The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-12-19

dependence ana duty to those through
whom she was under obi cations would
have drawn from her consent to we'd
this man. There is want of honour
l so loathc from my soul in the use Of
such advantage for any purpose that l
never hear Of it but my pulse quickcns
and my blood bounds fierccly through
my vicns, and now when it made the
power to rivct chains upon young
hearts sympathics, and hold them in
hopeless durance through lifc----to tuln
within the flame that would prey upon
that heart ccasclcssly,.-.I secretly VOW
cd to challenge these dcstroycrs hcrcaf:
ter aud make them answer where at
last they must.
"And your letter 100, Charles, seem
ed to Inc SO cold," said Mary, and ia
king from her card case slip of paper
she handed Inc the following lines, adj
ding, In my first impulse after reading
i, ! copied thcm--.thcy may 10 un-
kmd.'
"'Iic conflict Is over-,hc struggle is past
! have looked, hove loved, have wor>hippcd
M last.
New bcI; I" ,hc world and let fate do her wors'
Ga heart that for ,hcc such devotion hath
nursch,
For Ihcc t> best feelings were trusted away
Lie hereafter bath none to bctray"
Believe nc. dear Mary" I exclaimed
af,cr reading them "you arc unjust. If
ny letter spoke not oflove it was be
cansc dared not encourage hope
that mi yht interfere with your welfare.
However much I might have wished to
become your protector and Heaven
bear me witness 1 did wish it fer
vcntly could not offer even q hint
that might have exchanged this certain
ty for the vague uncertainty that must
attend my fortunes. Self denial was
hard but it is very much harder to be
ccnsured for it.
'Why--.why, did I not know this be.
iorc?' said Mary, so brokcn-heartcdly
,hat it startled me Because said
|, if for no other reason Heaven did
not will it. You will be happy yet
Happy at least in the consciousness Of
duty pcrformed---of correct and up,
right walk III the path you have chosen.
Your husband is kind and wealthy and
above al loves YOU sincerely Max
his home happy and yours will be SO
too.
That night I brcathcd one pure
prayer for Mary. The next day they
were to travel homeward and the time
arrived for our parting. 1t was short
We claspcd hands and exchanged one
look over the barrie, that was between
us for lifc-.--and a sigh and tear, and
was gone. was apparently happy
but she was sad and sad too i'll the
thought that l was not so.
Years have passed since have seen
her during which I have been the vic
tim Of false friendships and | have
learned her true worth and long alb,
scncc has increased, not diminished my
! love.
! Thus resulted trihing with the heart
and thus too did / fail to grasp treas
urc l had looked for so longingly
through, life, pure and true hearted
woman who had leave to love me-
1t will be argued that We even sigh
for what is inattainahle, and that if Ma
ry were single now l would not wed
her. The conclusion may be correct
but the premises are wrong. That she
is the only one I would marry is true
for | have been near enough since then
to scorching my fingers badly not tc
venture near unsteady flames again and
| have no wish to induce any woman tc
deliberately and solcmly pcrjurc her
self by swearing at the a!tdI % love me
when she as solcmnly knows she never
did and never could. IF / would
not link my fate to Mary's it would be
from fear that | might change ant
grow cold and, if her. But her mem
Dry is apart of my not already, so be
come unworthy Of cherished life ans
Will be always.