The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-06-20
WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, JUNE %. 1850

aYes, with me" replied Susan, calmly GYou
know always was his friend. am 80 still He
needs me in his sorrow, and will not fail him p
Louise pressed her hand, and said" But peo.
pie are 80 censorous, dear Susan /; and under all
the circumstances -
"The world will make no mistakes about me y
answered Susan with q gentle dignity.
Louise raised her eyes to that pale but angelic
countenance, and acquieseed from her prpfoundest
soul
"Since you have named Louis will you permit
me to ask you some questions about him ~
"Yes, yes; oh, yes Heaven bless you for
coming since you may be said to come from Louis.
| Go onn
"Have you ever received any letters from Lou
is since your residence here ~
"Not onen
"Yet he wrote to you many, many times, until
he abandoned it in despair Of getting an answer !
I Have you never written to him ~
ooh, yes; many, many letters
Yet he never received one! II is plain, Lou
Use, that all your letters have been intercepted
"Oh who eonld have been so cruel2n
1t is not for me TO say, Louise; it Is a dread
full thing Let Providence reveal It in his own
time and methodr' -4.
"Ohl Susan, am SO glad you are here to tell
me this! God bless you for coming! Come
| oSo'ht ouooa CumV Oittu! hDu eluCt yOu btt
Louis, tell him, Susan, that | love him STILL and
always--that pray for him day and Dight-that
thank him devoutly for his forbearance towards
my mother-thst admire him more than ever
that would die for him-but that cannot break
my mothers heart, or dare her curse Tell him
| have named my child after his mother. Tell
him that love this child more than life. Yet,
assure him, that il he desires it, | will press my
last kiss on this infants lips, and send her to
him, If her presence would comfort him Tell
| him. for my own part feel weak, and altogether
unworthy of his thoughts that | only wish to
| die, rs the only means Of extrication from this
trouble. To die, that he may be happy. Grief
! 70. ySn Sssd is less severe Nan sorrow for the
| lvingp
:. ssS.S I-.<.1ss> !, sss,s,,. Is. "a I'd slIS Il.
fict between the prejudices and pervcrsions OF
your strange education and the natural and good
qualities of your heart. Yes Louise thai is an
internal conflict worse than the controversy be-
tween your mother aud your husbands family
and it is a suffering from which even the angelic
goodness Of your Louis cannot save you You
are not doing well, Louise, and your heart tells
you go, for you call yourself weak and unwor-
tbyp Resolve-return to Louis | will bear any
message to him 1 will bring him here to-mor-
row-to nghtn
No! no. no no not for thousand worlds p
cASiuihcu tuc iuiucCiAO Rri, euthibS 'Shy paiO'
"Do you know my mother, that you propose
that? Oh the scene would be frightful! ! can
bear anything else-but cannot dare mothers
curse p
Louise suddenly started and suppressed a
scream-M Armstrong stood before them She
had entered unperceved, while they were alb
sorbed in conversation. Susan Somerville arose
and curtesied, without offering her hand, or re-
seating herself Mrs. Armstrong bowed coldly,
and then addressing herself to Louise asked her
how long she had been sitting up2
"Nearly two hours, but am not tired, mann.
ma !" pleaded the daughter.
Nevertheless, you must lie downp decided
the lady, lifting the babe from her lap and re.
placing it in the crib. "Miss Somerville, am
sure, will excuse us"
al am about to take my leave madam" replied
Susan. s-------...--.-.
another, Susan walked here" said Louise
"Then, Miss Somervlle, you must either give
us the pleasure of your company all night, or
permit me to send you home in the carriage"
said Mrs. Armstrong who, with all her deviltries,
was Virginian lady still; and, as such, a loyal
observer Of all the laws of hospitality.
Miss Somerviiie thanked Mfv. Armstrong, but
| informed her that she was engaged to spend the
| afternoon and night at the Dovecotc, with Zoe
| Susan then embraced Louise, and took her leave
| Mrs. Armstrong had apparently forgotten her
intention of putting Louise to bed, for she wheel
ed an easy chair close to the crib her daugh-
ter, and sat down, saying
III am constrained to declare, that Miss Susan
Somerville Is far too independent for her sex and
years To think of her openly visiting the
Dovecotei II she continues to do that, the doors
of Mont Crystal shall be closed against herw
| ooh but mamma" said Louise, "Zoe is not
what she has been represented to be. Susan, and
the Lions and even Brightly, have found out
| Something conspiracy, they say-but Susan
| did not tell me what it was--but mother mother
good heavens, mother! What is the matter ~
Mrs Armstrong had started from her chair,
grown CHASTITY pale, sunk back again, with her
face crimson, and the veins in her forehead and
temples full and distended.
ooh my Heaven. mother motherp ex-
claimed Louise, starting forward "Kate Kate i
here here help! my mother is dyingn and
she ran and pulled the bell violently. Several
servants ran in. Mrs. Armstrong was placed
upon the bed. The physician was sent for
Ice was placed at her head, and bottles of hot
water at her feet Louise was frightened and
helpless as usual.
"Donot be alarmed, madam, y said Kate umper,
who seemed to understand the case" this is only
a rush of blood to the head she will be better
soonn And, in fact, before the arrival of the
physician, Mrs Armstrong was relieved.
But now came the strange part of IL. As soon
as her senses had quite returned she dismissed oil
her attendants from the room; and regardless of
her own exhaustion or her daughters feebleness
she summoned Louise TO her bedside, and made
her repeat sll the conversation of which Zoe had
been the subject Then partially treasured, she
dismissed her TO bed, and recalled her attendants
by means Of the bell whose handle was 10 her
reach.
The next morning Mrs Armstrong was up
early, and having seen Louise made comfortable
at her favorite window with her babe beside her
in the crib and having given orders that no one
should be admitted during her absence Mr.. Arm
| strong entered her carriage, and drove out. She
| was gone all day She returned haggard and
wretched in the evening. The next day she was
closeted with lawyer, a stranger, and her over
| seer and nj the close Of the conference, looked
better satisfied The third day. letters were
| written, and packets sent of to the post Office
The remainder Of the week there was a great
hustle all through the house.
The LIST of May, a neighbor passing by Mont
| Crystal found the house shut up Inquiring of .
man who was experimenting the working OF q
contiguous field, he was told that the family bad
| removed quite suddenly--so suddenly, that no
one had suspected their intention until they had
gone-no one knew whther--not even their rels-
tives at the Isle OF Rays. That the house was
closed, and the lands lessed-snd the negroes
hired TO the lessee; that he himself was the over
seer appointed by the planter who had taken the
Mont Crystal Estate.
no Blk CONTINUED
Ono CONFERENCE.-The Ohio Constitutional
Convention in Committee Of the Whole has de-
cided, three to one In favor Of biennial sessions
The Committee has also resolved to place the
eligibility Of Senators and Representatives, as II