Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-11-20

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pitch, and seemed struggling for vent. YET
prudence and fear restrained il, and she
stood riveted TO the spo, gazing upon the
scene before her in mute horror.
"May we know your decision!' stern
| ly demanded Mr.. Langley.
"Give me one day more,' begged Lou
lisa, as she recoied before his fierce gaze.
which seemed to pierce her very soul
and almost choke her ntterance.
"Not another hour!'' and as he said
this he smote the table with such force,
that all present started as if a young
earthquake had been let loose upon them;
and David had actually reached the hall
door in hopes TO escape, ere he discover.
ed his mistake.
"Speak, GIRL" said the enraged guar
diaE as he arose from his seat and advanc-
ed toward the silent and Supplied Lou
isa.
"Another day." she gasped. "only one
day more;" and the half frantic girl rem-
led so violently that she was compel!-
ed 10 support herself by clinging TO the
door post.
"Silence! did not require you to de.
eide now!" and he seized her by The arm
so violently that she uttered piercing
shrek. which made David clear the hall
at one bound, and escape for life.
"Do you accept the offer, or do you
no,!'
Il do not" said she, firmly, her cour-
age once more returning.
"Girl, do you know what may be the
consequence Of your rasiIness!" he roar
ed, his face almost black with rage
"Think you that am to be foiled thus
by young girl! No! by all the Pow
crs above | will accomplish my purpose,
| and you shall marry that man or die!
yes, die! and that too, by all the misery
OF starvation. Do you still persist"
81 do"
"Follow ME them" and he dragged
The half senseless girl up two flights OF
stairs and hurst her into dimly lighted
attic, without sun, or air, save from a
small sky-light overhead, Nov girl,
hear your DOOM" he exclaimed, as Lou.
lsa stood before him, regarding him with
a look which made even him quail be-
meath her fixed gaze. "You are 10 re-
main in this room on small allowance
of bread and water. until you consent 10
wed David Grant. What say you to
the sentence?'
81 say" replied Louisa, at is as inhu-
man as its inventor, and will profit you
! nothing"
Silence! iGsolent hussy! or | will
smite you to the floor" and he was only
deferred from carving his threat into ex-
eculion by the fearless gaze Louisa bent
upon him. Furiously slamming The
door IN her face, he bolted il strongly
and left the distressed girl to pour forth
her sorrows in solitary confinement.
lie had now taken step which he
could not retrace in safety. He saw lii
lie hope except in the death of his vic.
tim. He was confident that Louisa had
no, seen Henry Wilson since the eve.
ming he had conversed with him; and
should he again inquire for her, he could
say she had gone some distance into the
country.
After the first emotion Of horror and
Indignation had subsidized, Louisa wept
long and bitterly, over her hard fate.--
The assurance that she possessed one
friend who would not forsake her, was
now her only source of fconsolation. She
though. too, that her guardian would
soon relent and crave her forgiveness
Alas! she knew not the secret spring TO
his motives. or she would never have
cherished hope Of deliserance from that
quarter. Gold! yes, an inordinate love
of the sordid ore was his ruling passion,
the altar before which he bowed and
offered up his virtue, his honor aud his
happiness. The passion that had erad-
ica,ed every just and and noble senti-
ment from his heart.