New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-10-12
"You are joking, surely" replied the old

| man.
Reginalds only reply was to bcstow a warm
caross upon the almost convulscd Kate, and to
attempt to lead her, as suppliant, to the feet
of her mother
&c Take her ay!'' shouted her ladyship, as
she recoilei with an expression of loathing.
90 This is your own child - said Reginald, in
dignautly.
Child how dare you address such language
to me- She is no child of mine"
Reginall turned ashy white, and holding Kate
a little from him, bestowed an imploring glance
on the agitated peer.
'' This young person is not my daughter, my
lord,'' said the latter, '' nor any relative Of
mine'
ssThen who-who-:'' gasped Percy.
"Who is she' why, my daughter governess,'
was the prompt reply.
Reginald let Kate slip from his arm to the
floor, while he stood gazing at her prostrated
form TRANSPORTED with horror.
Come, come, Percy, it is time to end this
farce said Lord Castlearden; sit is unseemly
and before my daughters, too"
50 But | am marriedr' vociferated Percy.
s'Kate's husband y exclaimed her ladyship,
who fancied the objects in the room had multi
pied ad infnitum.
The domestics caught the expression, and
si kates husband passed the round of the
amazed group.
Forgive me, Reginald, do not look so. Kill
me if you will. for ] deserve it; but do not for
mercy sake, hate me- said Kate, in tone of
piteous entreaty. +" "Woman,' said he, fiercely,
'' is what thay tell me Iru1s"
1t is.''
And your name is -"
GO Kate Brown
A deep groan broke from the young mans
chest, and sinking into chair, he buried his
face in his hands.
Woman, have you dared - said the peer
angrily -, - - -. -, :;
t 90 Such brazen effrontry. Well, / never-a
| prison would be too good for her. were the
charitable remarks of the sons and daughters.
5 The servants were silent but they drew away
from her as if she had been pestilence. All
| this reused Kate from the lethargy into which
| she was sinking, and springing to her feet, she
confronted her taunters with the aspect Of a
Pytboness Her nostrils distentedslike those ola
painting seed.
r "Cowards !" she cried s' how loud you can
bark at solitary, friendless woman. You
would bite too, if you dared; but defy any one
of you to so much as wag little finger at me. -
e heginald, upon hearing this spirited declara-
ton raised his wan face, and regarded her
iixedly.
t ssYou heap reproaches on me- she continued
1 & and never think of blaming yourselves. Who
t first suggested this relation to me: You" ad
q dressing lady Castearden, s' by your contume
y
G You," addressing her husband, 'tby your haugh
ty coldness; you, to the daughters, "by YOU
V tyranny--your coarse, cruel tyranny; you, tt
the sons, sby your insults, your detestable
e cold blooded insults Was a meek, poor thing
e to endure all this uncomplainingly' No!
= studied my revenge and determined to hav'
q satisfaction, by casting slight on the whole
. order. The beauty that made me hated b.
IF you,''-this was to the young ladies' and tor
n nented by you u"-this was to the sons =.
,c swore should avenge me. Accident threw thi
e gentleman in my way. He became enamoret
i Of the peers daughter, and offered her honorabl
e marriage. Would he have done the same t
n Kate Brown the governess | doubt it; and a
a I loved him, and distrusted myself, allowed tn
d deception to go on. The result you know. I al
now Lady Percy"
,e This was delivered with an air of lofty disdain
v not unmingled with the fondness of woma
e who unreservedly loves. Reginald groaned au
dibly, but in his inmost heart he could not hel
g. admring his courageous and extremely beaut
e, full wife. But his pride had been wounded, an
re he stood aloof from her. Kate noticed the NJ
of ton. and tears started to her eyes.
us "Reginald,' she said, in voice broken
emotion. &c say you 10 not hate me! the law W
he perhaps release you. and then yon can w
I, another, in your station Of life, but never
ly truer or more spotless girl than the one YOU a
en- spnrning Dear Reginald, say one kind wol
IN to me, and l will pass away from you Like
- dream"
ne As she said this. she flung herself at his fee
er and claspirg his knees, looked up beseechingl
in his flce The appeal was irresstibe-f
d. bent down, imprinted one burning kiss on he
ice cold forehead. and then darted from th
room. Hates husband was never more seen j
ld Castlearden House. Kate left almost immediate
al ly after he did, but not before she had with he
ne little hand made the cheek of tho Hon. Russ
~ Castlearden tingle again
iu The same night she was closted with her III
~ ~ cle-a Mr.. Brown, o bachelor who had larg
n a transactions in the general grocery line. Tt
IL ~ old man seemed nightly pleased with her, an
ou W as he chucked his niece under the chin jocual
VI u larly said
er THAT having gone into the world little he
of oe done her good She had bagged live nobl
VI VI man., an exploit never before performed by
ns Brown, and he honored her for the deed
m N But have lost him. sobbed Kate, &c he
gone-gone f'revert'
~, W ssNot bit of it, replied her uncle assuring
:e !e ly. His vanity and prejudices, and all tha
MS are touched; but he will come round in tim
~ ~ depend upon it, ~
", & He may get divorce, or, the marriage MI
oo be declared illegal" As this surmise tlitt
:, through kates mind, she evidenced strong tie
- dency to Mysteries; for Kate was proud nl
ef' virtuous girl and keeny felt the prospect
=, disgrace, Her uncle was alarmed; and fort
), with consulted his legal ADVISER, VINO coisol
him with the positive assurance that the ma
49,. riage was perfectly legal; five hundred yea
!S hence, when the united streams of the Brow
''e and Percys flowed in one channel there mig
y be some difficulty in tracing the descent, tn
IA, was all. His next step was to ende" vor to fiji
ilIe ne out kate's husband, and accommodate matte
eu' between them, but the search was useless;
v Reginald, dreading the ridicule that was 6
niy tached to this singular alliance, had fed no 0
oS knew whether. Kate in time became qu
-. soothed her womanly strength was great, a
IL. ,rS an imperative duty quite weaned her thougl
i9' from useless grief.
e1 Five years elapsed, during which time
,,t constantly resided under her uncle's roof;
nd notwithstanding all his diligent inquiries,
;no Reginald could be discovered, so that " Kat
re. husband" " became quite a household myth, a
mt many were the portentous shakes Of the he
cv indulged in by the old ladies of his {
alr quaintance when tie mystery was discuss
At last he was traced, but to a debtor prise
oes A fierce career of dissipation had terminated
Il; q his becoming an inmate of the Kings Bent
.j;D where, wearied and disgusted with himself, a
all the world, he had languished for some mont
NV, And had he all this time, thought of Kat
'A' Often, for he was not adamant and vision
loo her beauty and spirit, as she braved and heal
~ scorn upon her mean foes on the last occas
ul- A.. ,,,, bor l,nun+oI him dav and nipht