Wisconsin herald, and Grant County advertiser. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1844-1845, 1844-12-21
From the Philadelphia Dollar Newspaper.
Francis Abbott,
THE HERMIT OF NIAGARA FALLS.
A Tale of Crime and Penitence:
ny LUCY HAMILTo ".
CHARTER iii.

4
ed the good old man, relating now what
took place underhis own eyes; switch
was the first that left them in the I'M
interrupted enjoyment of domestic fe-
licity, while Constantia, my son and
myself, were discoursing on the pros
poets before US, dark looking stranger
was ushered into the room, who placed
in the hands of my son a packet, with
which he had just arrived from Rome,
and which he had received orders to
deliver to him. with request from the
Duke of r., that he would read it in
stantly.
"The man departed; and before the
seal of the packet was broken, l OBJ
served that Constantine had turned dead
ly pale, and was leaning against the
window forsupport. As was approach
ing her to offer assistance. she started
forward and snatchcd the packet from
the hands of my son, who, alarmed at
her wild and agitated manner, endeav-
ored to tranquilize her by the assurance
that she should read it with him.
"Now she exclaimed with wild We
hemence, i" the crisis ofmy fate is come
| will not shrink from it! but before
you open this foul evidence of my un,
worthiness, l would summon strength
TO declare the TRUTH"
"Henry Armand" for such was her
husbands name, 4" it is meet that you
should from my own lips, learn to know
me as ! really am! but would not
blush before that kind old man, who
has so recently showered all the affec-
ton of father upon me. But stay
she added as l was about to withdraw,
I"It is Just that my humiliation should
be comPlctcp'
| "The unfortunate husband of this
lovely being, stood transfxed before
her-an image of alright and dismay.
Go on" he hoarsely said, as she
knelt at his feet and duplicated his
forbcarancc until the conclusion Of hcI
tale.
| SIN one word, Henry, you are de-
ceived! am not worthy to be youi
wife! And the great reproach of my
conscience, is, that have allowed you
to be imposed upon. ] loved you pas
sionately-madly loved! and did not
know the extent of the wrong | was
practising upon you, until it was toe
late 10 repair it, when my eyes were
opened by the monster, who has but
too strictly executed his threats.
"sOn the evening after my marriage
she continued, 'whcn he sought thai
interview with me in the grecn-room
which agitated me so much, he made
me sensible of the fate that awaited
me, here as soon as the actual state OF
my relations with him appeared. Now
spurn me Do all but hate me! Fol-
that / could not live to realize. Lei
me, still be an object of pity for mine
has been a wretched lot!
"' Left an orphan at an early age
in a country, where, as you know, the
moral education of women is so defcc-
tive, l had no strengthening influence
to guide me to the path Of right, and
relied solely on the advantages Of ma
turc, and the requirements which fitted
me to shine in the insipid society in
which i moved. 1t BELTS not the mis-.
cry Of the present to dwell upon the
happiness of my childhood. Enough
for me to remember, that the first breath
of passion which Weakened in my soul
an answering consciousness, sullied its
purity, dimmed its beauty, and Danish
ed its gladness for ever! To tell you OF
the strong conflict of virtue with inHu-
ences, Icould not, unaided, resist, might
seem paliation of my own weakness,
which ! shall not here attempt. While
| have courage to breathe the worst,
let me give you the right to dispise me
Justly.
"s Power and Establishment soon eff
fected their purpose. And as all about
me, even those from whose lips | had
learned to revere the thing they called
virtue, andin their way to worship God.
smiled appreciation upon my curse, i,
for long time, felt not the degradation
to which, in reality, / was reduced.
50. In consideration of the odium that
would attach to his conduct, in conse-
quence of the position | had occupied
as his adopted daughter, (the sacred
legacy of an honored friend, the Duke
placed me upon an equal footing with
bis daughters, and introduced me as
his relative to all his friends and &C