Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-11-16

dltateQ, - i am alone III ILLS hIuS, nAuS
world. Well it is for me that l learned
some of its hollowness ere this blow
came" III o-
At that moment, the sound of horses
hoo:s were heard clattering up the ave-
nue., and the next instant the door was
flung wideiope and Robert Grant stood
before the astonished girl. 1
| Alice started from her seat with a min
gled expression of sorrow and surprise in
her face.
The young man advanced toward her
with rapid step and excited counte-
nance, and threw himself upon his knees
before her.
.tAlice l'' cried he, clasping her hand
passionately in his own, ''Alice. am
come back to claim from your lips that
forgiveness of the past which my suffer
ings merit for me. have sought to for
get, in the whirl and excitement of travel,
the bitterness as well as the brightness of
the past. have only succeeded in re-
membering my own misery. and my own
blindness. Nay" he continued, seeing
Alice about to speak, 4" Go not interrupt
me, let me tell you all. Surely, surely,
Alice, you know that once dearly To-
|
have been on the subject, my manner
could not have failed to tell you So
1 was won from your side, Alice, by the
impetuosity of my own feelings, and the
willy Vaccinations of an accomplished CO.
quette. was led so blindly down the
sparkling tide that forgot everything
else in its dazzling brilliancy, need not
be more explicit meet my reward
1 found had leaned on broken reed,
and in that same hour Ifound that pas
sion, not lore, had turned me from the
course of my first affections. L wander
ed away, moody and dispirited but AL
ice, dear Alice, one ray of light has ever
followed me, one brilliant star has bright
ened my pathway and led me back to
your side. My love. all true and strong
as it ever was in the primeyal days ofour
happiness, [ found still glowing in my
breast for its first object, and now lay it
at your feet and beg you to be merciful."
- Rise, Robert, exclaimed Alice, bend
ing forward, with her pale cheek holly
flushed it is not here that you may
kneel If you have committed wrong.
seek forgiveness from a higher Source
have nothing to forgive
81 cannot rise hence" he returned
warmly, "until learn my fate. Think,
Alice, upon the happy days which once
were ours Think how tenderly 1 ever
loved you, till this dark shadow eros
sed our path. Think how devotedly
love you now, and pause ere you pro-
nounce the words which for veal or wo
decide my fate for life
=. The time has passed, Robert" repli
ed Alice. laying one hand tightly upou
her heart, as if to quiet its tumultu Gus
throbbing, " the time has passed when l
might have answered you as you wished.
There was a time q need not conceal it
from you now, when my heart respond
ed to your own. But it is gone By. Our
paths through life lie far apart. Tread
| yours, where the wrold will acknowledge
its brightness, and forget me, Mine lies
not beside it, and as other than friends
we must never meet"
.' Alice, Alice 70 exclaimed Robert pas
sionately. pause. think again. ere you
turn thus coldly from me. Remember
how much hangs upon your answer. You
were my first. you are my last love, and
henceforth the only shrine at which this
proud spirit can ever bow"
81 would not pain you, Robert, but |
repeat, cannot be to you ever more than
friend. 1 have heard you address as
warm words to another as you now do TO
me. l cannot trust them again. Say
nothing of Lena" added she, as Robert !
sprang to his feet with her name upon
his lips. "She has always been to me
as sister, and as such l love her.
"The day may come when, like me,
you will find how she has deceived you.
God grant, however, the lesson may ne
yer come to you"
There was slight pause. and Robert. !
reading in his Cousins face that it was
useless to plead longer, raised her hand |
with touching tenderness to his lips, and
exclaimed
Z" Adieu. Alice. forever. We may ne
yer meet on earth again but when you
do lean your heart against another's, may /
you find it as true in its love as this
which breaks in resigning you"
Mounting his horse, he rode swiftly /
away, and through the same window, !
where she had in happier days watched
his retreating figure, Alice now with
brimming eyes witnessed his departure.
Truly he had prophesied. Alice and
he never met again. The next day after
histnterview with her, he had taken pas
sage in an Atlantic steamer for Europe. /
and there, strangers laid the stranger in /
his last resting place.
AS Alice turned from the window she
met the gaze of Harvey Hale. who un
perceived by her had entered the room
moment after Roberts departure. /
/" have come - said he. while his no.
BILE countenancc expressed both trouble /,
and sorrow. ''to take leave of you. Let
ters from my agent in the city of -.
require nv personal attention. ] shall