Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-11-23

small miniature case and packet o.
written papers.
Mr. We're rose and handed her chair.
She took it without speaking. and seated
herself between him and Mrs. Forrest
She placed the packet on the table, and
and as ever. when deeply agitated. pres
sed one hand tightly against her heart.
al have some papers here which l wish
to read to all of you." she said. speak
ing in forced aud husky tone of voice.
Don't anybody leave the room" she ad-
ded, as Mr.. Norris rose to do so. "Icount
upon all here as my friends. and wish 10
confide in them as such. Perhaps / might
not have adopted this course, had my
friend, Mr. Hale been near me. 1 then
should have probably gone TO him with
this but he is absent, and has not in-
formed me of his whereabouts"
Mr.. We're here bent forward and fixed
his eyes upon the young orphan. who.
with her pale face cleaning out from her
profusipn of golden curls. looked like
some exquisite portrait with halo round
its head. Mrs. Forrest, in tone OF
kindly encouragement begged her to pro-
ceed.
"When my mother died." she continu-
ed, her voice growing more and more
choked with rising emotion, she left in
my hands these papers. and begged me
with her failing voice, to read them. She
added some strange words about my
birth and parentage which did not un-
derstand. and which I-thonght were the
offspring of disordered and sinking
mind
Until to-day have not touched this
packet. My grief was too heavy to ad-
NIT of my SO soon tearing open my heart
wounds in the perusal of what l deemed
might be words of instruction from the
hands of that ever gentle parent. felt it
would recall the past all too yiyidly,
and waited until to-day to do what
should no doubt have been done before"
Hero Alice, who had been sitting all
this time with her eyes cast down, lifted
them in their beautiful radiance. andthey
met those of the young divine fixed sym
Pathetically upon her face. That look.
so full of tenderness. sympathy and sor-
row. so touched the young girl that she
paused, and pressing her white hand still
tighter against her heart, bent down her
head and burst into flood of tears.
All were silent around the table, wait
ing for her TO recover herself. She did
SO. in little while. and went on
'' need not tell you have been made
very unhappy in the perusal Of these pa
pers: i. seems to me as if you must al
ready know it. My own suderings have
been so intense, it has seemed as il they
must have gone to those around me. I'm
til to o-day. believed mourned the death
of my own mother. / felt that could vi
sit her grave, and read her name upon the
tombstone. and feel that my mother lay
there. But l know differently now even
this sad pleasure is denied me, and find
strange mystery overhanging my birth.
name and parentage."
Mr.. We're started violently and bent
more eagerly forwarded.
"1 have so long been accustomed t
regard Mrs. Freeland the words were spo
ken with an effort) as my mother, she,ha,
been ever SO kind to me, and have loveC
her always with such fondness since car
remember anything, that it seems now lik,
tearing portion of my soul away, to be
obliged to relinquish her memory as
mother j; and wish in my heart thi
knowledge had never come to me. Will
your permission, Mrs. Forrest. will rem
to You what is here written, for canno
tell it.
'' / will omit all this." said Alice, tur
ming over two or three leaves of the Ms
" Il is what is addressed particularly {,
me, and beyond begging forgiveness 70
the hitherto unbroken silence maintained
on this subject. bears very little referenc,
to the main fact"
Turning the page to the rays of the
lamp. she read as follows -
I" The first years of my married lif
were spent in -shire, England.
married against the wishes of my rela
tives, and in conseq uence held no inter
course with them until after my husband,
death, when came 10 reside at the Ma
nor. The FIRST year of my marriage saw
me the mother of a little girl. She was q
delicate, dropping little thing, and | watch,
ed her with jealous care lest l should
at any time lose the precious jewel which
had fallen to my charge. Ilayished up.
on it too much love, and God saw ct to take
it from me. l mourned as only a mother
can mourn, and when received another
blow in the death of my husband. was
in despair, and felt too heavily stricken
to ever lift my head again. But necessi.
ty obliged me leave the land where lay
my buried hopes. and in company with a
party who were travelling 70 the States,
commenced my journey hither. Soon az
ter landing from the vessel, we took ouI
way in one of the travelling wagons ofthat
day for our destination. Passing one day
through wild and mountainous portion
ofcOuntry, we came suddenly upon band
of gipsies. eneamped around blazing fire,
ana ana apparently enjoying 70 the utmost