Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-03-31
ment was drawn up by Colonel Polexfen's d.


rectlon, which he signed and sent down to the
BRIDES family. On the day appointed, Mary
and her brothers repaired to the church; trav-
cling chariot and four horses stood at the door.
On en- ering, they found Colonel Pollexfen point
ing out to the friend who accompanied him the
monuments belonging to the Chambean family.
As soon as he perceived them he took his place
at the altar, and the ceremony commenced with
out delay As soon as it was concluded, he
bowed 18th great polteness to all present, and
said. You are all here Witnesses that have
performed my engagement" Then without
even looking at his BRIDE. he Quilted the church
and, accompanied by his friend, entered the car
rriage which was n waiting. and drove rapidly
away! Mary was carried senseless from the
church. nd for several weeks continued dam
gerously i'll.
The real strength of her character now showed
itself. She made no complaint; she d,d not
even assume her husbands name, but took the
appeaton Of Mrs. Cha ubean. The settle
ment was returned to Collonel Poexfen's law
yer, with an iltimstian that It would never be
claimed. She stled the anger OF her brothers,
and would not endure word TO be said against
her husband She never alluded to him herself.
A great change came over her she did not
seem to suffer nearly so much from her cruel po-
sition as might have been expected; her mean-
choly and depression gave place to a steady de-
termination of purpose. In the brief space dur
ing which she and her husband had stood at the
altar, she had realized the distance that existed
in their positions in life. With rare superior
hy, she understood how natural it was that he
should have felt no desire to renew his boysh
engagement she owned in her heart that she
was moi fitted to be the wife and companion of
such man as he had now become. Had she
seen all this sooner she would have at once re-
leased him, now she could no longer do so, and
she resolved to fit herself 10 fill the statiln 10
which as his wife, she had been raised.
| The brief interview before the altar had stim.
ulated to desperation her attachment to him and
she felt that she must win him back again or die.
Mary had received but very little education. In
those days the insiruclitn bestowed on most
women was very limited but Mary tancied all
grntewomen, who moved in society. were we'll
informed and her first step was to obtain some
elementary books from the master of boys
school at York, and begin with updoubted, sim
p'icity. to learn history and geography. and all
the things which she supposed every lady Of her
husbands acquaintance knew. A thirst tor i'd
advantages aud very little assistance bnt her
energy and perseverance sur'nounted all obsta-
cles, and she found present reward in her la
b'r. Her life ceased to seen either lonely or
Inonoton, aus. Still, the spirit that worked with
in her was far more precious than anv actual re-
suit sha obtained. She had noble object in
view; and unconsciously to herself, it purified
h5f heart fssts all bitterness, or wounded vanity
or impatience. A great sorrow nobly borne, 10
a great dignity. The very insult which had
seemed to condemn her to wasted existence
was transformed into source Of life and fruit
fnness. by the wise humility with which she
accepted it,
Ten years passed thus, and in the maturet
woman of thirty few could have recognized the
forsaken girl Of nineteen But the present only
fulfilled the promise which was then latent il
her character
All this time, her husband had endeavored t
forget that he was married. Shortly after tn
ceremony, he went abroad with his regiment
and after some time spent i'll active service. h
returned TO England. and quilted the army witt
, the brpvet rank If General. He resided paItl,
, IN London and aarly in Bth, leading the usua
. life If u man of fashion in those days, and max
ing himself remarkable fr his brilliant extrava
r gances.
About that time young and beautiful actres
, appeared who spe dlly became the object
alteration to all the young men Of fashion abou
town.
General Pollexfrn was one of her lovers, ant
carried her off one night from the theater whel
she came off the stage between the acts. III
!, allowed her to assume his name, and Ievlshed {
;. fortune upon her caprlces; although her exrav
. agance and propensity to gambling involved hin
i, in debt
Ten wears had thus passed, when the cousin
whose marriage was mentioned at the beginning
. of this story, was ordered to Bath by her physi
cian. She entreated Mary to accompany her
who. after some persuasion, consented 1t wa
a formidable journey in those days, and the.
were to stay some months. They found pleas
ant lodging. Mary, with some reluctance, wal
, drawn into society, and occasionally accompain
ed her cousin to the Assemblies, which wer,
then IN high vogue.
General Pollexten was absent from Bath whe
his wife arrived there. He had been called u
q to London by some lawyers business, aud cal
i cula ed upon being absent three weeks.
y 1t so chanced, however, that the business wa
e concluded sooner than he expected, and that b.
n returned Bath without announcing his com
j. ing. He went ut once TO the Assembly, AM
was walking through the rooms in chafted ant
d irritable mood (havng that night discovered th
!; treachery OF the beautiful actress, which ha'
o long been known to evebody else. when volc
y struck his ear which caused him 10 turn sudden
It ". He saw, near at hand, dgnlfed and beau
Is ,iful woman, who reminded him OF some one h
j. had seen before. She turned away on perceiv
d ing hint was Mary. She had recognised
IS her husband. and, scarcely able to stand, sh
e took the arm of her cousin, and reached tb
o nearest seat. Her husband, forgetting every
g thing else in his impotence to learn who it wa
who had thus startled vague reco''ections, wen
t hastily up to the Master of the Ceremonies, an
r desired to be Introduced to--hs own wife