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. .er,. He lifted her into the carriage and seat-
=,» [Wertren ror Dover’
i: “Satl, the
GLANCES 1 INTO A HEART YET BEATIN NG.
n : BY WINIFRED WOODFERN. - .
DEDICATION. —To -seceveeeene
« If aught here lies of
The praise thou shou
Since, love-ward turned, thine eyes have learned
To guide my wayward spirit.
For the heart that never has blamed me,
For the lips that nev
I open the scroll, whence speaks the soul 5
Of all they have fondly named me,— The Author.
Un the course of our editorial experience, we have been frequently importuned to publish a “ Loye
Story,” but have as often declined, simply from the
of that class, avowedly such, as insipid as they are loving. But the story we here aunounce is divested
of anything which can be justly charged as insipid,
mentality. It is of avery high literary stamp, and in our judgment, as a portraiture of deep, passion-
ate, intelectual affection, couched in eloquent and beautiful diction, it hass seldom been equaled by any
author in our language. —Ed. Literary Museum.]
Chapter Eleventh == Concluded.
AEL made no remark, and the auda-
cious boy continued,
“We will drive to the town, which you
know is only six miles off, go through with
the ceremony and return here in two hours’
time... Will you go, Jael?”
' “Twill do anything, so that I need not
be separated from you. But my poor mam-
ma! Inever disobeyed her before—it will
break her heart.” |
“Do you repent your choice so soon,
Jael?” .
“No, no! Ilove you better than her—
alas, that I should say it!”
“Go up stairs, then, and put on your
bonnet and shawl, as quietly as Possible.
Say to your room-mate that you are going
to take a ride with me. Be as quick as
possible. Do not stop to change an article
of your dress, or we shall be too'late. I
will bring Selim to the door. Now.run,my
love, and be as quick as you can.”
Without a word, she slipped from his
arms and sprang up the stairs to her own
room.) IIe walked quickly toward the sta-
bles.
Everything went wrong with Jael while
she was in her room. Combs, brushes,
gloves, scarf, bonnet and shawl seemed to
have disappeared as if by magic. Her fin-
gers trembled so she could hardly dress her-
self, and when at last Olive ‘came to her as-
sistance with a look of astonishment, she
stood quietly for,a few moments, and then
breaking from her, ran to the door, half
laughing and half crying. She glided down
the stairs like a spirit, and stood by her lov-
ed himself by her side. Sclim sprang for-
ward, fleet as a bird, and thus the two rode
forth into the solemn darkness of the night.
The sky was black and lowering, and ‘the
low thunder muttered and growled afar off,
like a gloomy giant seated behind the hills,
and murmuring over his untoward fate. A
heavy cloud hung above their heads, pursu-
ing them as they “fled on. The wind went
sobbing across their path, and as they drove
into the pleasant village that was to be the |”
scene of their bridal, a few large, heavy
drops of rain fell upon Jael’s upturned face.
She clung closer to her lover. The
gloom around her, his silence, and her own
sad thoughts, made her uneasy. She was
just sobbing out an entreaty to be taken
home again, when the carriage stopped be-
fore an ancient wooden house, standing with
its gable end to the road. ° Glenn alighted
her into the lighted parlor, he saw, to his
great dismay, that she was perfectly insensi-
one Miter
's Literary Museum.)
Batty: |
merit,
dst inherit,
er defamed me,
fact that there are many who look upon romances
unnatural, or infected with what is ealled senti-
glide between them—a pale, worn face, lit
up by dark, mournful eyes, gazed down up-
on her. .
She started, lost her footing, and fell.
The unusual emotion and anxiety she felt
had overpowered her, and when Glenn bore
ble.
When Jael recovered, she found herself
lying upon a quaint old sofa, in a pleasant
parlor. A pale, slight woman was support-
ing her head and bathing her temples with
eau de Cologne, and ata little distance stood
a tall, dark man, apparently in the prime of
life, bending slightly forward, with his hand-
clasped behind him, and his fine eyes wears
ing an unmistakable glance of interest.
Jael blushed slightly as she met that look.
He turned away with a half smile, and caid
in a low voice to her nurse,
“ You had better leave her, now, Sarah,
and let him come in. She will know him
now.”
“Are you better, my dear?” said a
faint, sweet voice which Jael had never
heard before. She raised herself on her
elbow and looked at the speaker. She was
apparently about thirty-five years of age.
“ Old maid” was written upon her counten-
ance, her air and dress, and yet she was
quietly lovely. Her features were straight
and pure, her eyes clear and soft and gen-
tle, her mouth small and well shaped, and
her smile the sweetest Jael had ever seen.
Her dress, of a soft dove color, was made
very high in the throat, and met with a col-
lar of fine needlework, fastened with a tiny
cam Cuffs of the richest lace fell over
her Syell-chapea hands, and a heavy gold
chain was thrown’ carelessly around her
neck.” There was an air of innate refine-
ment about her that pleased Jael exceed-
ingly. She replied, J
“J thank you for your kindness. J am
quite well now. Is Horace here?”
“My brother has just gone to speak to
him. We will soon be here, and I will leave
you now.”
She walked slowly from the room.
Grace was apparent in every motion, and
when the door closed softly behind her, Jael
shut her eyes, and endeavored to recall the
lovely vision. All was hushed and still
around her. A large lamp that hung from
the ceiling shed a “dim religious light”
over all around. ‘The room was furnished
richly, but in an antique style. ‘This pleas-
ed her artistic eye. And still as she gazed
around upon the wainscoted walls, the huge
and held out his arms toward her. As she
stepped forward, another form seemed to
ary atluseum.
and tables, the face of that fair. woman
came before her, and she strove to dream
out her life. Her brother, too—dark, stern,
yet singularly handsome—what had been
his sphere of action ?
There was enough of romance about the
pair, refined and elevated as they seemed,
and yet occupying the humble stations of a
Methodist preacher and his sister, to capti-
vate a duller imagination than Jael’s. She
puzzled herself over the seeming mystery,
totally forgetting the errand which had. in-
troduced her to their acquaintance, when
Ilorace Glenn entered the room, and sitting
down beside her, pillow ed her head upon
his breast.
“T thought you had str onger nerves, little
one,” said he, fondly. “What could have
possessed you to faint just. at_ that mo-
ment?”
- “T don’t know, Iam sure.
said Jacl, evasively.
“ And troubled, too, I suppose, if the
truth was known, my darling. Never mind.
As soon as you are better, the awful eere-
mony will be performed, and then you will
have nothing to do but be happy: When
will you be ready 2” /
“ Any time—now—only have it over as
quickly as possible.”
Horace laughed merrily.
“ Never say you were not in haste to be
married, Jael,” said he. ©
Ile touched a bell that stood upon a tiny
table beside him, and the minister and his
sister entered the apartment. She seated
herself in one corner—he advanced and
stood in the center of the room.
Horace rose,and drawing Jacl to her
feet, stood before him, holding her hand
tightly in his.
The minister glanced at them pityingly.
«You are so young to marry,” said he,
“URAL 1 BUMUSY Tear - way Veen vey weet
ty of uniting you, upon me.”
“We love each other,” said Ilorace,
proudly, “and circumstances have rendered
it necessary that this ceremony should be
performed.” :
Again the dark eyes of the clergyman
sought the face of Jael—again her own
quailed and fell before his searching, tender
glance.
. He said no more on the subject, but pro-
nounced the words that made them one.
As the ceremony was concluded, Horace
placed a gleaming ring upon her finger, and
I was tired,
fondly, calling her his “ own sweet wife.”
Jael was bewildered. The change was
so sudden from perfect freedom of thought
and action to dependence upon the will of
another, there was such a whirl of thought
within her brain, such a summing up of the
consequences which must follow this one
action, and so many memories of one now
separated from her forever, that she could
find no words to reply to the passionate ten-
derness of her young husband. Suddenly
a voice said,
“She looks “pale—she must lie down
again.”
A strong } arm gathered her for a moment
to a quickly beating heart, and then laid her
upon the sofa.
She looked up—Horace yet sat beside the
clergyman’s sister, and it was Ais dark,
handsome face that bent above her. ~A mo-
ment, and he was gone. Ilorace proffered
her a glass of wine, and sat beside her
while she closed her eyes to rest.
Was such rest profitable? She thought
not of her young husband, but blending the
clergyman with her early love, she fancied
old fire-place, and the heavy oaken chairs
leading’ her back to her seat, kissed her
that they were one and the same—that
Leonard had risen from the grave to inflict
a lasting wound upon her heart, by uniting
her to another.’ She grew terrified, and
throwing her arms around Horace, prayed
to be taken home again. ~,
The little hands of the “old maid” ‘ar-
ranged her bonnet and shawl, and so sooth-
ing was their touch, as they went fluttering
to and fro, that Jael became quite composed
before ‘she heard the well-known steps of
Selim at the door. « .
Horace entered. ‘She kissed her, gentle
attendant, and bade her farewell. The ten-
der-hearted woman ran into the parlor, with
her handkerchief pressed ‘to her ey: es, and
Jael turned to her brother. Ie stood in
the open doorway, with the light’ shining
full upon him. Again that strange, myste-
rious “ resemblance . thrilled “through her
heart, and she would hardly have" spoken,
had not Horace advanced toward him with
an outstretched hand. He took it, saying
gently,
-“ God bless you, as you are kind to her.”
Then changing his tone, he said,
“I suppose you are aware that we clergy-
men have a Peculiar privilege on such an
occasion ?”
Tlorace laughed. His frank, open nature
could not harbor jealousy or suspicion.
““ Certain! ly, sir,” he’ replied. “Kiss the
bride, by all means.” " :
Jael trembled as he advanced. Lis shad-
ow fell across her before he reached her side,
He laid his hand upon her head. '
“ God bless you, bright and beautiful girl.
We may never meet again, but I can never
forget you. May we meet in heaven.” :
Ile folded her closely to his heart for a
moment, and pressed such a kiss as she had
never felt before upon her lips. It burned
there for many days, and that solomn Woes 5
tag wi ougte gree ay Hevea
met again.
The journey home was quickly accom-
plished. The clouds had parted, and the . i.
moon looked faintly down upon the pair.
Her light, pale as it was, cheered the heart
of Jael. It seemed as if the very, elements
were against her, when she left her home. |
Now, with that one ray of light, and the
tenderness of her husband, she was happy.
No shadow of the past came near to disturb
her—the present was all in all to her young
spirit. Suddenly, in the midst. of her joy,
an old rhyme awoke to remembrance within
her brain; it haunted her like an evil spirit,
and seemed to her imaginative heart to
forebode some evil.
‘Happy is the bride that the sun shines on;
Blessed is the corpse that the rain rains on!”
She spoke aloud, and the ‘words had
scarcely left her lips when the clouds hung
black above her head once more. The
moon fled in affright, the thunder awoke
from its sleep and went crashing from moun-
tain to mountain, and the jagged lightning
bore a message of fairy light through the
heavens.
Through the storm, the wind: and the:
darkness they hurried on, but ere they
reached their home the thin drapery of Jael
was completely drenched through.
She alighted from the carriage, and ran
quickly up to her own room, in order that
she might escape all remarks. A bright
fire was burning there, and sitting down De-
fore it, she ried her long hair, changed her
clothes, and leaning back upon her couch,
fixed her eyes upon her wedding ring,
which felt strange and heavy upon her fin-
ger, and fell into a reverie. A message
from Horace interrupted it, and hastily fin-