The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-11-29
CHAPTER VII.
"Tis now full tide, 'twixt night and day,
End your moan and come away"


End your moan and come away"
DucHEsa OF MALAY.
"Lucy, I have important news for You, sard
Henry Bentham, rs he entered the apartment where
his sister sat- can you bear to hear il now:"
Lucy was ona low stool, with piece OF needle
work in her hand, with which she seemed busily
employed There was quiet, subdued express
sion upon her features, one to which month be-
fore, they were entire strangers. She was young,
only seventeen, and passing lovely. Her eyes were
large, and of dark blue, forever flashing and
sparkling like the laughing CLEAN Of some pure and
dancing foun tain, the roses were ever budding and
blowing on her cheek, and you might have deemed
that care had passed by her lip and brow,and things
too haowed for his touch. Such had she been,
but within few days, she had suddenly laid aside
her g,rlhood, and became quiet thoughtful being,
well fitted for the wife of man who had passed
over half century Of years. 1t might be that the
near prospect of the filling such station was the
cause of this change, and the new duties which
she expected to assume, had already wrought their
subdung effect upon her heart. But close OBJ
server would have marked trace of sadness upon
within. She looked up without any change of ex-
preston when her brother addressed her. "Yes,
can hear any thing know Of nothing now
that would move inc much"
"Why Lucy" said Henry, "have you already
borne so much that there is nothing now you fear
to meet!"
"No, not that but am ready to meet any thing.
What is it,"
" Circumstances have occurred" said Henry,
aftera slight pause, which will render your mar
riage with Col Vnton impossible"
The work dropped from Lucy shahd, and with
from her seat and graspng the hand of her brother,
exclaimed:
"What are they, oh what can they be-" and
then checking herself, she added in camer tone,
let me know at once Henry"
Her brother drew her to seat beside him, and
related those circumstances with regard to Vintons
guilt of which the reader is already acquainted
Lucy was shocked, amazed, yet was her heart re-
lieved Of such weight that she could scarcely sor
row as she ought over the downfall Of a man upon
whom she had always looked with SO much of con-
fidence
In the mean While, Mr.. Marsden and Walter had
examined the contents of the secret drawer. The
miniature was at once recognized by Mr.. Marsden
as that his sister, and the letters written by her
hand. In his early days Mr.. M. had seen the bo-
som friend of Walter Vinton, and had joyfully be-
slowed on him the hand of his only sister to whom
he was warmly attached His parents having re-
moved from Germany to England, and having
died while he was yet young had lett him with no
other near kindred, So that they had been all in all
10 one another Alter Amela's marriage, he had
remained with her fer a long time, and then left
England to spend aiew years abroad. During the
succeeding year, he had heard regularly from her,
but from that time all trace of the family was lost
The last letter he had received was from Walter
bearing date at Paris, corresponding to the dates of
those found in the drawer. In this he had inform
ed him thathe had removed his wife and infant son
to an estate which he had purchased in the west of
England, and leaving them in the care of his BROTH
err had come over to the continent to transact some
business. After this time receiving no answer to
his repeated and anxious inquiries Of their welfare
he fastened back to England, and found that the
estate which Walter purchased, had passed into
other hands, and that trace of the Vinton family
remained. There was a strange story among the
peasants, OF difficulties in the family, and separa-
tion; but every thing was so incoherent, and so lit
tie was known that Marsden at length gave up in
despair, and after an equally vain search through
the country. once more left it. Since then he has
inquired every where for the family name, but had
been able to learn nothing of his sister, or friend,
until his arrival in America on the preceding ev-
ening In making his accustomed inquiries, he
was directed to Col Vinton, whom he at once re-.
cognised as the brother Of Walter of whom he had
heard much though he had never seen him before
From Col Vinton he obtained plausible, though
mysterious tale of some family Misunderstanding
--ofthe death of his sister, and the melancholy in
sanity of his brother which had resulted from these
troubles. He said that although he was aware that
Mrs. Vinton had brother, he was ignorant of the
place OF his residence, and of course could not be
expected to inform him of her death, and he left
him for the night, with the promise that on the
next day he wo1ld accompany him to the asylum
where his brother was confined
With the subsequent events of the night, the
reader is well acquainted
The letters of which frequent mention has been
made were from Amelia Vinton 10 her husband,
entreating in the most pressing terms, his immedi-
ate return, on account Of the treatment which she
received from his brother. She said that she had
borne in silence all that woman could endure, on
account Of bis near relationship and in hopes of her
husbands return. He had persecuted her by ev-
cry means in his power, had dismissed her most
faithful servants, and substituted Others in their
stead, and kept constant watch over her so that
she was free in none Of her movements No means
had been left untried by which he could hope to ac
eomplish his base PURPOSES In subsenuent LEI.