Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-08-25


Iert, apologizing for his absence on the grount
of unavoidable business. He would call
however, early in the morning. There was
something omnous in this; and Lucy spent
the night in tears. n .le
With morning came Robert, and, when
his card was sent up with a request for q
Iprivate interview with Lucy, the alarmed
Igirl could scarcely compose herself sulli.
ciently to go down. Her first glance at her
lover assured her that all was known, for,
instead of greeting her as he was wont, a
cold bow was his only salutation Lucy
sank trembling into chair; and Robert,
without seeming to notice her, walked with
folded arms, gloomily up and down the
room. AT length he paused sternly before
her. I.a ef.l 4. .r.-
Miss Thornton he began, and oh! how
this formal mode of address cut Lucy's
heart, you seem not aware of the object of
my visit, and indeed see in your face, the
evidence of that guilt which fondly hoped
you had not committed But to my tale.--
Know then that yesterday received note
from Mr. Warren, requesting to see me at
his hotel last evening for half an hour The
name was strange to me, but on going TO
his room, | recognized gentleman who
once addressed you familiarly, and whose
acquaintance you denied. To me he reveal
ed all-how you graciously received his at
tentions, how you led him by various signs
to believe.his suit would prosper, and how
at length you renounced him with selfish
heartlessness. l might not have believed
him had he not placed in my hand these
notes. They were written to him at Sara
toga, and though not explicit, show how you
trifled with him. You turn pale-you re-
cognize your hand writing. 1t is enough
Hitherto Robert had spoken with breath
less rapidity, evidently in high EMOTION
He now paused, for at these last words, I.u-
cy burst into tears. Regarding her sorrow
fully minute he took up his hat and turned
to leave the room. The poor girl, forgetting
every feeling ofpride in her despair, caught
him by the arm, and sobbed
i acknowledge all, but / had some ex-
cuse, and have long ago seen my error
Since have known you, have / ever trifled
with any onel Oh! think of this and for
give me-
Lucy said he, dsengaging her hold, Il
could have forgotten your trifling with this
young man, but can forget your falsehood
20 met 1t is not month since this last act.
Had you at that time, frankly told me all, |
would have taken you to my breast, and for
given you freely; but now it is too late
What guarantee have that you will not de-
ceive me again! No-you have invited your
own fate-from this moment i shall forget
YOU And breaking from her he left the
room. The poor girl stood like one strick-
en-, in the very spot where he disengaged
himself from her despairing grasp, until she
heard the front door close, when she fell
senseless TO the floor
The next day Lucy was in high fever;
and Ellen, who suspected the truth from the
incoherent rawlings of the Invalid, and whose
heart bled for her cousin, despatched an ur-
gent note to Robert, begging to see him i'll
only for moment, when she hoped to alter
his determination. The note was sent back
from his clearinghouse with the iniorma-
ton that he had left the city that morning,
and it was uncertain when he would return.
What sufierings were endured by Lucy on
the bed Of sickness; she continually raved at
her last interview with Robert, his irowning
look and stern words seemed ever to be
present to her imagination. Her friends at
length began to despair of her life, and when
the physician pronounced that the crisis had
come, they watched tearfuly at her bedside
through the long night, dreading every min
ute to see the awful change begin. But, al
most against hope, she fell toward morning
into gentle sleep, and when she awoke in
her right mind they saw that the danger was
past. Kneeling by her bedside they poured
out their gratitude amid grateful sobs and
tears.
To Lucy, perhaps death would have been
as welcome as life; for what had she to live
for, now that all her fond hopes olhappiness
were destroyed Thus she thought in the
first of her convalescence. All expectation
of her lovers return was given over, for i'm !
on his quarrel with Lucy, he had
departed for Washington, and accepted the
Office OF private secretary to his uncle, then
the minister at st. Petersburg, post which
he had refused only week before. In three |
days after he had sailed. But, though the
blow fell with stunning effect on Lucy, she
gradually recovered from it. We are not
writing fiction, but telling story of real
life. Lucy was saved from broken heart
and early grave, apparently by a miracles but
those who read more closely the human soul
will attribute her recovery to the sympathy of
her friends and the consultations Of religion.
For great change had come over her
She was no more the Lucy of other days
Meeker and kinder, and therefore better and
more beautiful she shed around an influence
like that which the dews of heaven impart to
the painting earth. To the poor she was the
kindest of benefactresses, and to those in
the sweetest ofsympathizers, for
she had felt sOrrOw herself All loved her,
as they would an angel, sent down on earth
m do rood