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VOL IV. J. H. & W B. SEALS, J FKopiujmtHs. ATLANTA, GA., SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 1879. TERMS) J8 PER ANNUM IN ADVANCE. M) Ilf2. THE OLD GRAY HOUSE AT IIOHE. BY HENRY C. XANER. Pale Star! that lightest my wandering track Across the.wild sea main, Wilt thou not guide my spirit back To its earlier haunts again ? To where you shone iu days of yore, Ere we began to roam, With throbbing lines of mystic lore On the old gray house at home ’Twas thou that watched my infant days Progress to manhood's share. That saw my sports at, tlie H inherit blaze, And my idols of childish cave. We have Laveicd full many a ycarsince then To reach ambition's dome. But the hollow plaudits oi.i.i kle men Sound not like those at home. Nations and men have passed away, And the world looks strange and new, And I seem to live iu a distant day, And know no trieud but you. Many have gone to the unknown land Beyond the death-sea foam, But perhaps to-night their pirits stand Around the old gray health at home. We’ve Journeyed toge ther for many a year, Over many a weaiy mile; We've shared with some the burdens of c»re. With others the burdeLless smile. Many a wearisome night was ours, When the dawn would linger so late, As time used to sit in the laps of the llower* While we swung on the circling gate, we've met in,the war-tide's tepid gore, And slept by its purpling streams, But they never have borne us back any more] To our home and its peaceful dreams. Till at last I am out on a misty sea Lying pale iu its seething foam, Following the voice oi'liepeund of thee, But they lead from the houbcat home They iead me away from the grass-bound hill, The scene of our merriest jaunts; They lead me away from the dripping mill, And i<s f« »4 H'i>, ('•••>' V vr ‘•v.vnl , From the brook where iffed the silvery perch In the drip of the old brown wheel, Which sounded thro' aisles of the sombre church W bile turning to grind the meal. They lead.me away from the Saturday romp, While the school-house stately and stern, Taught to the hills in their sylvan pomp, Why their shadows in cycles turn. They lead me away from the old black well With its arching and bow-like sweep, Over whose curb we peered in a spell At the face of our lovers to peep. Pale Spirit! that guidest my wandering track Across this unknown main, Wilt thou not guide my footsteps back To their earlier haunts again 7 They’ve trodden in many polluted halls All towered with marble dome, But none were asjfree as the mouldering walls Of the old gray house at home. They say ’t's passed. That the wheel is still, And strangers have frightened my perch; The miller is dead, and the dapping mill Lies mouldering beside the church. A sun of gold may flood from heaven, And fall on the palace dome. But ’twere not so soft as the star of even On the old gray house at home. MU, IK BtTICTlYf; —OR— Ills DROTIIEU’S BRIDE. MBS, MARY E. BRYAN. ‘The Judge going to he married—by Jove !’ Harry Siockton struck the table with his fist in which was crumpled the letter from his father that had brought the intelligence of the ap proaching marriage of his half brother, Pus'.oi) — ‘the Judge,’ as wild Harry called hint becuusc of his steady Labi s and dignified manners. ‘Pr*s. going to be married, and to Matt’s gov erness—p. girt neither he nor any of the family- had ever set ey<s upon until three mon*hs ago. And they seem wrapped up rn her. The old man writes, ‘She is a noble woman, nursed Matt tbrongh tbe sea: let fever; reads she papers to me and writes my letters; helps ma with the preserving; knows everything in a book and sings like a bird. Pre». is a lucky fellow. Sht has no money, but she’s a mint in herself. Come down and see her. They wont be mar ried in three weeks yef.’ T wonder what’s income of Minnie Maples. Pres, was sweet upon her when Iw s down there last fall, and she loved him, I m sure, though is seemed odd she should, little, merry mischief tha she is. But folks alway s like their opposites they say. The affair could never have come to a bea‘, for the Judee wouldn’t flirt. He was far too good a boy. Y-s, 1 11 run down and see them before the weddiDg, provided I can get away. I’ve got two or three cases I must work up fi(st. And that Bradford business. Itlonke r.s black as forty black cats just now. Bui I won give it up. Something may turn up to gi e ti e a cine. I've baen denctdly lucky in this detective work. A tun down to see the old folks v ill rest me and help to clear my fceid.’ Harry knocked iff the asb< s of L:'s cigar against his boot, and sat thinking. The case he alluded :o had given hint mote trouble than any be lad I ad in band sii.ee he g, ve up the prac tice ot law at which he - like bo many talented but yonrg imd unknown barristers—was starv ing, fora place in tbe police secret service in which he developed such shrewdness, nerve and He stepj eel icfdy along the floor till he could see her where she sat. penetration as soon made him valuable in bis profession and caused difficult cases to be given him to work up- The difficulty with this par ticular one la not in fixing the evidence upon a certain partv, bi t iu tracir g the whete-a’o its of the, crimins' who hud n<;in* d an.i pe aretf^leavibg^no clue that could be followed up. Eight days afier receiving tbe letter from his father Harry had gotten his business so well out of hand (except the case a lu.le.l tol that he found himself able to take the run of a hnndrel milts down the road to a uui t 'oan near which was his father's ’argo, old-f.n-Lioncd house and prosperous farm. He was met t the station by bis brother in a buggy drawn by the spirited grays that Harry biinsi If had broken to harness. ‘Give me the ribbons. Jndge, and yon talk to me, old fellow,’ Harry said to his haud-omp, straight- featured brother. ‘I know you are dying to te'' me all about her. She is beautiful as a houri c course.’ •Yes, she is,' said shy, kconic Preston, with warmth. •Well, neither of us ever saw a houri, but lam sure she's handsome, or she wouldn’t have takeD your eve and eclipsed ilivt rost-cheeked, h:<zle- ey ed witch, Miunie M. pies, you were so in love with last tall.' ‘I in love with M'nnie?' the young man said, coloring. Sh6’s only a child.’ ‘Seventeen—sweetest age there is, but tell me about this other—Mies Pierrepont. What do you know of her and how came she here?’ In reply he heard that M ss Helen Pierrepont was the daughter oi' an old schoolmate of Prc=- ton’s mother whom she had lost sight of for many years. She and her hushaud were both dead and Helen an orphan, and thrown upon her own resources, had remembered hearing her mother speak of her girlhood’s friend and had come to her, hoping to obtain a situation. Moreover, 'she had been recommended to Mrs. Stockton by i o less a person than Mis General Be Hatter, from whom she brought a ietter speaking of her in highest praise. Harry knew Mrs. De Hatter as Lis step-mother's iramp so ciety card, with wflom she kepi up a sort of con nection, paying her a visit when s .e went to the city and entertaining her friends for six months afterwards' with glowing descrip'ious of Mrs. Do Hattei’s fine house, carriage and parties. Mrs. De Hatters rec'-mmendstion was worth much to Miss Helen PterrepoDt. Harry’s father came out to the gate to me6* them and gave his eld st son - the only child of the dead young wife of his yontti—a hearty hug and a Glad to ee you boy. Come right in.’ At the door of the large, comfortable eitting-room. his step-mother, in black alpaca and prim linen collar, stood to receive him and gave him bet cheek o kiss with a smile a little less stately than usual. She and her blunt, jovial, some what reckless stepson had not been ever har monious. Indeed, iu the days when Harry sowed his wild oals, they had quarreled ener getically. His lack ol reverence for her doctor and mini t.r and his ignorance of drawing- room tactics scandal zsd her no little, and she was gl id when his u daei.ee was remov'd from her own model boy, tspec ally as Preston was very fond of his big br tuer, who was so kind to him in his rough fashion and taught him to swim and :o shoot. Pres, was such a timid fel low, it seemed strange he was going to be mar ried; ho who would hardly look a girl in the face, but the ’a ly who came down that evening into the parh>r w is enough to h ive won any young man from his reserve. It was just be fore the lamps were lit :.nd the room hai only he dusky b o zt tinted glow of the sunset. Harry couid see do feature of her face coarly. He was commons only of a pair cf large br ght eyes, a figure of willowy grace, a white s if hand that slipp.-d into his and a delicious vo:c>- ibat asked him a few commonplace questions. She sat down opposite him by Preston. Pre:- ently a servant lighted the candles in the old f shioned candalebra ou the mantle piece. Harry wi.s talking to his father at the time, but he lady’s silver voice attracted h:3 eyes across the room. He looked and half started from his seat with an exclamation of surprise. ‘What's the matter ?' demanded the old gen- j tie man, while Helen turned a shade paler. I ‘Olt ! nothing, a tack in mr hoot.’ Harry ex plained hastily, annoyed at having betrayed him- ; self. Afterwards, he did '. ; * *■ st to remove the j unfavorable imores.-Jou : ‘ ,;stY,* > plantation . -'vv.-hL-'w-.-x."-■*-tnsgf£ i ter-in-law that was to be sail studied her fac | closely’. How lovely it was ! A cemplexioi ; dark yet clear; jet black brows and block hair j part dressed high in rich wavy rolls and ptifft o> j the top of her beautiful head, and part fat ing j in tendril-like curls or. her neck behind. He> | eyes were dark and bright, her checks oval, he: j mouth full and richly crimson. Its only defec j seemed to ba a tremulous sensitiveness and her j eyes 1 ad a restless glar-ce, not disagreeable bn | peculiar, otherwise tbe face was perfect, am ; there was a sub*la, refined grace about it and I about every movement of her slender figure. Harry followed her with his eyes so persisf- >ntly that his step-mother set it down in her mind that he bad fallen in love with the chosei of her daring Pres, for whom she would have tried to get a slice of the moon if he had cx pressed a wish for it. Heien sang and play ed tender old ballads and pleasant fireside music She sat kui'tiDg wonderful lace ‘tidies’ for the parlor chairs, or s r >kirig the yellow locks oi Matt, who sat on her foots: ol beside her, and leaning her head on hergover t ne s' kuee, looked up at her adoringly Very womanly and i.wee: and home-loving did the governess took in bet black silk, brightened with a crimson ribboD a: the throat and a red il twer in her hair. Harry, as ! e looked at her, chided himself for acertai: thought that had flashed across his bruin. Sin went to tbe window to listen to the plaintive note of the ‘death-owl;’ he followed her then and while they stood facing each other, he sair gent);.: ‘So you knew Mrs. De Hatter?’ She looked up at him quickly. His face was as unconscious us a baby’s. Y s,’ site answered, 'as a girl who works for n living may know a rich leader of society. Ba 1 Mrs. D - Hatter was no snobbish would-be patron of the p- or. She had a genuine sympathy tor artists and working people and used her means gem tally to enlarge their opportunities. She was one of tha few who do good without being condescending, I am sorry she has gone away. She went to Fiance to her husband’s people.’ But ti e climate did not agtee with her and she u. s returned. I saw her one day last week. ‘Returned ?' Her quick look expressed un pleasant surprise mixed with distrust. I: faltered a-, it met Harry's penetrating g ze ano her lids quivered an instant and dropped. Shi said quietly. ‘I am glad to near she has returned, though 1 shall not pro! ahly s^e uer . s we (your brothel ami I) leave for San Francisco as soon as we are married. He has no doubt told yon so, and tha his uncle desires to take hint into a partnershij with uim in his large business.’ She ioisked at him steadily as she spoke; an earnest, almost appealing look. She seemed anxious to bring up to h:s mind at that " ornent that she was to marry his brother and they wer< to g i away -to put a long d.s ance between th' scenes and the people of their earlier lives More than ones Hal met this wistful, half be seeching look in the eyes of his brother s be trothed. It warmed and sof.eaed his hear towards her in spite of himself. ‘Confound it,' he said to himself when he was alone in his room that, night. -I wish I had uev-r count down here.’ But he wrote a ietter nevertheless, and whet it w- s addressed and s amped, he took out o his pocket a photograph, which he laid beferi him. and resting bis elb rws on the table, looker, at it earnestly. The picture was that of a fait haired woman with light eye brows and blonde com pi- xion. •Re-,euiblances are very deceptive,’ he said a: 'a -1 wid make sure first. I hope to heaveL I may be wrong.’ iu ihe two days that followed, Harry had con stant opportunity tr see how Miss Pierrepom was eutwined in ill ■> i.ll cIiols a. the household. Sue bad genuine kindliness of heart, or she cculd not have made he: self so beloved. She had a gentle dignity too, a womanly reserve | that made her respected as well rs loved, am' I that held back over-prying curie sitv. Presto) j would have been her constant shadow if shi | had let him, but she forbade intrusion upon he working hunts and lf» n-rd. lit He • .htc TSsshns, and set copies, drew maps, and taugb double scales as zealot sly ai if to thought of r fa3t approaching wedding ever crossed hei mind. But when school duties were ever, ski was ready to sing or waik with him, or to play his favorite game, chess, with him for hours Did she love him ? Harry asked that question to himself and anxiously tried to read the an i-wer in her eye.-: and her actions. But he con fessed himself puzzled. He could not decide. 1 did seem strange tbongh. that a brilliant polished creature like Miss Pierrepont, should love this unformed young fellow—handsome cer tainly, and good as well, but a mere boy yet. having just entered his twenties. It was difficul. to tell Helen Pierrpont’s age. Hers was such a obaDgefal face, the lines breaking up every moment in a rippling smile, or a wave of.,tend. r wistfnl emotion, or a play of quick perception I of humor. Ttie third day after his arrival, Hairy went to the little post; dice, and returned with a gravi lock, *nd a letter iu his pocket. Helen’s quick eye saw the shadow on his face, and she did her best to charm it away. N_vor had sh6 been so entertaining, never looked so ltvable. She sat on a low seat, her black, wavy hair gleaming in the red fire-light, and told stories and incidents of her observa lion and : xperience-some laughable, some pathetic—all narrated with that grace of voice and manner that was so etiild-like and winniDg ‘I don’t blame the boy for loving her,’ though impulsive Harry, ‘I could love her myself it he had not been before me ud—if ’ It was hard to connect a dreadful thought v.ith that charming, refined, tender creature; but facts stir -d him in the face. ‘Huw can she sing that song with the memory it must bring up to her,’ he thought, as she ang •Auld Robin Gray,’ at bis father's request. Bui her voice did not falter, and it was so 3weet Harry felt tear-; coma into his eyes. Afterwards too, be caught that appealing look directed to him, more earnest and sorrowful tc-night them ever. Did she read his purpose in his face’ That look, and her sweet winsomeness un manned him almost. But I must, for Preston's sake. I owe it to the boy Dot to let him bo sac rificed,’ he sa d, and be fortified himself with the recollection of hi3 duty to his brother and to his profession and with recalling tbe grounds he had fjr suspicion, strengthened by that lettei that had come to him th s afternoon from Mrs De Hatter, in which she had s lid that she knew no person named Helen Pierrepont and had never recommended any one to his step mother He \va eager to eud the suspense and confirm or remove his worst suspicious at’ouee. That nig’: t gave him an unexpected opportunity to de ide the doubt. They sat quite late around the glowing wood-lire in the pleasant little parlor. When et last they talked of retiring, it was di.-C3Vcred that the servant had gone to be.d without making any fire in Miss Pierrepont’s room. Mrs. Smckton was going to summon'hi boy, Lnt Helen laid her little hand on the lady \s in deprecation. ■No, no, please,' she said. ’Never mind about the fire. My room opens io o the parlor here and when you have > 11 gone, I will undrei-s and warm by th s splendid fire and slip into bed in a moment, before I can get cold.’ As she said this a thought flished into Harry's mind—a means by which he might quietly solvi the doubt that troubled him so soreiy. In one corner of the room there wns a closet, in whicu was kept the silver waiter and dt-c inters tin fruit and wine for (he hospitable country fadi ion of -baodirig round’ to visitors. Into this closet, when all had said good-night and left the room, Harry clipped and waited. For soini minuti-b all was silent and he could hear tin musical murmuring of the flames in the fire place outside uud the cherry chirp of a cricket, nut presently he Letrd Miss Pierrepont s door opened cautiously, heard her dress rustle softly as she glided aoross the carpet and locked the door of the sitttiDg room. Then she came to tho fire place, stood there a moment, before she threw herself on the lounge, altering a low, quivering sigh. Ha opened the door of the closet and stepped softly oat and along the floor, until he could see her where she sat, or rather lay upon the divaD, her dressing gown bound with a cord at the waist, her feet in dainty slippers, her b«ir unbound a::d flowing over her shoulders. Iltr hai. I That mass of light, lustrous gold her hair ? And where was the brunette skin and the black, sharply de fined brows? The face was white as a white rose; the arched eyebrows, brown and delua’i y traced. It was the face of the picture he oarried io his inside pocket. The last doubt was re moved. This was the woman L e sought. How he wished at that moment tha: he were miles away—that he had not come to Cherry flili Farm at all. But destiny must be accom plished. She looked the picture cf sadness as she lay there. Another sigh heaved her breast; before ii had fluttered from her lips, she i.ejame cct sciou8 tha: an eye was fixed upon her, and turning quickly, she saw the intruder. Bat she ne.t er scr.omed nor swooned. Womanly pride and dignity II shed f.om her eyes as she si’d. rising: * V" at right h„ve you to in rude upon me here?’ ‘me right of the son and brother of tLe peo- p’e you have deceived and imposed upon; the r ght of the law; for though you may not have btiird it, for my step-mother is ashamed of my r ailing, I am a dettetive and am employed to find the biding place of one, Eltanoi Bradford, who is accused of poisoning h r husband, and who made her escape after the illijers of justice had enur.d her house to arrest her. Eleanor Bradford, w hem the law r; quires, now stands be fore me.’ She stood looking at him fixedly, like some beautiful, bnak^ charmed bird. Then she said slowly: •And y ou have hunted me down. You have come here to be my death, for I will not be dragged to a prison while my haud can cut tho thread cf life. You have come here to ruin the happiness of the man who lovts mo and who is your brother. You will quench life and Lappi- nessforwhai? I wcula Luve harmed no one. A j few days more ard, t T wnul.d Lwr 0 ..J: I an ’.s"ot'inflos d.vay ami none be i jured l>y my escape.’ ‘I cannot let my brother marry a murderess,’ Harry cried, impetuously. She gave a convulsive gasp as if she elt a knife-thrust. ‘Don’t,’ she cried with a flash of her eyes. ‘Don t call me that. It is erne!; it is false —I did not m-KE—I did not think—I—yes, I did a wrong, a deadly crime, yet it was an instant’s yielding fo ttmptation—and I have endure! — oh Goti ! what remorse, what tortures of con science ! Listen to me, Irok at me, here face to fate, I swear to you by the memory of my mtther that I will speak the truth. I married that old man, Roger Bradford, because of his money, yes you have heard tba f , read it in the veracious pr; s*, but did you hear that we were a’ruosl starving, that my mother was dying be fore my eyes for want of the nourishing food and medical attendance that only money could buy. Her lioliow eyes besought me, reproached me more than did her lips, when I did not at once accept the hand of my rich employer. He prom ised to give her a home and to make her com fortable ii I would marry him. He did give her a shelter and food, but he made her life and mine one of daily humiliation and tortnre. Oily tongued, smooth-faced hypocrite that he was to the world, he dropped his mask at home before the woman he had bought for his chattel. He was a tyrant, a sensualist, a mean, coarse, miserly brute, who seemed daily to study new ways to torment and humiliate the slave who had no redress, because she was bis wife. He seldom beat me; he was too cowardly, too afraid of the law, but there are blows upon the heart that hurt worse than any upon the body; he never quite starved me, but there is a starving of the soul, a crushing out of everything that gives hope and spring to life. This Riger Bradford practiced upon me daily. He kept me utterly shut out from any society or recrea tion, Le laid burdens of housework upon me too h avy for my strength to bear. With all his money, he refused me decent clothes. Books aud pictures and the company of my giri-fiiend3 were denied me, by his narrow jealousy, or rather that he might gratify his tyrannical and selfish spirit. Wuat I suffered at the hands of this mean, miserly, hear less, yet sensual wretch to whom I was linked, God only knows. He was a secret sot, aod. I nursed him through many sickening seenes brought on by his gross appetites. At last my mother died. Though his treatment of her had been harder for me io bear tl-iaa all, yet her death seemed to remove the only thing endurable with Riger Bradford. I tried to leave him, he broughf me back by threats of ruining my character if I did not live with him. You are not a woman and you cm- not guess how p-.-werfal that threat is to a wo man. Her character for purity is a .‘soluteiy iu the hands of her husband, who may blast it if he wish; s with a falsehood that has no shadow of truth, aud the world will believe it; yes, though her face and her life give the lie to the slander. So, with that fiery tc »urge held over me, I went back to Lim like the cowards we wo men are forced to be, when the men that own ns chance to prove not men but demons, as in my case. Bat I could not endure life under that roof; his gross camsss were more humil iating than lus curses; the bread I ate at his ta ble, though God knows I earned it, choked ma continually, it was bitterer than prison bread, I det-rmioed to ei d my miserable exi^terce. My father had been a physician; my mother bad kept L s mediciues; among them was a v.ai of prussic acid—that swift, sure Doisou. I poured a lew drops of it iu a glass of wine OD6 day and was about to driuk it, when my heart failed me. As I stopped to gather courage, I heard his step approaching aud hastily set down the glass. He entered, saw the wine aud, true to his mis erly aud quarrelsome na'ure, began to abase me tor my extiavagance. Drinking wine when I should be cooking supper. And where did I (Continued on the 8th page.)