The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1846-11-03
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE ELDERS DAUGHTER
A TALE OF FAIRFIELD COIN 10Y
BY MISS MARTHA RUSSELL
Concluded.


as his prejudices.
The quiet unobtrusive Widow Cary, had
never designed to become the patroness of a
religious party in Fairfield, or anywhere else.
Deeply wounded by the prosecuting GOODNESS
Of her former friends, she went TO spend the
winter in Virginia with her brother.
Faiths health suffered, but otherwise she
remained unchanged. When her father &C.
casonally introduced the subject she steadi-
Il persisted ia saying to him
My relation to Walter Cary is too sacred
20 be triAed with. | must not, cannot, will
not. consent never to see him any MORE
lie had not dreamed of encountering such
inccrrigbe rebellion. He was bafled. He
could not understand it. One day certain
apoister cousin, whose spirit was as sour as
Snsannahs was gentle. and who was some
u hat noted as newsmonger, was discussing
Faiths una ccountable perverseness in the
presence ofth Elder, and minated that she
conlI. If she chose, explain the whole mat
.er very easy.
What do you mean, madam p inquired
;he Elder.
Il mean that you are all blind. generally
keep my eyes open, and where my family
ere concerned. can see as well as some 9TH
ers They were married, secretly married.
before Cary went ay that visit to Vir
ginia. He would naturally fear storm. and
no doubt persuaded Faith. and that popish
priest has married them. | noticed them
about that time and thought they had some
thing unusual on hand. Now she will not
give him up, you see, because she is his
WIFE
Elier Judson despised this woman as he
des3ises all uewsmonSers. Buther sugSes
ton has. its effect upon him. Here, then,
was a clue to he mystery. This would ex
plain Faiths unfaltering steadiness under the
power of his anger.
He now recoIlccted how constantly she
had said that her relation 10 Walter Cary
was too sacred TO be lrihed with. Yes.there
might have been a secret marriage. Still he
did not believe it; somehow his sense of
Cary's character as well as thar Of Faiths,
intel(ered. That they should have taken
such such step, or at least, that having Ia
Ken it. they should studiously conceal it, was
surprising to him as Faiths obstinacy- Yet
the more he considered the matter, the more
he inclined To believe a clandeStiue marriage
h1d taken place. lie resolved to discover
the truth by forcing Faith to make full
confession.
Accordingly, the next morning. when
Faith was summoned TO attend family YER
ship. she entered The sitting room. and found
her father seated at the table, as usual. with
the great Bible before him.-Near him sat
Susannah, pale and fearful with apprehen-
sion On the left, arranged according to
their respective ages, were the numerous
members on the household, consisting of
hired laborers and slaves, for he was man Of
substance By The side of Susannah there
was a vacant chair. Faith advanced to take
It, hut suddenly arrested by a gesture from
her f1rher who said:
Let the transgressor make confession!
Faith stood with look OF wonder and
douF;,-
He continued:
Let the transgressor make confession.
begin 10 understand what you mean by your
sacred relation to Walter Cary. Come not
to this altar until you have made open con-
fession Of your hidden wickeduess.'
The blood rushed TO her cheek and tenn
Piles. and her eyes seemed melting into flash
es Of light. After standing still moment,
she turned and left the room. Susannah in-
voluntarily moved to follow her, but restrained
by glance from the Elder. she sank back
into her seat, terrified, not less by her own
temeriiy than by the manner of her sister.
But Elder Judson was now determined TO
bring matters to a cicis, by compelling Faith
to confess her marriage, and forcing her to
another stem which would terminate the con-
troversy.
During the last eighteen months, young
man by the name Of Ithiel SpauIdIng had
been a frequent visitor at the house OF Elder
Judson. He was evidently attracted by
Faith. The sisters had always received him
kindly, for he was the son of their father S
friend. They did not know that during that
time he had asked their father TO give him
Faith in marriage, for at the time of this ask
ing, the Elder was inclined to favor young
Cary, and accordingly put off Itheil on the
plea of Faiths youth. OF late he had encour-
aged this young man TO CONT, and induced
him to stay longer than ever. True, he did
not always see Faith, but this seemed TO
make no difference.
Susannah had been confined to her room
with illness. and was still too weak TO leave
If for the whole day. Faiths Imprisonment
had not been such as 10 prevent her from
passing most of her time there he night
had sci in, and wild storm OF wind and
snow was rising. Faith sat by the window
IN Susannah's room, watching the storm and
thinking of the vessel in which Walter Cary
had two DAYS before embarked for Virginia,
TO be with his mother, who was vi, and as II
rroved. diving. She was reused by a sum-
down and he Immediately told her, with
considerable Formally, that he had accepted
proposals for her marriage with Ilhiel Spaul-
ding. that the bans would be published on
the next Sabbath, and that the marriage
would take place on the Wednesday follow
ing, which would be the first day oil the new
year. She stood at first as il she could not
believe him in earnest. then she became pale
and faint. and sinking at his feet. she be-
sought his pity, wept and entreated' and
pleaded as only the miserable can plead.
But he was immoveahle, and raising her to
her feet, he said that what he had an
nounced was settled, and babe her prepare
herself accordingly.
'IcanDot marry Ithiel Spaulding.' was her
reply; Il would not marry him under any
circumstances, and will not, cannot do il
now
You cannot. perverse girl Why can you