FLORIDA; OR, THE IRON WILL.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1973, 1 May 1875, Page 4

FLORIDA; OR, THE IRON WILL.

A STORY OF TO-DAY.

BT MEB. -KAUY A. DENISOH.

Chapteb IX.

DISAPPOINTMENT. A TEBBIBLE BEVELATION Parker walked home on wings. He ,wasalmosfc frightened at his own happinoss. " To-morrow," he whispered to himself, " I will claim her —she is mine, beyond all earthly power to separate." He^reached the little dingy farm-house where he boarded, and from which he hurried every morning at daybreak, to oicape the fumes of pork and sausage that were "sure to; penetrate to his room, and for both of which he had a lively antipathy. It looked so queer, so black and deserted —not; a friendly light to be seen —that he almost dreaded ,1b l^riter; but presently, laughing 1 off his^fears he vaulted over the fenee —his usual ,/way—andi" climbing a low shed, opened his window and leaped in. To get^a light was the work of!a moment. He looked about; on the table lay a note, neatly folded, addressed^to himself. .Did his sensitive temperament

forewarn him >that : there was trouble ■there? Certain.it is that he folded his hands behind him, and looked long and doubtingly at the missive. "Suppose it should be—" a cold shiver ran through his: veins. He had already given warn- ' ing of his departure; ;arid a master had Tbeen; engaged for the g6hool in;the village. . .That situation i was ' gone from him ir"evocably—rfor he knew; that the state of feeling toward him in certain quarters was ,: such, that even his friends thought !the

wisest course for him was to resign, al- I though, they "would not hare counieled it ' unless satisfied that he could do better. At last, determined to know the worst, he snatched the envelope up and tore it open. Good heavens! did his sight deceive .him? The note was from the head committee of- the public school- in the city, laying that', the matter had been reconsidered, and they had decided that he was not the man they needed. They were very sorry, etc., etc., but there were circumstances,- etc., etc.; then '-followed the •signature. 4«& ' £5 \l, " » "O God! this is top cru^tl" gasped the .unfortunate young man. "Why am I thus taunted, thus degraded ? Some j ; one is at work, bent upon my ruin." He flung the note down, and-sobbed like a child. This undue emotion brought on ■ violent pain, and the fever of consumption rioted through his veins, blazing like the signal-fires of death on either check. , : X"I thought it could not'last,"'he froaned, referring to his overflowing appiness; '"I felt the sorrow' would follow in proportion to the joy. Now, ■ indeed, am I homeless-—and how dare I claim "Virginia, my wife?" Paroxysm upon paroxysm of grief , jrarged over his soul. He could not think calmly, could not reason. God had 1 • deserted him, and the world was dark, dark as the grave. JETe longed to die—he ■ was in-despair. "Not his at all times was 'that buoyant hope that sinks with the receding wave only'to be lifted higher with the next.' He "could see nothing-before him but- inadequately paid toil, hardly J . ; iuficient to keep life in himself—surely. ' not enough to.supporta wife.. And even - that he. *could, not depend upon. Hundreds of sturdy young students, poor as himself, were hunting the country round -•■ fon! opportunities to-keep the districtsSeldom was there a vacancy. To crown all-his unhappiness, he felt his physical" weakness more than ever. It J ,was,a sad weight ( that he carried the last - few months—that he would 'not even acknowledge to himself. But the biting •pain, the descouraging debility so'hard to fights against, the almost imperceptible tokens that disease was gaining ground/ told'too truly-that there was little room for hope. ,- It was a night of bitter struggles; and the morning-that- saw Virginia so buoyant with happiness, \ found him a pale, changed being, with 1 „ scarcely the power to j3mile. "I must give her up yet a little while longer," he said, with weary sighs. " Providence may open some path forme, though, God forgive, me, I hardly have faithdn Providence." A merry, bustling day it.was at the cottage. Florida condescended to be very amiable, and was devising a plan to have

Mrs Owen carried down stairs, that she jnight enjoy the company that had been invited. It was notjong'after that that old"Uncle Barby came in. He had been wanting to buy. the cow, but could not manage to gather together the sum that »Eloridademanded.- . - „ . ; r ! " Lord bless ye, young ladies,'-' he said, "as he 'seated himself, at., Virginia's request. " You're both young and bloom- - ingi and, praise the' good Lord,-you've got a long time to sarve Him in. My missus < is wery wearisome about now^ *nd.:needs the milk, being weak in the knee's and ' unable to get round—consequently not appetising tho food such as we're had, bless God, through His providence.' But I'm afraid I shall have to give it up, though the Lord sees it's for the best | maybe, for which I praiso His name, and , let all the airtb give thank." I " Why, how much do you lack of it, j ,TJncle Barby ?" asked Florida. ' . "How' much do I lack? Why I • haven't got half. Fifteen is the uttermost that I.can raise, and the cow's worth the forty you ask, every bit of it, for which thank the good Lord in season and out o' season." Florida smiled, queerly. " I've been thinking," she said, " that I shan't part with the cow." " Eh! miss ?" said the old man, and was about to add his customary thanks, but Florida's voice prevented. " Suppose I turn her over to you for safe keeping ? I don't care about selling the hay I spoke for, a month ago; and if you'll see to. having it got in, you may keep the cow till I claim her. Virginia's eyes had been growing brighter and larger every moment., She • had even worked herself up to the belief that Florida might make aa angel, after all —only give her time. - ."Why!' ,the Lord bless ye, Mi»s Florida, for bein' the poor man's friend, and the friend of his wife. Did you say't " I might take ,care"b' the cow same's if - 'twas my own ? Well, I never was more 'flustered, - even when I fou't in Jarsey—and for which, the Lord mako me . '.very thankful'acco'rdm' to His marcies." " You can drive her over to-morrow, if you like,"' said Florida. . "Yes, miss—drive her over—well— raly—bless the Lord oh! my—-,"

" Gefc her away as early as ten," said Florida, impatiently cutting short his thanks, " for we are going at eleven and are particularly busy now, and shall Be all day." . The old man took the hint and hobbled off. Virginia still stood in a maze of wonder.

" You think I am unusually benerolent, I suppose," said .Florida. "Isit a new element in my character?" " I was only wondering how you could afford it," said Virginia, simply. " Would you like a'diamond necklace, or a satin dress ? " asked Florida with a queer smile. Virginia stopped her work, arid again her'glarces were fastened upon the face of her foster-sister. "You are afraid I am becoming demented," said Florida; " I can see it in your eye?." "You do act strangely," responded Virginia. • ••"■-' "Confess, now, that you always thought me a strange being," said Florida, with a slight tinge of mirthful ness in her tone. ; Virginia was silent. Florida smiled, then hurried her work.

The widow was brought down stairs, much to her delight, for to-day she was very childish again. "There!" exclaimed Flprid.a, as _ she arrarged the pillows with Virginia, " doesn't it seem comfortable, mother, to be down stairs again ?", "It makes me happy," murmured the old lady, looking fondly toward Virginia. "I saw just the chair you want," murmured Florida, standing off a little way. " It was green silk velvet of such a charming shade, and moved with a touch. I believe I must buy it for you." "No, no—this is good enough," said the widow. "It was a dear chair, too— twenty dollars Thomas gave for it before the wheels were"put on." " Dear ! "said Florida, mailing a little —" the one I saw yesterday was cheap at fifty!" :•. " I, wonder where we'd get fifty dollars for an easy-chair?" murmured the old lady. " No, no ; I guess this must do for a little while longer—and it'll only be a. little while. Jenny, darling, has young Mr Parker been here to-day ? " \ r' Virginia crimsoned. She thought her mother would not remember bis yesterday's visit. Florida saw the whole thing in a flash; ; ■ ;

■" I suppose he spent the day here," she said, impatiently. ; "He was.here some part of the day," Virginia-murmured. " Poor fellow ? " said Florida, with an indescribable mingling' of pathos and scorn.

Virginia felt irritated, she hardly knew why. " I'll tell you about it to-night," Florida said. " I declare, it makes my heart ache to think of it, and he so sadly sick." " What do you mean ? " asked Virginia hej£°fears taking the alarm. " Has any thing happened to Parker ? " " .Not to-day that I know of," was the reply.. "O!- it's something widely different from what- you imagine : I'll tell you to-night. It's time to dress, now, Virginia."

The young girl went to her chamber, her heart chilled, her frame trembling. Florida made the most of her secrets, whenever she had any, and they were always terrible. She could not feel any interest in tht> dutit s of her toilet, and perpetrated numberless mistakes that consumed her time, and made her nerves crawl.' At last she had finished the task of dressing. It was very early, but Florida had thought best to be in full season, and it was nearly two hours before the company was expected. A scratch of gravel on the window startled her. She looked out. Parker, standing not;far off, ■hading his eyea from the sun with his strawihat, held up a note, then deposited it inside.a little heap of yellow leaves at the foot of an oak. Virginia hurried down, breathless with anticipation. She did not encounter Florida, and secured the note. A nameless terror crossed her heart as she read:

"Deadest, Dearest:—lt's all up for the present. I've been fortunate enough to lose my^ city .situation through the malice of the.Spicers, I expect. I can't claim you jet; my darling. ' God knows Irepent that rash deed. You might have been free—free to choose some less luckless mortal than myself. O ! Virginia ! Virginia ! Yet if I should hear you say, r '.l repent,' I should go mad with grief. No, no, dearest—il am certain you lovo me well enough to wait .with patience till I am righted again; but- it seems so hard! O! I thought to claim you today — what shall I do ? I am almost crazy.,- I can't come" till late," very late-this afternoon. O! Virginia, what would Florida say? ,In proportion as I grow helpless I begin to fear her. Thank -God, though she could keep us asunder, she never can blot out the fact that you are my, wife. Then, again, when I think we are both' minors,—? scarcely twenty-one, you not seventeen—my heart trembles. Virginia, be true to me. I will yet compass a living for both of us. I will work my hands off but I'll do it. Don't fret, darling—don't take my trouble uponyou, for my sake. Let me see you smile, and I shall be brave. I would not plunge you into poverty for world*. I "shall see you again before you go to the cityi I dare not go just yet, till I have ftiatured my plans, but I shall be there. My book shall be written, if I lire on .bread and. water to accomplish it. You know it is not hard for me to fast. O! darling, I was angry, at first' when I thought o f our yesterday's happiness, but lam glad for it now. As the hours pass, :ifc seems a delicious rest in the stormy past, fresh and green in my memory. [ Keep it so in yours. Good-by, darling, fora brief time.'

■.J' Your hoping and despairing, " Pahkeb." The color deserted Virginia's cheeks; she sunk down, faint and cold, upon the nearest seat. Florida's words were ringing in her ears, and they, with this sad letter, almost deprived her, for the moment, of life.' Perhaps his enemies had defamed hini—they must have assailed his character, to throw him thus from a responsible situation at one blow—and what beside had he to depend upon? The glowing, passionate face of Madge Spicer, as? it' appeared on that, miserable day, looking in at the broken window, fiendishly, came up before her like a spirit of evil. " Those hissing words, " Your character is ruined I" rung in her ear?. Brought up to regard a good name beyond all price, Virginia's faith staggered as she thought of these things. Another moment and suspicion had received a deadly blow. " Whatever they say," came through her white lips, " I will still believe him. O ! how he suffers 3 and I can not be with him to tell him of my sympathy and to soothe him in his sorrow ! Poor, poor Parker!" m [To be continued.'}