The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1851-05-14

ffsnrr fsilfd ihird lime but still
Clara declined seeing him. On The day
slifr This last attempt. he received a
note from her in these, 10 him, strange
words -
-DEAR SrR: Since lat met you. l
hate become satisfied that a marriage
between US cannot prove a happy one.
This conclusion is FAR moIe painful TO
ms than il can possibly be Ia you. you.
| trust. will soon be able 10 feel coldly
towards her whose frkleness. as you
will call il. 50 soon led her To change
her mind ; bui a lifr-shadow is upon my
heart. II you can forgei me. do so. in
justice 10 Yourself. As for me, feel
thai-bui why should say this Charles.
do not seek To change The resolution
have taken. for you cannot do not ask
for explanations. for can give none.
May you be happier Than I ran ever be!
Farewell. .CLARA."
Madness !" exclaimed Charles Fish
er. as he crumpled this letter in his hand.
!" Is there no faith in womsn!"
He sought no explanations: he made no
effort 10 change her resolution; but mere
ly returned this brief answer
"clara. you are free."
II was quickly known among The cir
Gle Of their friends that the engagement
had been broken of. aIesrs and his
friend. may be supposed, did not feel
very comfortable when they heard this.
IL didn't think The silly girl would
take il SO seriously" remarked one 10 The
other.
"No, il was mere joke"
But has turned ou. a very serious
one."
"Iguass they'll make il up again before
long"
81 hope so. Who would have believed
il was in her TO take the mailer so much
at heart, or To act with so much decision
and frmnessl really think better Of the
girl than did hefnre, although pity her
from my heart"
"Hadn'i we better make an effort "a
undo The wrong we have donc!"
"And we expose ourselves! Oh no
We must be as still az death on the sub.
ject. Ii is too serious an affair. We nigh
get ourselves into trouble"
"rrue. But cannot bear to think lha
others are suffering from an aelof mine.'
! "It is mol pleasant consciousness, Ger
iainly. But still, To confess what we hav,
done would place us in very awkward
position. In fact, not for the world would
have an exposure of this little act Of folly
] take place. Il would affect me in certain
where. need not mention it
you-in way that nigh, be exceedingly
disagreeable."
!, IL didn't think OF that. Yes, | agree
with you iha, we had best keep quie
about il. I'm sorry; bu, il can, be help
ed now"
And so the matter was dismissed.
No one saw Clara Grant in company
for the space Of twelve months. When
she did appear. all her old friends were
struck with the great change in her ap.
pearance. AS for Fisher, he had left the
city some months belore, and gone off to
southern town, where. il was said, lie
was in good business.
The cause of estrangement between the
lovers remained mystery TO every one.
To all qneslions on the subject, Clara
was silent. Blu, that she was sufferer
every one could see.
IL wish that girl would fall in love
with somebody and get married." Mcars
remarked 10 his friend. abou, Two yeats
after they had passed off upon Clara their
good joke. Her pale, quiet. suffering
face haunts me wherever CO."
$50 do |. Who could have believed
that mere joke would Turn ou. SO seri'
ously!"
II wonder if he is married yel!"
.li's doubtful. He appeared 10 take
The ma,ier quite as hard as she does"
4. Well, it's lesson 10 me-"
And 10 me a'so.
Aud, with this moi very satisfactory
conclusion. The two friends dropped the
subject. Both, since destroying, by q
few words spoken in jest. the happiness
of loving couple, had wooed an! wor
The maidens Of their choice, and were now
married. Both. up TO this time. had care
fully concealed from their wives the act o
which they had been guilty.
After returning home from a pleasan
company one evening. at which Clar;
was present. The wife oi Mears said u
him
"You did not seem to enjoy yourself
tonight. Are you no. well!'
"Oh yes; feel quite well" returne'
Mears.
Why, then. did you look so sober!
IL was not aware that looked more 81
than usual"
/ "You did. then. And you look sobe
now. There must be some cause for this
What is il, dear!"
;. Mears was by no means ignorant OF tn
fac, ,ha, he felt sober. The presence
. Clara distressed him more. instead OF less
!. The oflener lie met her. The question Q
his wife made him feel half inclined to tel
her the trulb. Aflcr thinking ior mo