The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1840-10-23

fore the family TINS cost ner nlgnt 5
rest-it was not his usual manner, and
she wondered why, at this particular time
he should have so much more business
than usual Still she endeavoured to pu,
the most favorable construction upon eve.
ry,hing; she strove to acquit him in hel
hearts.
But love has eagles eyes, and from
their piercing vigilance, duplicity must be
coupled with most consummate art, If she
would avoid detection. Emma was ca
ressed by large circle of acquaintance,
and Theodore was also favorite; in
parties they frequently came together, and
there, when the spirits are up, and all re-
serve thrown off, the heart unmasks itself.
There Theodore often forgot his caution,
and not only abated his usual display of
partiality for Emma, but lavshed his
fondness on another.-The generous girl
torgave him until forgiveness became a
crime against her own heart She re-
solved to lead more secluded life, and in
prosecuting her resolve, she soon found
ample evidence of what she most feared
His visits grew less and less frequent
until, at last, they were discontinued alto
gelher.
Womanlike in the deepest of her sor-
rows, she retired, as it were, within her
self, and, secure in the confidence that not
even her nearest relatives or friends knew
any thing of her disappointment, she
nursed her grief in secret, and put on
smiles as sweet, if not as gay, before the
world. But heroically as played this new
and deceptive part, her feelings gradually
obtained the victory over her frame ; she
pined and pinned away, day after day, the
paleness of departed health blanched her
young cheek, and she roved in the still
ness of the evening, among the tombs of
her fathers in the churchyard, like thin
shadow of the past. None knew her grief,
but he who was its cause and he shud-
dercd at the ruin he had made.
Her friends perceived with concern the
rapid decay of her health, and, as the IA
mily had some relatives in Bermuda, they
resolved to send her there.-=The voyage
had salutary effect; the change of scenes
and circumstances-new friends and ac-
quantanccs, and the kindness she cXpe-
rienccd in her new abode, dispellcd much
of this cherished gloom that pressed upon
her heart. and added life to her almost in
animate frame. The glow of her health
gradually returned, and she shone in the
maturity of her beauty, star of no COM
mon lustre in the fashionable world of that
delightful island. A year had not elapsed,
before the hand of one of the wealthicst
merchants in the island was offered her.
He was all that the young maiden here
admires-generous noble, and virtuous-
and of years suited to her own. She ac-
cepted and became happy wife.
Having left philadelphia with the in
tcnlion of returning, she now waited anx-
iousl " the opportwity--bnt a variety OF
causes prevented, year after year. A
beautiful family of girls and boys grew
around her--her husband was deeply en-
engaged in an extensive and lucrative bu-
siness, and twelve years passed by before
she was able to accomplish her wishes, in
all which time she never made an enqui.
~ about, or once heard of her former To-
yer. Now Mr.. Letere retired from bust
ness, and proposed accompanying her
with their family, to America. They
reached Philadelphia in safety, and walked
up Walnut street to the old family man
sion. 1t remained unaltered; her father
and her mother, the old servants, her for.
mer friends, who remained, all welcomed
her to her ancient home. The shrub:
she planted in the yard had grown up tc
beautiful trees.-Her name remained
where she had engraved it, on the sash o
her chamber, twelve years before, and she
sat down by it-called back the recolec
tons of the past-by times, and wept, we
> these were tears Of mingled JOY and sor
row.
Mr.. Lelere took a fine establishment If
Chestnut street, and lived in splendid style
: Emma used to ride out daily in an elegan
carriage, with her infant family; and, a.
!, had long been her practice, she carefully
sought such objects of distress as sh'
deemed it would be charitable TO relieve
One day riding in the suburbs OF the city
she saw poor half-clothed man, lying OF
the ground, and a tattered child crym
i bitterly by his side, to which he paid n
G attention. She directed the coachman t
G stop, and calling the man, inquired VIII,
= he disregarded the child, and whose