Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-04-04

DeTI. "A SCulue cnSueu, III WHICH tDe tp1eC
went of, whether accidentally Or. not. wa;
never known, and the young heir fell to tn
ground weltering in his blood. His life, fo
some time, was despaired of during whicl
time the brother maintained sullen silenc,
but at length Herbert was declared ou
of danger, and in a few weeks more, wal
completely restored. During this time tht
mother did not hesitate to give that version
of the story which would, by throwing al
the blame on Herbert, exculpa her dar
ling, SO Mat, when the young heir left his
sick chamber, he found that except amongs 9
few who dkne " position better, lie wss
received as an arrogant, and quarrelsome
young man.
This incident, however, had exercised a
powerful influence on Mrs. Wentworth
The very fact Herbert, whom she and hel
son had so long ruled with a rod of iron
should attempt to break loose from the
thraldom, infamed her almost to madness
From envying, she began to hate the young
heir, and that too with deadliness of which
one would have thought her incapable. And
every day, as Herbert broke some new
mesh of the net in which she had involved
him, she seemd to hate him more passion
ately, than before. Indeed, to woman o
her disposition, nothing could be more gall
ing than to see one, over whom she had
used to tyranize at her pleasure, asserting
his rights, even, in some cases, in direc
contradiction to her commands, as, for in.
stance, when Herbert refused as heir to the
estate, to allow some wood to be cut dowr
which she had ordered to be felled and sold
solemnly believe that the naughty step.
mother never forgave this act-that the re.
membrance of it haunted her night and day
and that it filled up the, cup of hatred
which before was nigh full, and led to the
dreadful catastrophe which ensued.
have said the young heir recovered from
his wound but he remained in an exceedingly
delicate state of health, so that the least ex.
posure of bis person was sure to bring on a
cold, attended with pains in his side, at the
seat Of his wound. However, by clothing
carefully according to the weather, he sue
ceeded in the course of some six months, il
firmly as he thought re-establishing his
health, though, it is my firm conviction
that, from the hour of his wound, his consti
tuition was e1ectually undermined. Ger
tain it is, that when Herbert, thinking him
self perfectly restored, ventured one day, OF
little more exposure than usual, he was
seized with violent cold, which soon re
suited in fever of the most desperate char.
acter. So fatal were the ravages of the
disease that his life was soon despaired of
and for several days we hourly expected to
hear of his death.
During this crisis, what the feelings O
the naughty step-mother? She could not b.
expected to wish for the recovery of the be
ing who she had hated with SO much inten
sity, and although she was forced to appear
concerned for him, and the best medica
attendance was, by her orders procured, ye
| have not the least doubt that the one burn
ing wish of her heart, during all that terri.
bic time, was that young heir might not re
cover. His death indeed, would be thu
contamination of all her hopes, 1t would a
once place her darling son in possession Of
the vast estate of his father-a position a
which she could not look without a momen
tary bewilderment. AS day after day
elapsed, and the young heir grew weake
and weaker, her hopes rose in proportion
and the prize on which at first, she hat
scarcely ventured to look, she now regar
ded as almost in the possession other child
How her heart leaped--we will not attemp
to disguise it-at the prospect before her
She would be saved from the shame Of be
ing thwarted as she had been-she woul.
no longer have right to remain at tht
Hall only as long as her husband lived
and though, under other circumstances, sh.
felt she might have continued in it to he
dying day, yet she knew that Herbert, af
Ter what had passed, would, ON his father
death, cut off all communication with her
Besides, her pride revolted from accepting
favor at the hands of the young heir
Her own child too, brought up as he hae
been, with habits of such lavish ex
penditure, how would he ever be able t.
live on the fortune, handsome though it wa
reserved for the younger son of the House
of Wentworth. He had been used to every
indulgence; he had been taught to regart
every body and every thing as subservien
to his wishes; in short, he had been educa
ted as the heir rather than IS the younger
son of the family-and now when the vas
estates of his father were almost within hi
grasp, when only the life Of sickly bo,
was in his way, could his mother be ex
pected to look upon the death of the rea
heir with anything but complacency? Blu
she dissembled her feelings; the world CAV
her credit for the most poignant anguisl
of mind during the vacillations of the dis
ease.
'And how is the patient tonight, doctor,
said she, following the physician out of tn
sick chamber, and affecting to place he
handkerchief to her eyes; do you not thinl
he is little improved?'
4 do not wish, unnecessarily, to alarm
you,' was the answer: indeed, you mus
have seen the ravages Of the disease; bu
so far from thinking your son'-oh! hov
the word grated on her feelings-'any bet
ter, fear he cannot survive until morning
He is naturally of a strong constitution
and this fever would have brought th
stoutest man to the grave. wonder hov
young Mr.. Wentworth has stood it so long.
Then you cannot give us any hope
: Oh! cannot you let US have some, even tn
; slightest expectation Of his recovery? Do
| dear Doctor, only say word like it,
hn nh Oh L laoJ eoJ1,y IL