New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-12-28

promise o. her new home dawned, was quite gone
from tle heart ot Florence now. That home Was
nearly two years old and even the patent i-1si
thar was j. her could not survive the daily ohSnt
Of sucl experience. I; she had any hDgeTns isn.
cy Ia the mature of hope let that 9TH aud her IT,
tasr might be happier together, 10 some distant
time. she had none. now that her father would e'.
er love her The little interval In which she nsl
imagined thar she saw some small relentlns 10
him was FORGOTTEN in the long remembrance OF MS
GOODNESS since and before. or only remembered as
sorr1Vlul delusiou.
Florence loved him Still but by degrees, had
come 20 love him rather as some dear one VINO had
been or who might have been than az the harl
reality before her eyes Something OF the sotcnei
sadness with which she loved the memory o. hite
Pau. or OF her mother. seemed q enter now into
her thoughts OF him, ard % make theui as u we're
a dear remembrance. Whether it Was that ne was
dead % her and that partly Tor this reason parity
Jr his share in those old obiec.s OF her affection
aad partly for the long association OF him WIN
hopes thas were Witheref sud tenderness be hai
.rOZ-n, STE could not have told but tne sinef
whom she loved began % be vague and dreamy
idea % her hardly more Substantially connected
With her real life. than the image she woa.d some.
tines c1niure up OF her dear brother yet alive ana
growing 70 be a man. who would protect and cher
ISL her.
The change, if il may be called one. had stolen
ON her Ike the change from childhood ~ woman
hood, and had come with IT, Florence vas almost
seventeen when. In her lonely musiogsi she was
conscious OF these thoughts.
She was often alone now, for the Old ASSOCIATION
between her andher mamma was greatly ch.fged.
At the time OF her fathers accident and when ne
was Wing m bis room down. stairs, Florence bad
first observed that Edith avoided her Nounded
and shocked and yet unable to reconcile TINS with
her affection when they did meet she sought her
DO her own room a, night once more.
Man., 80 inc gUftIE 10 her
side have | offended you
Edith answered No"
"I must have done something said Florence.
Tel me what il is. You have changed your man
ncr 10 me dear Mamma. cannot say how instant
IS feel the least change for love you with my
whole heart
AS / DO YOU" said Edith All. Florence,
believe mo never more than now
Why DO you go away from me So often, and
keep away asked Florence. " And why DO you
sometimes look so strangely on me. dear Mamma
You do So, DO you not
Edith signihed assent with her DARK eyes
Why returned Florence imp0rngly Ieh
me why. that may know how to please you better
aud tell me this shall not be so any more.
Ny Florence answered Edith, taking the hand
that embraced her neck, and looking into the eyes
that looked into hers So lovingly as Florence knct
upon the ground before her. why It Is. cannot
cell YOU Il snether for me to say nor you to hear
uhA tihA 10 ~ anu NhhN ~ iiA~oE w n.'"f
/ do Il did not
Are ne to be estranged Mamma p s.ked Flo
renee, gazing at her like one frightened.
EdIths silent lips formed Yes.
Florence looked az her with increasing fear and
wonder. until she could sec her no more through
| the binding tears that ran down her lace.
" Florencel my life! sad Edith, huruedly'
"listen to nue.. I cannot bear 10 see this grief BE
calmer You see that ] am composed, AM Is II
| nothing 10 me
She resumed her steady voice aud manner as she
said the latter words and added presently
- Not wholly cstrsnged Partially aud only that
10 appearance. Florence, for in my own breast Am
still the same O. you, and ever VIII De- But "hA'
| do is not done Tor myself
Is it Tor me- Mamma r. asked Florence.
| . II is enough" said Edith. after a pause. &
| know what it IS; why, matters little. Dear Flo
| renee IL is better-it Is uecessary-it must pc
thst our association should be less frequent The
confidence there has been between US must be bro
| ken oil"
w hen D. cried Iorence. Oh Mamma wheni
Nov said Edith.
For all time 10 come q asked Florence.
| 10 not say that" answered Edith. Il do no
| know that Nor viii say that companonship be
tween vs.. is, atthe best an III assorted and unhoy
union, Of which might have known no good could
come. My way here has been through paths thai
you will never tread. and my way henceiorth may
| lic-God knows-l do not see it
| Her voice died away into silence and she sat
| looaing at + florence and almost shrinking from her
| wiki the same strange dread and Wild avoidance
| that Florence mad noticed once before. The same
dark pride and rage succeeded, sweeping over ne'
| form aud features like an angry chord across the
strings Of v lid harp. But 10 s0itness or humility
cpsaed on that She did not lay her head down
nov. aud weep. and say that she bad no hope ou'
| in Florence She held il up as II she we're beau
tiial Medusa looking him. face 10 face, TO strike
him dead. Yes. andshe would have done It, II shc
had had the charm.
Mamma, said Florence anxiousy, there Is
| n change IN you. in more than what you say e
| me- which alarms me. Let me stay Win you
htte"
NO" said Edith " no. dearest an best left
| alone now and 1 do best 10 keep apart from you
of all else. ASK me questions, but believe tna'
| what am when seem tickle or caprlclous u you
am not Of my own wal or OF myself bele'e
though We are stranger 10 each other than We nave
| bseu that am unchanged % you within. Forgive
m. for having ever dsrkened your dark home
| am n shadow on u, know wel-and let us never
| speak OF this again.
" Mamma" sobbed Florence, We are not u
pert"
We do this that we may not part said Edith
| Ask no more Go Florence Ny love ana my
| remOrse 20 with you!
Sic embraced her aud dismissed her and as
| Florence passed out Of her room, Edith looked on
the retiring figure as IL her good angel went Out
in that form and left her 10 the naughty and indlg
! nant passions toat now claimed her Tor their own
| AMI set their seal upon her brow.
From that hour. Florence and she were as they
hsd been no more. For days together, they would
sc dom meet except at table, and when Mr. Dom
bev was present Tnen Edith imperous lnhexl
bic. and silent never looked At her. Whenever
Nr Carker was o. the party, as he often was Dur
| ing the progress OF Mr Dombeys recovery, and Al
| tsrward Edith he'd herself more removed IRON
her and was more distant toward her. than al
other times. Yet she aud Florence never encoun
| tered. when there vas 10 0Ac by, but she woult
| embrance her as stieclion4tely as OF old, though
not with the same rel, ntirg o. her proud aspect
sla often when she had been cut ate she wou'f
| stsal un 20 Florence room. AS she had been use
b. do. iu the dark, and whisper " Good Night Oh
her pillow When unconscious, m her slumDer' o
such visits, Florence would sometimes awake a.
from dream OF those words softly spoken, sn'
would seem u feel the touch Of ups upon her lace
But less and iess often the month went on
And now the void iu Florence own heart oega
a,aiu. indeed % make solitude around ner A
tSa image Of the father whom she loved had insen
siblv become a mere abstraction, so kditn, ioii9"
ies the fate of ali the rest about whom ner 1hec
ti5rs had entsined themselves, was ieetlng lad
ine. growing paier Ia toe distance every Gay :