Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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CHAPTER X /II—Continued. Thi* little blank book-now no longer d^Hng slatei-l" blank—which I picked up in an idle mo- ^ ^ meat and resolved to make a journal of, has but a few pages left, and when it is finished I shall not begin another. So doss the Creator of men pick up the white leaf of their ignorant souls and tom me aoout ner love, un, my sister: She hid her face upon the cushion of the conch—where that dead body had lain a week before—and wept like a summer storm. Her tears ceased as abruptly as they had come, and she sat erect again, corn- trace black marks upon it and then fling spoke rapidly and it aside. But who reads them? Angels, perhaps, aud sigh at what they read, and devils read them and tear them to pieces and laugh. Bnt no soul inter prets its fellow soul; it cannot even in terpret itself; it knows that it is no longer white, and that is all Binfire has been with me, and now I coldly “At the end sbe gave me the ring and asked me, if 1 ever met him, to return it to him and give him a message. It was a loving message; there was no reproach in it. 1 took the ring and promised. And I made a promise to myself also which I did not tell her of. Afterward I learned from my father that this Hem am alone again. My library is cool and .. . quiet,and thelamplignt shines upon the i p\ Main i wann « a reUtive of our ». backs of the books upon the shelves, and " at P erha P 8 he had no » recognized my « .. _ * * Gtaf'ov* na lisa v-,1, ^„ ... .. I l yonder the door opens Into the labora tory, which is dark, and in these rooms my days and years have been spent, bnt not my life—that has been lived else where. Is it immortal? It may be so, bnt what is immortality to me? Will it give me Sinfire? “All the obstacles that separated ns have disappeared,” I said to her. “One after another they are gone. If there is any other thing to keep us apart, it must be in you and nowhere else. You know why I took that sin upon myself. Do you forgive it?” "What sin?" she asked. "Perjury." "Oh, that!" “Did you wish to die under a false ac cusation?” said I. “How do you know it was false?” she returned. “At any rate, I know it.” "Perhaps, then," she said, “I may have wished to save the one who was really gnilty. Why should 1 so greatly care to live? The man who had given my life its object was gone. What had I to wait far?” — "Then you loved him still?" 1 ex claimed. She gave me a strange look. “Loved him still! I never loved him. From the time 1 first heard his name I hated him." “Surely you did love him once, only too well!" “Have you thought so ill of me as thatr she replied, smiling a moment “I might have expected it of the judge and jury, but I supposed your eyes were keener. If I were a man, I would believe in a miracle sooner than in the dishonor of the woman 1 loved. No, you are wrong. I 'never saw Henry Mainwaring till I met him here." “Then why was he your enemy?" I de manded in astonishment. sister as his cousin under her married name. 1 did not tell my father that Henry was the man, for I meant to pun ish him mvself and in my own way. Ton know the rest—how much I suc ceeded and how much 1 failed.” She rose to her feet at this point, and I rose also. I thought she was going to leave me, but instead she came a step nearer and laid one hand upon my shoul der. The expression of her face was sad. “It was you that made me hesitate until it was too late,” said she. “I? How?" "Only because you were his brother." It was said so quietly and sadly that a moment passed before 1 comprehended the significance of that admission. It was no delusion—she had loved me. But there was no invitation, no consent in her eyes. Her hand, which bad seemed to hold me, kept me back. It was like balancing on the partition between life and death. “Let me know what it is to be, Sin- fire,” I said. “I fathom you lees than ever. Are you angry that I misjudged you? My soul knew what my reason questioned. You could not be yourself and not be pure. Was it my perjury that offended you? In what other way could I have kept you? And the sin is mine.” “What do you call it, to keep me? Would you rather I died loving you or despised you and lived?’ "Do you despise me?" “Despise you! Oh, what shall I say to you?’ she cried out in a voice of min gled menace and angnish. “Why don’t you speak? Why do you hide yourself from me? , Was there no other way to clear mo than by staining me? Could you have told no other story of t hat night? Oh, Frank, Frank! It was then that you lost me—not when you crept upon him in the wood and shot him through the After a pause she said'. “I will teUyou I heart , t believed then that yon were an a little stopr which will perhaps help aV e nger , but in the witness box you ro you to understand it. A good many years ago a gentleman who had a wife and a little daughter saw another wom an who was young and wonderfully beautifuL A man may love as many women as he pleases, but he can bring honor to only one at most. To all the rest his love means disgrace. This other woman returned his love, knowing no harm, and she belonged to a people who have no social rights, and who understand love and hate and joy and grief, but not the niceties of the law. After a time they, too, had a little daughter. But after a year or two the mother learned that though she was a mother she was not a wife. And she died, but sent the child to him. By and by the man's wife died also, and he was left with his two daughters. He educated them both, but he gave the elder prece dence over the younger, who, knowing neither whence she came nor that her companion was her sister, accepted her position willingly and joyfully, as was her nature. “So they grew up together and loved each other well. But one morning tho 1 elder took the younger to her room and threw her arms around her neck and 1 kissed her, and then she showed her some papers she had found, which re vealed all the secret ‘You are my sis ter,' she said, ‘my darling sister, and whatever any one may say or do you are my equal, and whatever I have is yours. No one shall be unjust to you while I live, and whoever is your enemy is mine too. You shall have no shame that I will not share, and I will accept no honor that is not given to you as well? After that do you need to be told that I loved my sister better than ever— better than myself?' Of course I had perceived from the first that the story she was telling was her own story. Nevertheless the pas sionate emphasis she gave to the last sentence startled me. Up to that tiine she had spoken with a curious imagina tive languor as if she were following in fancy the thread of a complication in which she felt no vital concern, but this demeanor vanished in a moment. She sat erect and threw her very life into the words And then, too, a foreglimpse of what was to come flashed upon me, and I felt-aether than saw the fatal error I had made. “At‘last some one came to court her —an elderly and reserved man, but wealthy, and she obeyed her father and married Mm. She would have taken me to live with her, but I was needed at . home. Her father had begun to realize that he was mine, too, and to value me. She wrote me many letters. Her hus band’s affairs kept him much away from her. Then for a time—for some months —she did not write. I knew there was mischief on foot, and when at last her letter came I said nothing to any one, but left home that night and was with her the next day. “She was alone—husband and lover both abandoned her. She told me what her life had been. There were two j in it—first she had been sold for then she had beerr betrayed for love. She told me all It will never be told again. God knows it, and that is enough, for he only can understand and forgive—and punish. I comforted her as much as a broken heart can be com forted, and another thing that gave her happiness wis that she was ill and knew she would not recover. We were sisters together again, and we used to laugh and chat sometimes as we did when we wOe children. When Ahere is nd hope. At otbsr flm« th« vealed yourself as a murderer. Even if you had been silent and let them hang me I would have rejoiced in you, for love lives by sacrifice. As you had saved me from the guilt of blood I would have saved you from its consequence. Or if you had taken my hand over his body aud said, T have done this for you!* I would have come to you forever and gone with you to the end of the world! But you did not trust me, and the lie you told was a shameful and timorous lie!” “So you were in the wood and saw me kill him?" said L “Yes, I saw it.” “I wish you had told me before,” I re joined. “But it is no matter now. I see that I have made a mistake. You are right to go. By the way, the estate de scended to me in tail, but on my decease without issue it falls to the next of kin, which is yourself. John's personality is already yours by his will. As for Henry, he had not much besides his life, and that, as you say, I took from him—on your ac count chiefly. That is alL l think, except my mother. She will not last long. Will you see that she dies in decent circnm- stances? It would not be too exacting a recompense for having taken from her her three sons and the estate of Cedar- cliffe.” She looked at me a long time. I do not know what she sought or what she found. But all passion and suffering had burned themselves out in me. I stood there wishing that she would go and leave me in peace. I knew that she had never been more beautiful, but her beauty could not impress or interest me. I looked upon it as unemotionally as an animal might have done. Indeed she was pbantomlike to me at the last. 1 thought, if | pinch myself or stamp my foot, she will not be there. And at last, in truth, she was not there, and as I re seated myself in my chair I was inclined, half in jest, to ask myself whether snch a creature as Sinfire ever really existed. '■IFiH you ue that the diet In decent dr cumttanutf' I might doubt it but for one little thing that she said at parting just the moment before she disappeared. She said— No, I will cot write it down. Let me take that one thing away with me untouched. And now for .Saprani. my queen of cobras! Faithful are the wounds of a friend. Ah, Saprani, I was foolish to wander from you. There is a virtue in your cold, sharp kiss tha( makes all oth er caresses tame. THE END. A western geologist says that Kansas can raise wheat for another 1,000 years before exhausting the necessary proper- itiee of Uw soil A Reward of S600 AA ill be paid for any case of Rheumatism which ca.inot be cured toy YJt7 Drummond’s Lightning Remedy. This offer is made in good faith by the proprietors, and there is no rea sonable excuse for any one to suffer longer. Any ordinary case will be cured with one bot tle. In addition to the reward for difficult cases, the money is always refunded where the rem edy fails to cure. Drummond Medicine Co., 48-60 Maiden Lane, New York. Agents wan ted. “ Whydidyou shoot this man?” “In seif defense,” answered the policeman. “Why he was running away from you.”~ know it looked so. But I was afi aid he was gain around the block to attack me from be hind.”—Washinqton Star It you feel weak and all worn out take BROWN'S IRON BITTERS “Isn’t she Beautiful!” Occa sionally one hears this expres sion, as a lady with a striking ly lovely complexion passes along the street. Doubtless she uses the Famous Blush of Roses manufactured by Miss Flora A. Jones, South Bend, Ind. Supplied by Dr. J. A. Boyd, for 75 cents per bottle. “I’d hate to be in your shoes,” said a woman as she was quar reling with a neighbor. “You couldn’t pet into them,” sercastically replied the neigh bor.—Londod Tit-Bits. See the World’* Fair for Fifteen Cents. Upon receipt of your address and fifteen cents in postage stamps, we will mail you pre paid our Souvenir Portfolio of the World’s Columbian Exposi tion, the regular price is Fifty cents, but as we want you to have one, we make the price nominal. You will find it a work of art and a thing to be prized. It contains full page views of the great buildings, with descriptions of same, and is executed in highest style of art. If not satisfied with it, af ter you get it, we will refund the stamps and let you keep the book. Address H. E. Bucklen & Co., Chica go, 111. “But why should I give you money instead of work ?” said the householder to the tramp. . “It’s very simple, sir,” re turned the tramp. “If I did the work, you’d have to have it done over again. I’m such a poor hand at work. It’s money in your pocket to pay me and let me go.”—Harper's Bazar. When the Heart is Affected By Rheumatism or any of the muscles near that organ it is like tampering with an electric wire for death may come at any moment. If life is worth $5. go to the druggist and get Dr. Drummond’s LightningRemedy or send to the Drummond Medi cine Co., 48-50 Maiden Lane, New York, and they will send you a large bottle by prepaid express. It is not as quick as electricity, but it will save your life if you take it in time. Agents wanted. LADIES Ktidlsg a tonic, or children who want boiid- ing up, ahould take BROWft’AtRON BITTERS. It la pleaaant; cure* Malaria, Indigeattoo, BUiousneaa, Liver Gomplainta and Neuralgia. Little Emilietta committed some trilling offense for which, as a punishment, she was put by her mother in a comer of the dining room. In a^few minutes, when she had ceased crying, she slowly lifted her eyes, and heaving a deep sigh said : “Now, come; do come and kiss me. mother dear. I forgive you.”—Piccolo lllustrato. —»« All Kree. Those who have used Dr. King’s New Discovery know its value, and those who have not, have now the opportunity to try it Free. Call on the adver tised Druggist and get a Trial Bottle, Free. Send your name and address to H. E. Bucklen & Co., Chicago, and get a sam ple box of Dr. King’s New Life Pills Free, as well as a copy of Guide to Health and Household Instructor, Free. All of which is guaranteed to do you good and cost you nothing. Sold at Willcox & Co’s. Drugstore. CHRISTMHS GIFTS! This is the Yeni' to Give Common-Sense Presents! BUY FURNITURE. Make Your Friends a Present that will Make Their Home Comfortable I I will display a nice line of Wagons, Bicycles, Tri cycles and Velocipedes ior Children, as well as the more useful, and substantial. Home Comforts for the oldtr ones. Let me see you. ae~P. S.—You will find me next to the Jail." J. D. BHIRD. The Darlington Shoe Store We are receiving daily our stock of Shoes for the Fall and Winter! [MEN’S, LADIES’, MISSES and CHILDREN’S] And beg an inspection of the same when in need of nice Footwear. Our stock is bought in large quantities direct from the very best manufacturers, which ensures new fresh goods, and w^e propose to sell them at a very small margin. We call special attention to our $3.00 Shoe for Men, made by the ROCKLAND Company; genuine calf, Goodyear welt, all styles in congress and lace. Rubber Goods of every description, consisting of Mackintosh Garments for Ladies and Men, also a complete line of Rubber Shoes for Men, Boys, Ladies, Misses and Children. We sell the MARVEL RUBBER a TRUNKS, VALISES, SATCHELS, UMBRELLAS AND SHOE FINDINGS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION. NEWEST STYLE HATS. Sep 14—4m TOroods db ]V£illin.gr. Charley Hardup—What will you have first? Ada.—Oh, please order for me. I eat everything. Charley Hardup—Not when you’re out with me, my dear!— Puck. Bucklen'* Amice Salve. The Best Salve in the world for Cuts, Bruises, Sores. Ulcers, Salt Rheum, Fever Sores, Tetter, Chapped Hands Chilblains, Corns, and all Skin Eruptions, and positively cures Piles, or no pay required. It is guaranteed to give perfect satisfaction, or money refunded. Price 25 cents ir box. For sale at Willcox & i’b drugstore. SHNTH CLHUS’ Headquarters. DUN BOOK STORE. With much pleasure we partly enumerate a list of the articles to be found in our stock. Our line, usually very complete, is much larger and more varied this season than ever before, em bracing chiefly novelties of the American and Foreign markets. Wood. Leather. Metal. TOILET, MANICURE, ODOR, JEWEL, COMBINATION, SMOKER, CIGAR, GAME SETS, PHOTO CASES. TOILET AND HAND MIRRORS, GLOVES AND HANDKER CHIEFS, FRAMES, KNIFE AND FORK, PEPPER AND SALT, AFTER DINNER SPOONS, AUTOGRAPH, PHO TOGRAPH AND SCRAP ALBUMS, ALBUM EASELS, LAP TABLETS, PORT FOLIOS, TRAVELLING SETS, POC KET BOOKS, CARD CASES, PURSES, BILL BOOKS, LETTER CASES, PEN TRAYS, ASH RECEIVERS, INK STANDS, PAPER WEIGHTS, PAPER CUTTERS. BOOKLETS AND XMAS CARDS, CALENDARS. PRAYER BOOKS AND HYMNALS, BIBLES, TESTAMENTS, M’LAUGHLIN’S BOOKS, GAMES AND BLOCKS, JUVENILE BOOKS, POEMS, TOYS, DOLLS, WAGONS, VELOCI PEDES, BICYCLES, TRICYCLES, VASES, AND CHINA GOODS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION. We are headquarters for School Books and School Supplies, and in every department may be found all the latest novelties that the market affords. Call and see. IS NOW A complete line of every thing usual to a first-class Hardware Store. Also a full line of igritiM lofliBuii, Iigiutn’ Sitylin, Mil?, Sinn AJSTD TlIsTWARE, And will sell at the very lowest prices for cash. Tinning, Roofing & Plumbing Oct6—tf A SEEOIAI/nr. Insure Your Property WITH F. IE. IXOttl&'EnSTT, Who represents the m nmnz mm 11 te w; Satisfaction Guaranteed. Represents Twelve First- class Oom ponies. September 11,1890 BOOK STOKE. Nov 30-tilX A Profitable iDYesfmeot. The following is seif-explanatory: “On the 14th day of October, 18W, we insured our lives in the Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company, of Newark, N. J., for $13,000. When our second premiums fell due, we re ceived over 26 per cent. dividends on our money. We can safely aay to all wanting insurance that this is the safest and most profitable and liberal company in the United States. “8 Marco, “I. Lkwxhthajl” Call on G. W. YOUNG, Agent, Dar lington, 8. 0. Oc5— W. WITCOYER Wishes to inform the public that he has opened in the ALEXAHDER BUILDING next door to Sanders’ butcher shop, where be is prepared to pay the high est cash prices possible for all kinds of Country Product tod Fun of all kinds, sneh Coons, Foxes, W Opossums, as well as Co Kid, Go^ an "