New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-05-07
NUMBER IS.

and delighted, expecting TO see her fall into q |
mighty rage, whatever view she took of the sub
ject. Helen said she should best manage the |
matter her own way, and che doubted not to do |
30 satisfactorily, and she made Filth promise |
not to breathe a word on the subject, even to |
Edwin himself Knowing that Helen's influence |
over both him and her father was greater than
her own, she readily consented.
"But calm as she seemed, Helen's feelings
were raised to quite storm Of passion. She
resolved that the story should go no further if
she could help it; she had silenced Edith for the
present, and she doubted not to manage her weak
minded brother.
8. She sought him that night, and he covered
under her fierce reproaches. He was. himself
Mortified at having been related to woman
convicted of so henious crimc-for all his book
learning had not taught him better than to be-
lieye in witchcraft. Helen saw her advantage,
and half persuaded him that he had been drawn
into the match by the old woman's art, though
he well knew that the courtship and marriage
were alike secrets to her. On questioning him,
Helen learned that the ceremony had been per-
formed by an old school-fellow of his, just en-
tered into holy orders, who had been at the
Grange on visit some months previous. There
was no written document to prove the marriage,
and the young clergyman who promised to keep
their secret, had gone abroad. 1t seemed easy
to deny the marriage altogether, and this Edwin
consented to do
some week after, when the trial came on, old
Mrs. Leigh was found guilty and condemned to
die. Peoples hearts were so hardened by pre-
Judice that there were few to feel pity for the
beautiful young creature who stood by her
grandmotker's side. looking eagerly and wildly
round to see if any were there 70 come forward
and speak for her as she had hoped. When the
sentence was spoken she fell on the floor of the
court like one dead
w in fha Of Tp1,, AZ
very afternoon a young woman made her ap-
pearance at Ellaby Grange, and asked to see
the Colonel. Her dress was disordered, her feet
dusty, as well they might be, for she had almost
flown from Upton, distance of eight miles, and
q thick veil was drawn over her face, so that at
first the servant didn't know her The Colonel
consented to see her, and when they were alone
she lifted her veil and fell on her knees But,
seeing who it was, he stopped her. Pooh
pooh y he said, sits no use your coming here
| can do nothing for you But Alice would be
heard, and she told him of her marriage with
his son, and his promise that he would interfere
to save her grandmother.
"Without answering her, the Colonel rung
the bell violently, and summoned his family into
| the room. Edith was then ill in bed, but the
| others came; and before them all the Colonel
asked his son, in voice of thunder, if what the
girl said was true The proud threatening eye
of Helen was upon him, and the fierce looks of
| his father and his brother Richard glared as if
he could have struck them both down where
they stood, and he hadn't the courage or the
generosity Of man to brave it out for her he
vowed to love and protect; he turned away and
| said he knew nothing about her.
"Captain Richard had been saying thatit
was shame to take the old woman's life, for he
had no belief in witchcraft; but when he heard
what the girl asserted as it seemed, for the pur-
pose of gaining her end, he thought she must
belong to bad set, for he could not imagine
that Wainfete could so lie to his own soul as
his brother had done that day.
"Alice was driven forth harshly; but wher
she got into the courtyard she fell on her knees
and invoked a malediction on the house in whicl
she had been treated SO cruelty; and as boil
brother and sister had broken faith with her
: she prayed that the future sons and daughter
| OF the Wainfetes might so act as to prove bit
terness and curse to one another for genera
tions to come, until their pride was humbled
and thHir hardness of heart turned away.
Ed1A had been feverish and she became
worse. To her restless inquiries Helen had al.
ways answered that every thing was going on
right. She took care to- keep her in entire ig-
norance until two days after the execution Of
Dame Leigh, and then she informed her that
her brother having denied the girls statement,
the matter had been thoroughly sifted and her
falsehood proved. And Dame Leigh has been
executed ? said Edith, her parched lips ouiyer-
ing Helen acknowledged Then NAV Heaven
forgive all those that had hand in this DARK
work! exclaimed Edith solemnly sDisgrac,
before the worldyou all feared but you hat
not the fear Of Him before your eyes when yol
suffered this iniquity to be thank God tha
my time among you will not be long l an
proud as you are; but my pride will not ALLOW
me to live scorning my own feshp
THAT same night Edith wainAete died, raw
ing. They all stood round her bedfn her deli
rum, and Richard marked well what words sh
said. He looked at his brother, and convicted
him where he stood, shivering like poltroon
but he said not word to him.
Son the day of the funeral there was a large
assemblage Of friends and relations in the grea
hall of the north front. There was a delay o
quarter of an hour because Captain Richart
was missing. AT length he strode in, with hi
heavy sword girt to his mourning dress, ant
accompanied by the same young Clergyman VIII
had married Edwin to Alice Leigh. lie had no
gone abroad as he had intended, and on tha
day he had arrived to visit his friend Alic
had mentioned his name to Edith, and Edith il
her raving had repeated it; Richard himsel
scarcely needed his testimony to convince hin
of the truth.
"' l take you all to Witness said Captai
Richard, striding into the middle of the room
and pointing to his brother, who turned pal
, SOLAR as l know, any of mine have had han
in lhe wickedness of this man, whom proclai,
to be disgrace to all of his blood and an allie
: to me henceforth and forever, and also sham
e to the name of manhood in token of all whic
5 | here brand him as dastardly poltroon and
liar. If any want to take his part am read
to make good what l have said.
J AS Richard spoke he struck his brother
heavy blow with the fat of his sword laid it O
the table, and strobe out, leaving the mourner
to follow him.
, "You may imagine what CONSERVATION ther
was. Most of those present did not understan
what was meant, but they all rose and followe
: Richard The Colonel himself, if he was nc
conssience-stricken, was too great an admire
: of his eldest son to withstand him in favor
one whose baseness he now understood, KNOWN
, it could not be hid long.
, 'The mourners observed that Edwin Vain
, lete was not amongst them, and they returne
to the Grange to learn that he had committe
suicide.
|, "Captain Richard had lost his favorite sis
ter; and when Helen came to understand no,
he had exposed his brother before all their kin
/ dred and friends, she was exasperated again
, him and refused to be reconciled; so that whe
: the Colonel died, and he came to live here, sh
r left the place, and they were altogether e.
tranged. The curse pronounced by Alic
/ seemed to be at work already, and it has work
ed ever since.