The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-12-19
! ] TER IIS, 90 . yea ii advance
which she was placed and I could clear

which she was placed and could clear.
LIZ sec that nothing but a sense of her
dependence and duty to those through
whom she was under obligations would
have drawn from her a consent to we'd
this man. THERE'S d want Of honour
/ so loathe from my soul in the use 9of
such advantage for any purpose that |
never hear Of it but my pulse quickens
and my blood bounds fiercely through
my yiens, and now when it made the
power to rivet chains upon young
hearts symparhies, and hold them in
hopeless durance through lifc+-to turn
within the fame that would preY upon,
that heart ceaselessly..-.I secretly VOW
ed to challenge these deetroyers hcreaf-,
Ter and make them answer where at
last they must.
And your letter 100, Charles, seem.
ed to me SO, cold,'' said Mary, and Ia
king fromfher card case q slip Of paper
she handed me,the following lines, adj
ding, In my firstimpulse after reading
il, i copied thcm--they may be un-
kind 80
"ihe conflict is over-ibc struggle is past (,
have looked, have loved, l have worshjppedi
my last.
Now back 10 The world and let fate do her worst,
On heart that for ,hce such devotion hulii
nursca,
! F"r Thee its best feelings were trusted away
Life hereafter hath none TO be,roy."
Believe me. dear Mary" l exclaimed
after reading them stsyou are unjust. IF
my letter spoke not oflove. it was be
cause / dared not encourage hope
that might interfere with your welfare.
However much | might have wished to
become your protector and Heaven
bear me witness / did wish it fer
vently Icould not offer even a 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
icensured for IT,
sWhy.-why, did / not know this be.
forc?' said Mary, so broken.heartedly
that il startled me Because said
|, if for no other reason Heaven did
not will it. You viii be happy yet.
Happy at least in the consciousness Of
duty performed d--off a correct and up
right walk IN the path you have chosen.
Your husband is sikind and wealthy and
above Ssa loves you sincerely. Make
his bone nap md yours will be 50
too. 8 y.
That night I breathed one pure
prayer for Mary The next day they
were to travel homeward and the time
arrived for our parting. It was short.
We clasped hands and excy ianged one
look over the barrier that was between
us for life----and q sigh and a tear, and
| was gone. | was apparently happy
but she was sad and sad too in the
thought that / was not so.
Years have passed since I have seen
her during which I hive been the VIC
tim Of false friendships and | have
learned her true worth and long ab--
sencc has increased, not diminished my
love. r
Thus resulted triRing With the heart
and thus too did / fail to grasp q treas,
urc / had looked for so longingly
through. life, pure and true hearted
woman who had 'lcavc TO love me-
1t will be argued that we even sigh
for what is inattainable, and tliatif Ma
ry were single nov; I would not wed
her. The conclusion may be correct
but the premises are wrong. That she
is the only one j would marry is true
for / have been near enough since then
to scorching my fingers badly not to
venture near unsteady flames again and
have no wish to induce any woman to
deliberately and solcnnly perjure her
self by swearing at the altar to love me
when she rs solemnly knows she never
did and never could. If / would
not link my fate to Mary's it would be
from q fear that l might change and
grow cold and, if her. But her mem,
ory is apart of my not already, 50 be.
come unworthy of cherished life and
will be always.
Can any ono tell ns why natural
fools, idiots. or innocents, are SO very
proud? Itisa fact that this species Of
property are nightly stuck up and
naughty. 1t answers one good pur,
pose. 1t prevents them oftentimes
from being taken advantage Of, as they
keep their distance with 80 much haa-
tour that strangers will not approach
them. You may remark this fact, that
just in proportion rs o man lacks intels
lect, he will be distant, exclusive, proud,
and naughty in his bearing towards 9th.
ers, the bump Of esteem towering