The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-03-09
WEDNESDAY MORNING, MARCH g. 1853

a. "a In
will be the tease
Glad enough was that Mrs. r. the
entered and turned the conversation.
Soon after, Mr.. n. took his leave. I'm,
then | had to explain to Helen tha, | I'm,
before seen him, and told her also that th.
sketch which had been the subject of :,
much conversation h;id been published f.,
mistake, and 10y no means would hay,
nm Know me rs the author, and mucI
did | regret she had told him wha, sI,,
did
" only did il to plague him." said she
Tor playing the parsnn To- me, and Sha
take great care that lie is well puniShcd.'
Helen made her parents promise to keen
the secret, and then proceeded to her I'm.
cIe's etiice, and babe him not to tell her
cousin Hubert who Agnes was until she
was willing. Helen WAS Il great Cavorite
ot his, 50 he readily agreed, AID great was
her triumph, when as nearly every week
| agnes appeared IN the - -, he
would again and again cndcavor to make
her disclose who the original was. He.
had asked her uncle d. and had only dis
covered 10y him that she did not reside in
W., but might have been there some time.
Tor all he knew to the contrary. She saw
Mr.. \. often, and often heard his discours.
eS' Tor he was at the time suppIyinga pull
PIT at b., in the absence of its regular nas.
tor
On" day he informed Helen that he
had at last found out VIII" Arncs was.
with surprise she asked who told him.
and when he nswcrcd-"the authorrss
herself" she locked at me with puzzled
AIR, aud | was as much surprised rs Hell
en-.
Well, who is she, Hurbet, quietly
asked Helen.
Not n horrid old school.mistress, ms
you would have me believe, Miss Helen,
but a Pious young lady who belongs to
the church where now oflciate.n
Helen's astonishment was unbounded
but with, q wicked glance of mischief at
And will you not tell nc how YOU dis
covered your paragon, and who she is
"Iou have already told me that YOU
know who she is. so | need not mention
that, but will tell how | found out. At
one place where visit have often no
ticed the - --lying upon the ta-
bic, and once or twice in speaking about
it, have remarked how much | should
like to discover the author of Agnes"
but that all my endcavors were fruitlcss,
and that felt much interested in her
productions. AT one time learned in
conversation that Miss L. had relations in
W., and that whilst OH Il visit there,
II few months siuce, she then first heard
me preach. | involuntariIy exclaimed,
"Then you are perhaps the Agnes who
wrote the sketch upon my srrmon;"
and though she Gid not exactly ackno"i- J.
edge the fact, her bushes and confusion
confessed ior her; SO Helen You might rs
well have told me at first, but AFTER ala |
can hardly believe it now, for | should
not suppose her in conversation, to pos
scss the Intellect that her last proluction
shows. However, | suppose she does not
choose always to shine"
Helen laughed unrcstraincdly, and rs
to my own emotions, | could not analvze
them, for inscnsLly to myself lad the
encomumS unsu>rcctlngIy avishrd upon
me 10y Mr.. N, but urged me 10 greater
eXertlons To improve my mind and talents
and msens!bly, too, had my heart, us |
more and more be' anne acquainted with
the son Of those who were SO kind TO me,
been drawn towards him, and eagerly
did listen 10 his conversational powers
in private, as well rs his diScour>cs in
public, treasuring up every word, to think
of afterwards, and how often did | used
to wish he were my brother, or my cousin
even, and how when heard him praiSing
another as the wrler Ut my poor produc.
tiols, pang shot through my heart, for
which could not account.
had not all this time forgotten aunt
Brown, but had often visited her, though
1T fIst she had expressed II fear that
"now had got among the grandecs, she
s'poScd ] " ouid feel above her," though
as she said, somehow she always though
my mother and myself didn't come Of
common folks! One afternoon visited
the old lady and at her eutrcaty stopped
10 tea with her, which | sh uld not have
done had | known that | should have
seen her son George, whom ! had met
but once since my return To- Il. 1t became
quite dark before started for home, bu
Just as was leaving the door, l me
George, who offered 10 accompany ne
which oiler decidedly declined, and walk
cd quickly onward. Taking the dearest
way home, was obliged to pass through
an unfrequented street for short distauc,
but scarcely had entered it, when
heard rapid footsteps ceased beside III,
and some one, seizing my arm, |, looked
up and saw the face Of George Brown
distorted by passion, Ms the flickerinl
rays Of the street lamp fell upon him.
"Unhand me" cried, what DO yot
mean by this treatmenR | can 90 safeI
home well enough alone. Let me g
this instant"
"Clara s." said he, "listan to me
II have before now asked you to be m,
wife and you refused, but ! swear yo
shall be, il not willingly, YOU shall b
force. Yon think you nre too good tor
j, fellow like me, I suppose, bnt u, v're -
marry mol viii ~