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VOLUME V.
BEFORE AND AFTER MARRIAGE.
BEFORE.
Bh© waits and listens. Footsteps fall—
She knows they are not his.
She waits and listens for a sound
That sweetest music is.
He comes—and with a sudden thrill
And heart-beat loud and clear.
She does not hear, she does not seo—
She feels that he is near,
And coyly lifting to his face
Her eyes of heavenly blue,
She murmurs, in love's softest tones,
“My darling, is it you?”
AFTER.
Again she listens. Footsteps reach,
And footsteps pass the door,
She listens, but her needle flies
More swiftly than before.
She hears at length the tread that time
And cares are making slow,
And with a start that sends her chair
Hard rocking to and fro.
Springs to the landing, and with voice
More shrill than any lute's,
• She screams above the baluster,
“Augustus, wipe your boots!”
♦
MY SAPPHIRES.
1 have been told that my name should
he Becky Sharpe, after Thackeray’s hero
ine. But it is not; it’s Mrs. Reginald
Ambcrly. I will tell you how that hap
pened.
Part of my early life was not unlike
Becky Sharpe’s. Like her I was an ama
teur teacher in a large boarding-school—
snubbed and underpaid—-and I learned
only to look out for myself. I made a
study of ways and means for my advance
ment. Other girls had assistance for ad
vancement in the world; devoted relations,
rich papas, strict mammas, brothers of suc
cessful policy. I had no such helps, and
was forced to help myself. I detested the
life I lived, and I did not mean to live it
always, if my wits conld be made to serve
me, as I believed they might.
I had one friend, Kitty Maples, whom I
counted on, aud not in vain. I speak the
word friend advisedly. The girl, such is
the law of opposites, was devoted to me,
though I could scarcely bear her, she was
60 simple-minded and tedious. I bore
with her, however, because I needed her.
She was the only daughter of exceed
ingly wealthy people of tho city, who were
indulgent to her every whim; of caursc
every guest of Kitty's was welcome in
their luxurious home, where visitors were
generally of position and wealth. I meant
to spend my vacations with her, and I
soon succeeded.
Kitty thought me witty and talented.
My audacity must have been marvelous,
for I was always a lioness at Maples
House, as the magnificent old estate was
called. In the centre of the city, its walls
rose amidst a large garden, full of foun
tains, statues and flowers. At Christmas,
a large party were always entertained
there.
I was not pretty hut graceful, and what
the French call spirituelle; and Kitty, with
her slow, heavy physique and bread-and
butter, school girl air, set me off to advan
tage. I was too small, pale and light for
beauty, though I used to think that with
money f could get myself up very effect
ively. Money 1 had been forced to get
along without. I determined that I
would not always.
1 remember how I lived in those days,
my head almost bursting and nerves
twitching with my schemes and plans.
But the ‘‘mills of the gods grind slowly,”
and the weightiest result of my careful
endeavors was a familiarity with the cus
toms of good society—and my sapphires-
At the end of three years, Mrs. Maples
died. Aware that her end was approach
ing, sho called me to her chamber and
said:
“Ignatia, I have remembered all my
friends, wiih some little token of my good
will. I earnestly desire your prosperity
—and I believe you will be prosperous,
your talents are so remarkable. I think
some day you will make a brilliant and
substantial marriage, and I leave you my
sapphire necklace, worn by me in my
youth, to wear on your wedding-day. You
have admired it, aud it is very valuable—
not a more costly gilt than you deserve,
however. Take it, and remember Kitty’s
mother! Always be a good friend to my
poor Kitty, Ignatia.”
I promised warmly, for I was overcome
by the magnificence of the gift. I had
seen the necklace in her jewel-box, and
been allowed to try it on—or rather it was
clasped about my neck by Kitty; she arid
her mother declaring the effect “charm
ing.”
I had coveted, but never dreamed of
possessing it. Now that it was mine, my
ambition rose higher than ever, and I
counted upon its rareness and beauty to
aid me in making as good a match as the
good lady had wished me.
But even then I did not appreciate the
magnificence of the gift, for I soon become
embarrassed with my riches. Id less than
Hi t gfafetfe
a year after it came into my possession,
I was successively offered six and eight
hundred dollars for it, by jewelers, who
would probably have sold it for twice that
sum; and I was soon warned by disin
terested persons that exposure of it was
dangerous to my person. I never wore
it for this reason.
After Mrs. Maples’ death, however, I
had no occasion. Maples House was shut
up—Colonel Maples going abroad, and
taking Kitty.
I would gladly have kept my promise
to devote my friendship to tho latter, for
she was uow an heiress; but she left the
country, and I should have returned to
my drudgery of teaching at Rocklawn
Seminary, but that I was offered the
situation of companion to a widow lady
residing in the city.
It was better than teaching in the
seclusion of tho country, for her house
was frequented by men as well as women.
She was an attractive person—a very
beautiful brunette —and perhaps she
reckoned on my style of face and figure
as setting off hers —for she was not with
out coquotry.
On tho summer following hor engage
ment with me, she went down to the Cape
House, at the seashore, for the season,
and of course I accompanied her.
Her motive in going there secure
a wealthy match with a certain banker,
and she secured it.
One day she said to mo:
“If I were not engaged to Mr. Qoldtli
wait, I should set my cap for Boginald
Ambcrly.”
“Who is Reginald Ambcrly,” I asked.
“One of the best matches of the season,
probably, since he has just come into a
fortuno of one hundred thousand dollars,
and is young, handsome and distingue.
But it’s too late for regret- Yet he would
hardly suit me, being dark, just my stylo,
I look better beside a largo, florid man,
like Mr. Goldthwait.”
“Yes; and his ape makes you look so
young—a mere child —a real old man's
darling,” I responded, flatteringly; for she
was beginning to show age, and the idea
horrified her.
‘‘He is sixty—just twice my years,” she
responded, with a frank look, though I
knew her to be forty.
“One would never take you to be thir
ty," I answered, and left hor looking in
the mirror, while I went to my room.
The general balcony ran outside my
windows.- Three young ladies, with arms
entwined, were walking outside, and I
soon discovered their conversation to be
on the subject of the expected arrival,
Mr. Reginald Anberly.
One of them seemed to bo acquainted
with the gentleman, and well-informed
regarding him.
Screened by the blind, I listened eager
ly to their conversation, and soon heard
enough to oonvince me that Reginald
Ambcrly was certainly a moat desirable
match—“as good as he is rich and hand
some,” said one of the girls, “and entirely
without bad habits.”
There was no limit tr> my aspirations.
1 should not have attempted the seige,
however, if it had not been for one remark
of the girls—“He is passionately fond of
gems and jewels.”
I felt my eyes flash like my jewels.
My sapphires!
“They were very costly; they were
rarely beautiful: they were very becoming
to me. There were scores of women in
the hotel more likely to win Reginald
Amberly, but these gave me one chance,
and I determined to take advantage ofit.
There were walls almost nightly at the
Cape house, hut 1 had seldom attended
them, as I did not dance and could out
shine nobody in dress. But that night I
went to the ball.
I think I looked well in a dress of pure
white tulle, made high in the neck to con
ceal my thin shoulders, and with my soft
hair arranged in shadowy clusters about
my face, before I put on my sapphires.
But they gave me an air of elegance which
was very striking.
My spirits rose high with delight as I
surveyed myself, preparatory to taking an
arm of Mr. Goldthwait, in company with
Mrs. Clare, and entering the ball room.
My first fear was that Reginald Atn
berly was not present, but in an instant I
knew that 1 was mistaken.
The stranger, young and superb in ap
pearance, talking with the leading belle
of the season, must be and was Reginald
Amberly.
“Why, Ignatia!” cried Mrs. Clare, as
I dropped the mantle from my shoulders,
on entering the lighted hall.
“Is that the necklace given you by your
old frienu?” she
saw anything so magnificent ”
Every eye that fell upon me lingered.
I was the object of increasing attention,
SUMMERVILLE, GEORGIA, AUGUST 22, 1878.
but I eared for nothing but to win the
observation of Reginald Amberly.
Such piercing oyes could not long fail
to observe mo. I feigned to bo talking
earnestly to another admirer of my sap
phi aes, when I saw his glance fall upon
me, saw him start, and leave his com
panions to approach me nearer.
He seemed to thick that his eyes must
deceive him, and yet I watched his hand
some face flush with enthusiasm, and be
fore I could anticipate his intentions he
had obtained an introduction and stood
beside me.
I forget what was first said, his low,
mellow voice and sunny smile so charmed
me, but I recollect asking him the usual
commonplace, “How do you Jike the
Cape?”
“Very much,” he answered. “The
bright eyes of the ladies are equaled only
by their jewels, wnieh is saying a great
deal.”
“Miss Lulu Wayne says you are fond
of jewels, Mr. Amberly.”
“I am—very —and I have, I think, a
very good collection. I have seen many
msre valuable than any I possess, hut I
have never seen sapphires equaled by
those Miss Berne is wearing this even
ing.”
This with an exquisite bow and smile.
"Do you liko them?” I asked.
“They aro exquisite.”
“Thank you. I value them partly be
cause they were given to mo by a friend
now dead, whose loss I can never re
place.”
“A relative, probably?”
“No. I lost my relatives—all of them
—many years ago. My sapphires were
given to me by a lady whoso friendship
was quite disinterested.
I think ho had aotually not seen me
until now —only my sapphires. I dropped
my lids, but saw, boneath my lashes, his
beautiful features soften with sympathy
as ho looked down on my delicate profile
and clustering hair.
It was but an instant’s ga?e, but in it I
read his generous and tender nature, and
laid the knowledge by lor future use.
“Does Miss Borne dance? Shall 1 have
the pleasure of a quadrille with her?”
I could walk through a quadrille, and,
os Reginald Ambcrly danced as nobody
else did, bearing his partner with ease
through the most difficult figures, I
danced well that night.
But it was my sapphires that kept him
at my side. His kindling eye told me
that they were a constant dolight to him.
For the rest I must await further oppor
tunities.
But when he said, “I should liko to
compare that sapphire with one I have
in a ring,” I answered graciously:
“To-morrow wc will compare them.”
That night Mrs. Clare came to my room.
“My dear Ignatie, you must take care
how you display your jewels. When you
went down to supper, the very servants
noticed them, and ono never knows what
kind of people we may bo among!”
“They are in a steel case attached to
tho inside of my trunk,” I replied.
“Well, be careful, or you will be
robbed."
The next day I put the ease in my
pocket, and went down into the drawing
room. So well did I understand that all
Reginald Amberly’s attention to me was
caused by iny sapphires, that I took pains
to wear a dress of similar style, and scented
with the same perfume.
The room was empty, with the exception
of himself, tide being in, and most of the
boarders down on the shore. He was
seated at the piano, and looked up in
quiringly, then instantly rose.
“You should wear your necklace, Miss
Berne,” lie said, looking searchingly at
me. “It is very becoming to you. ”
“Won't these do as well?” I replied
fastening a knot of bluo wax flowers at
my throat.
‘‘Almost,” he answered smiling. “I
like flowers nearly as well as jewels. ”
I hannded him the steel ease, with the
key. In a moment the jewels wero flash
ing in his hand.
“How magnificientl” ho cried.
He took the ring from his hand, and we
went to a window and carefully compared
them.
“This is not as pure as any of yours,”
he said, returning his ring to his finger.
“I am going to ask a favor,” he added.
“Will you grant it?”
“If I can,” I answered. “What is it?”
“Put on the necklace, and sit here in
the sun.”
I laughingly consented, and then he
clasped the sapphires about my neck, and
placed a chair for me, so that the after
noon sunshine fell upon my bust.
“You look like a fairy princess!” he
cried. “1 wish I wore an artist, that I
could paint you, and keep tho picturo for
over!"
My swelling heart leaped in my bosom.
This was the first intimation I had that
his admiration extended beyond my
jewels. If I could continue to associate
myself only with what was pleasing to him,
I might yet touch his heart. Instinct told
mo that he liked my stylo, and I carefully
kept what was legitimate of it.
"Anothei favor,” he said, at parting.
“Instead of Miss Borno, I beg leave to
call you Titania."
“Granted,” I said, gaily, as I spraug
away, whilo the supper bell soundod.
I returned the steel case to my trunk,
fastened the guard, and locked the trunk.
Secretly I was wild with delight, daring
to hope my wishes might be accomplished.
The ioo was broken, and I had certainly
made a fuvorahlo impression, and was on
pleasant terms with Mr. Rcgiuald Am
borly.
Having shown a disposition to provide
for myself, fortune hastened to favor me.
I was sitting on the piazza, that even
ing, at dusk, whon a musical voice said:
“Of course Titania likes moonlight.
Will she come down to the shore? I havo
a shawl for you,” Reginald Ambcrly said
as I rose.
I took his arm, and wo strolled down
on the beach.
“I havo been wishing that you would
tell uic something of your history,” ho
said, soon; “for I am haunted with the
idea that your narno is familiar."
I demurred. What could I tell him but
that I was a drudging sohool teacher, or
a paid dependent?—nothing engaging or
romantic.
"Stay!” lie cried, suddenly. “Did you
ever know Kitty Maples, of Now York?"
“Kity—dear Kitty!” cried I. “Indeed
I do. Her mother gave me my sap
phires.”
Ah, how indulgent F’ortunc had be
come! He had hoard flattering tales of mo
from Kitty, whom ho had met in London,
and Kitty was his cousin. Ah, now wo
woro friends indeed I
It was past ten o'clock whon wo camo
up from the beach. The waltz music was
throbbing in the dancing-hall; waiters
were going to and fro with trays aud
pitchers of ico water; oouplcs were flirting
in corners and on the stairs.
I went directly to my room, and locked
the door.
Removing my dress, I put on a white
dressing sacquo, and sat down beforo the
mirror.
I began unbraiding my hair. It was
pretty, soft and flossy, though not long,
and as 1 drew the oowb through it, it foil
in ripples about my animated face.
For the first time I saw for myself a
certain charm of fascination which others
had intimated that 1 possessed.
While I sat alono, thinking, Isuddeuly
smelled tobacco.
At first I thought that it came through
tho window from the long genera! balcony
which ran outside, but observing, at last
that the window was closely shut, and had
been all day, the weather being unusually
cool, I observed that tho scent was not
that of a fragrant cigar such as the hoard
ers were in the habit of'enjoying upon the
balcony on pleasant nights.
It was an old, coarse and rank scent,
vulgar in the extreme, and mingled with
the soent of the stables. In an instant
the fear that someone had been in my
room took possession of me.
I felt myself grow pale as I rose to my
feet. Hastily knotting up my hair, I
went to my trunk, and applying the key
turned it and unfastenod the steel case
containing my sapphires from its guard.
I trembled with apprehension as I un
clasped it, but my fear was needless.
Tho transparent bluo flashed in my face.
I had not been robbed.
But as I rose from the trunk, after re
fastening it, toy glance fell below the
edge of my bed, and every nerve of my
body stiffened like steel, and then relaxed,
leaving me too weak to stand upon my
feet. I clutched at tho tall back of an
easy chair for support.
It had been a quick, side-long glance,
but it had revealed to me a man’s face;
with wicked, watching eyes, lying close
to tho carpet under my bed.
I gave one desperate moment to thought.
Oh, how strangely still the house was!
The waltz music was all done; not even a
waiter seemed stirring in the wide, silent
house.
L thought of the watchman, but lie was
probably in the office at the extreme end
of the building. He made his round once
an hour, to he certain there was no fire in
the building. An hour? I could be mur
dered, and my body would be cold, before
an hour had passed.
What to do? I remembered to be uat-,
nral. With my face flaming scarlet with
excitement I commenced hastily search
ing my drawers and boxes.
*‘oh, dour, I must havo loft them in
tho parlor!" I muttered, in a barely aud
ible voice. "Ami I aiu afraid to go down
it is so late and lonoBomol” I added.
“But 1 must go.”
I unlocked the door, nnd stepped diz
zily over the threshold. I had presence
of mind enough to lock tho door on the
outside, and then to run with flying stop,
through the hall.
There was soiuo one on the stairs, and
it was not the watchman’s battered hat
and dusty coat that my dilated eyes fell
upon, but a lithe, noble and elegant fig
ure, that of Reginald Ambcrly I
“Titania,” he said, quickly, “I could
not go to rest without coming to tell you
to be careful.”
“Thcrois a robber in my room, under
tho bod!” 1 screamed, and fell headlong
into his arms in a dead faint.
The first words 1 heard on my restora
tion were:
"Poor little angel!”
Reginald Ambcrly had carried me down
to the parlors, and was bathing my face
with ice water. He was also smoothing
back my disheveled hair and kissing my
lips.
Little angcll Why not? As his wifo I
am a littlo suubcam of content and ehcer.
I no longer practico wiles, nor havo de
signs upon unsuspeoting parlies, for I
have uo need. I am as innocent and
harmless as Uo thinks me —a little angel,
indeedl
The hidden wretch proved to bo Mrs.
Clare’s coachman. Ho was easily secur
ed, and appropriately punished.
THE INIBI'ENIJKNT movement.
As we anticipated, says tho Augusta
Chronicle ami Constitutionalist, the ele
ment which carried the elections in Mem
phis and Nashville in the Tennessee elec
tion of a few days ago—which, whether
termed Opposition, National, Labor or
Greenback, may in the South most justly
he sty lui Indopondent—is by no means sat
isfied with its success. Having won a
local victory, it now means, if it bo possi
ble for it to do so, to win a triumph on a
more imposing field. A determined, and
in all probability a successful, effort will
be uiado by the Independents to elect a
Congressman from tho Memphis district
in November, and a call has boon issued
lor a State convention, to bo hold in
Nashville, the 29th inst., for the purpose
of nominating a candidate for Governor
of Tennessee. That the Independents
can now bo successful in a State contest
we do not believe, but they will probably
poll a large vote and prepare the way for
a desperate contest in 1880 —a contest
that may endanger the election of a Dem
ocratic President as well as of a Demo
cratic Governor. Tho returns from North
Carolina aro not yet complete, but it is
beginning to bo foared that there aro
enough Independents ami Republicans
returned to the Legislature to secure the
defeat of the Democratic caucus nominee
for United States Senator. And Demo
cratic journals of that State scorn to con
cede that Josiah Turner, Independent,
has been sent to the Legislature by so
large a majority that he can be easily
elected to Congress in November. Every
Northern Republican journal rejoices
over these Independent victories as
though they had been Republican tri
umphs. They are Republican triumphs
in so far as they disintegrate and weaken
the Democracy, and if these successes
continue there will lie more shadow than
substance in the solid South.
A telegram from Acworth to the Con
stitution dated August 10th reads as
follows:
To-day a large crowd was here to hoar
Dr. Felton make his plea for their suf
frage to third term. They camo from
Marietta to Cartersville and from Canton
to Dallas, an area of thirty miles. Many
went away dissatisfied, nay more, mad,
because there were too many Lester men
ori the ground, and who became indignant
at every effort of the Doctor to repoat his
slanderous charges against the Judge,
and would close up with a perfect war
whoop for the gallant one armed standard
boarer of the Democratic party of the
Seventh. The crowd was estimated from
six to eight hundred, at least, urid half
was for Judge Lester.
—
The election in Memphis, Tennessee,
according to latest reports, was not a tri
umph of the National Greenback party,
but was accomplished by a combination
of Independent Democi ats and the Re
publicans, led by Gen A. J. Vaughn, who
lost a leg in tho Confederate service.
NUMBER 34.
LKSTEIt’S TRIUMPHAL TOUR.
The following is a special dispatch from
Ringgold dated August 12tli to the
Atlanta Constitution:
Judge Lester has returued from a par
tial canvass of Walker county, and spoke
here to-day to a crowd of six or eight
hundred. Upon a proposition for all tho
Lester men to stand up, the crowd r se
with the exception of ton or twelve men.
The wliolo county is enthusiastic for Les
tor, Cutoosa will give him for Dabney’s
majority of two hundred and fifty-five,
four hundred this time; Walker, instead
of two hundred and forty-live, will give
from five to six hundred. The change
from Felton to Lester is immense.
The Democratic meeting at Orange, in
Cborokoo county, was a success. Early in
the morning the people, youug and old,
from every portion of Cherokee, began to
assemble in the beautiful grove, and at
10:30 o’clock the Grango school, number
ing 104 pupils, came marching up, headed
by fife and drum, and then Lester “stiuck
a hoe-line” to tho rostrum and the Chero
kee boys mmasse “closed up.” Tho Rev.
Mr. Nowell, a venerable gentleman, was
elected chairman, with five aged and
honored citizens as vice-chairmen. The
former, and all tho latter except one, havo
been in tho past canvasses staunch sup
porters of Dr. Felton.
At 11 o’clock the Rev. Mr. Harris,
formerly a Felton supporter, introduced
the lion. James R. Brown, who sifted Dr.
Felton’s past promises to the people and
demonstrated that Felton’s record was a
oomplete failure, and that ho w as no longer
entitled to any citizen’s support.
Hon. George N. Lester was the next
speaker. The very sight of his face, beam
ing with tho light of his patriotic spirit,
sent a thrill throughout the crowd, and
there was a “closing up,” a leaning ior
ward nnd nil was profound attention.
He was uinong people who knew and hon
ored him when he worked in the Chero
kee mines at thirty cents per day, w! en
he plowed, and hood and split rails and
lioddod brick and mortar, when lie “laid
by,” and attended school the month or so
he could, whon ho was father and son to
the widowed mother, and father and
brother to the orphaned brother and sis
ters; when he was struggling against
poverty and illiteracy, and “Lester felt
good certain." So did everybody present.
But Lester referred not to these incidents,
lie pitched at once into the issues before
tho people and then into Dr. Felton’s
Congressional ruoord. For near two hour
he poured a flow of light upon Felton’s
Congressional record ns tho “peoplo's
man,” then lie refuted the baseless charges
recently fabricated against his own chars
acter with an earnestness, clearness ar.d
eloquence that sent the truth home to
every listener, and long before he got
through with this refutation, as he would
state another and btill another accusation
allegod against him, voice after voice
cried out: “They slander you, Lester!”
“It is false I” “That’s a lie, and they
know it!” “We know you too well to
believe a word if it!” and anon old father
Newell, with tears streaming from lus
eyes, would say, among other good things,
“We will vindicate your character,” and
this, accompanied with a chorus from tho
groy-huired men around, “That we will!”
There was no boi.stercusness, no formal
cheering. The speaker was dignified,
earnest, and eloquent, and the people wu e
enlightened, abidingly convinced, and
made “steadfast in the faith.”
Next, Col. W. A. Haskins of Chatta
nooga, a visitor, was called, and he made
an able and eloquent speech in behalf of
compact Democratic organization.
The meeting was a great triumph for
Lester.
The fear of an epidemic which at one
time prevailed in New Orleans is gradu
ally giving way, says tho Memphis Ap
peal, before the victory won by the use of
carbolic acid. In the district where the
disease first broke out, although six weeks
havo elapsed, they have had rio new cases.
The plentiful use of carbolic acid has done
tho work. Two other districts are being
tested in the same way, and it is hoped
and believed the same results will fo.low.
Isolation and carbolic arid proved effec
tive in Mobile in 1873. It has always
been so in New York.
l)r- Felton promised previous to tho
last election, that if elected he would in
troduce and champion a hill through
Congress to reduce the salaries of all
government officers Irom President down,
in conformity to the times and the in
creased value of money, but the doctor
Failed to introduce any such bill, and
greedily pockcred his .j 0,500 a year.—
Walker (Jo int)/ Messenger.