Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1849-09-08

1t was cold and trembling. ni
'Clara,; said Mrs. Walton,' impressively,
'you must not accept this ofer.'
sMothern rf..t.
NO you must not. You do not love Mr..
Palmer, and without you can give him
your heart, you must not become his WIFE,
sBut what will you do! What will be-
come of you and poor Henry! You have
no longer strength to work-nay, hear me,
dear mother--we must leave this cottage
Immediately. Mr.. Forester will come
soon, and I would not for the world he
should find me here' '-
She spoke hurriedly, for there was rust
ling among the shrubbcry near the Win
dow, which opened TO the ground, and
she thought some one was coming ill.,
They listened. f
'lt is only Henry, gathering his evening
offering of flowers,' said Mrs. Walton, and
Clara resumed
q have thought of every plan, but | do
not find anything can do will support you
in comfort. And then poor Henry he so
loves these trees and flowers, that he will
droop and die if we take him into close
room, as we must do, should we 90 back to
boarding again. But do not fear that l
shall deceive Mr.. Palmer. have told him
that | do not love him; that if accepted
him, it would be for the sake Of my mother
and brother. Tomorrow | shall tell him
-
THAT you loved another,' said Mrs. Wal
ton, in a low, sad tone.
sNo--but that I have loved, | Think
continued this heroic girl, q hope have
overcome the weakness / ought never to
have indulgedn
90! il was my fault; ought never to
have permitted you to pass so much time
with the Forcsters. The excellence of that
young mans character seemed TO me, then,
guarantee that he would not abuse my
confidence: would not seek to win the
heart of my child, and then cast it
away like a worthless weed y said Mrs.
Walton, in tone of deep anguish.
'He did not--he did not, o. mother,
you wrong him. said Clara, weeping for
the first time. sIIe never attempted to win
my affections. He never paid me com
plment, or said word which good bro
ther might not have said to young sister,
whom he wished to guide in the way of
everything pure and holy, gave him my
love unsought, unknown by him-unknown
even to myself. Till Mr.. Palmer address
ed TO me, to whom, except that he is not a
religious man, could have no reasonable
objection, knew not that had no heart to
give. But must not be thus weak she
added, wiping the tears from her eyes
'My resolution is taken.
80 marry Mr. Palmer' '..
'Yes--if he continues to desire it, after ]
have told him ALL -..r..L ...I -.
Here the rose tree, by the window, was
again agitated.
'Clara,' said Mrs. Walton, solemnly,
'listen to me. dare not allow You to
make thus sacrifice on my account-neither
would it be for good. All mere worldly
prosperity is unstable; even while it lasts,
it is hollow and unsatisfying, l married Col.
Meredith because he was rich and my pa.
loved only Edward Walton, your father.
the consequences were most unhappy. |
lived in splendor, it is true; and became
so absorbed in the dissipations of fashiona-
BILE life, in which plunged to avoid rehec-
ton, that left my dear little Henry, one
of the most beautiful children ever looked
upon, when he was only three years old,
at home, to the care of hired servants, and
made the tour of Europe, not for health,
but amusement. When. at the end of two
years, / returned, found him poor Grip
pie and idiotic. A fall he received, which
was neglected, because his mother was not
near to watch over him, was the cause of
this. My husband knew that ! did not
love HIM; and after our return, and he
found his hopes in his son thus destroyed,
he grew morose and unkind. His affairs,
too, were deranged and the failure of a
large banking-housc in England, where he
had placed most of his money, completed
our ruin. He lived but few weeks after
this loss and thus, in less than seven years
from the time / married one of the richest
men in New York, | was left poor
widow, with sickly, deiormed child to
provide for. And, Clara, during these
seven years, / was never happy; for my
heart was not in my duties, and God was
not with me- ''
'But then you married my father, and he
was good and kind to you, my dear mother,
: said Clara sobbng. 'He had always loved
YOU
'He has always remembered me- replied
3 Mrs. Walton, sand my sorrows revived hi;
affection. But Edward had lost his health
and was not able TO take orders as he had
intended; his lungs were so weak that ht
could not preach. When we married, hi,
income, gained by his writings and giving
lessons in the languages, was only sufficient
to furnish us with the mere neceSsaries o
life. But then we loved each other, and
had faith in God. had learned that earth
was a broken reed; Edward taught me tc
look to heaven and trust in the Saviour
: Our humble home was the temple of prayer
aud praise; and then we had you to crown
our happiness. There was still one bitter
drop in my cup-poor Henry's state, ant
the thought that il was my fault. Blu
your father was SO kind to him, and Henry
7 always seemed SO happy himself, tina
q thouoh mourned | did NOT re mine Oh