. him, .felt' -for the tear- -
_fill change -it. hitt --elle iets-lansvierable: :
Intellectoal, talented, aclinited -and:sought - .
by alrbe..1i4d been Once , : he was a -
mere vireck_nOW; and AgneV.tireath-- 'dame
lishort, .cpiiek gasps as; .glanoing, furtively:
round to see that rio one wile:near, She. laid
herhand tationhis .foreheeld, end- parting
.hie thin . hair, -.said • pityingly:, r" " Poor'
, • . . . •
Joseph" '_ • ' • . ' .
- = - - :' •
- The tench awoke him; :and starting up
he stared Wildly at her„ -while seinen:len:eery
ef,the -past seemed to be stteggling through
.ithiseiomn„tiii_.ty :oloucl7; olascur,ing _ his .inentat; .
"Who •are-yoii.,- lady, With eyes -and hair -
like hers P' : - - .-..- . ..- . , • - . . . r.; ,
"I'm the the .-4ttincIani,' from Aikenside, _-
Amiga -said, qiiite lotid,,; as .Flora passed the
doer.- Then when gibe.- W4ti. gone she •added -
softly, -‘I'in- Sarah. :Doie't you know ine ? • ' .
Sarah Agnes Morrie."' 7 . :: : • • -. , - -.,
- The truth "- seemed fora knomentto burst
Upon s-hira- in its full .reality, and to he
.dyitg day:- Aghts. would never forget' the • .
lciiik: upon-hie:face, the esmile of perfect,
happiness . breaking - through the fait of
tears, - the:love, the -tentlerneee; mingled
!with distrust,. which. :that . leek betekened-.
as ' he continued geeing tit- her without a
Word.. _Again her hand reeted on bus fore-
head, and. taking it. now it his he held it to
the light, laughing insanely at its whiteto,
:pees; then. totobing. the .:costly diannondii
2w -hi& flashed upon him the rainbow.- hues-,
he said::. - . . • - `-. _,.- : . . _ ....
.,,,..„,.: that e little bit of ;a"-ritat. T .
bought fin1-..4.Your" '. - . . - - : ..-:. . ..
, She had anticipated thitli:Land...:took from
her .pohltet• a plain gold zing, *Opt Until -
that .daY. where -.no' One ..obuld' find it, and
-hOldiiigjt hp, she said: .. .... • - -
- "Here it is. De YOu 'rercienabee it ?" •
: "" Yeier.: ,yes.;."' and hi lips -..began .tee
quiver with.4 grieVed,.inialed -expression. -: -
He - °Mild '-give : yon.. diamOitle; .. .and -I
couldn't. That's. why ' yeti left .• me,Wasn't .
at, Sarah—why you wrote :that letter*hich
-made -My .- head into two?- It'Ssached..80 '
ever.. einde„ andyve Missed you -.130- muoli.-ri
They .put ifte m -a cell where *crazy- pee*
were --oh ! -sO ,j1i.litly--rand .-they :i3dicl that.I
:was read,.when -I wee :.only wantingyon.;
I'M not. Media*, anal; darling?" - -,..k • ... ,
And Agnes safered it ,. :0,1w did norturn .,. .7 ...
r
-.- His. arm. was found her meek .ati „he '
drew her down until -his iips.touched . kria. • -.
the *les, but she did -:_ncirturn aiVay frOixi.* - '
Mini and she 'let. him -care& her hair and -
Wind it atom:dins fingere, whispering: - ' - .
." This is like. Sarah's; aid you are :Sarah;
.
are y.ou ncit? ": - !. Y • . .:- - :. _.
- - Yesi.I eat' Sarah,"' She. .e.neviered While: •
the smile :se: 'painful' to seeagain broke Over..
insface as he told how..inuchtehadnaissed
lier, and -asked, "-if she. had not .O0ine-ta :
... ) , „
stay tilllicidied."...:. ;' - --- .. 1 - - • • • - _ -
:- - "There's - something - wrong," he - said,
"somebody is . dead,. and it seemciei if
somebody elseWatted tordi&-4,e_if Maddy -
died .eyer shice the Lord - Governor wept
away-. •.DO yeti know GOverner Guy?". .. -
-"'" I am his stereniother," Agnes . replied,-
WhereuPon-. .:Ernele •- Ix laughed so long
mid elotd that Maddy : ke ;lid; alarined
byths noise, carnedown .1 • -Se'e who, was- .
:the -matter.: -- - .-.. -. , .1 •-.. •-.-• . ,
AgteS 'did i• not -heari ,her., and; is She.
teaplied :the doorway. she started at the.
strange - peg:got of -thili partfee. --• lJnoale, -
Joseph still smoothing:I the . curbs,. tvliiiila .
drooped, over him,:- and. Agnes saying to .
him : :. . '-. • • .. . -• . • I., ,.: ' ._;••
: ... youlieard his .nanie was Remington, . .
did you not?H-James ?".•._ .-
-. Like a eudden. revelation it -dame -upon -
Ditaddy.'-• tiaici she turned - to - leave; : When . •; . --
Agnea, lifting her head, loaned her to -come :
-in. She did so, and,..staindingen the oppo-• . ,
site side,'stiid, questioditgly-: - - ' -
•
- ." Yezio ere.Sarah Alorrie?":- ..., ' - _ •
, .For a moment the eyelidecluiVered, then
-the neck,: 'aro-lied --proiully,itsif it were a ;. -
thing Of. Whichehe was not .ashained, and.
Agnes --answered-:: - I : , -• - - 2.- -.., .
• ' "ilea, I trils:-$1krab„- Agnes lifOrrifil One%
16.0i:4 -Mere eland, rwa;13.fot: three .-niontine
One grandmother's xiroa- -girt; :*14. after-.
WeraeltdopTted by a ladYWhogaie me -What
. • . _ -. . - _ mewhat
education-;11,,pcssesa,', together with. that -
Mete -feribighilifeer:Whicilik,:prompted nie .to •
Th-erevias Gny'eletter yet to read, and
with' Ballets- indifferenoe -she opened it
at last and was glad that he made no direct
'reference to the Past except when he spoke
of 'Amy, tellihg how happy she was, and
how; if anything.could reaoncile him to his.
fate, it 7wits-theknoWing.hOw pure and good _
and loving was the Wife he was getting.'
Then he wroteofthe doctor and Margaret,
whom he described ai a dashing, brilliaiit-
girl; the .vekiest. tease end Mad -cap in the
World, end the exact 'opposite of llladdy.
"- It -is Stratge to me. why...--.hechose her
after loving.you,"'. he Wrote ; but • as they.
seem fond of peach. other, their -chaticieci ef-
-happinees. are totincotSiderable.;" '
This letter, -so calm, -cheerful •in its
tone, -had .4. quieting effect on :Maddy, who
read it twice,and then: placing it in her
bosom, started for thacottage; meeting on
the stray with Flora,. who was seeking for
her ingreat alarm.- Miele Joseph had had
a fit,She. scrid„ and. :fallen upon the floor,
matting - his forehead badly &garnet', the
sharp point of the stove.- . Hurrying On
?daddy found that whatFlore, lied said Was
true, -mad -.sent -immediately for the:
phYsidian,.Whe cams at once, and shook his
_head doubtfully as hereics.ininedhie pattent.
,The wound was Very -80iieue:he Said, and
feeer might•-enike., • Nothing the form-
at trouble ,occold particularly affect Maddy.
now, mid 'perhaps it was wisely ordered
that Uncle Joseph's illness eliould take her
thoughts from heriielf. -.Fronk the very first.
he refneed:tU:takehis Medicines from any
•Ohe save her ,or Jessie, WhO, With- her
mother's permission, -stayed altogether at
the cottage;_and.-whoilas Guy's Ritter; was,
a great conifort to.•illaddy. •
As the fever which the doctor had pie;
:dieted; increased -land tincle Joseph _ghat
More and more delirious, his • arise: for
-.Sarah Were:, heart-rending,- Making- Jessie
weep.hitterty, as She said to Maddy,
"11 I knew where thinSarah ra go
mileic.ot foot to find her -and bringher to
MM." - -
Something like this Jessie said: to- her
-mother Whenelie went -for a day to Aikeh
side; asking her in conclusion if she thought
Sarah. would 6; supposing she could bre.
tonna::: .
"Perhaps," and Agnes brushed abstratit-
edlY her -long fioWing hair; winding it round
her fitgers, and then- letting: the soft: curls
faliacrosicher snowy arms. -
"Where do you suppose she hi .?".: was.
Jessie's text question, hilt if . Agnes- knew,
:She did not answer, except by rerninding.
her little daughter,.. that it was past her
bed -tithe. , .! • :.:
•: The next morning • Agnea'-. .eyes were
Nietyred, as if She had _beet wakeful the
entire • night,, While • her . white face fulty
warranted the headache professed to
" Jessie," she said, as they sat together
at their breakfast,-" I am 'going to Hone -
dale to -day -to see kiaddy„, and shall leave
you here, ai I de not care to have us- both
ambrutirpittle at first, but
- -
finally yielded?" .teondering what had
age- -tr
proraptedthik yiturt6IlibUottage2 Maddy
wondered -so; too, as from the Windows she
•
jilt your ljnOle Joseph -When a richer man
than he offered fiiniself +x -me." ••
To be continued).
•