Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-08-10
MISCE Y.
From Chambers; Journal.
The Guarded Secret.

One secret, WHICH III every aye udS UteH
most carefully and. d.religlously guarded
guarded IN terror and dismay, through in-
conceivable wrong and suffering, through
life aud up to the graves brink, not per-
haps even then to be rendered up TO those
who stand around scattering their last tears
with the "dust TO dust It's the secret OF
birth. Instances Of the kind alluded to are
so numerous and so startling, that it would
be difficult 10 invent any story surprising
in interest the already written and attested
records OF that most dangerous secret
There are few families who cannot recount.
from the oral traditions of their house,
some legend touching on the subject
strange glimpses Of some half developed
tragedy, if not so terrible as that of the
Family of Montorio,' yet sufficiently sug-
gestive 10 people the dreams of their hear
ers for nights to come. Such tales re-
member 10 have heard IN Scotland. One,
in particular, struck me as most singular,
because, though generations have been
born, and have passed out of being since
the occurrences narrated took place, no
clue was ever found 10 the secret so eau
tiously and mysteriously guarded. The
following is an outline OF the tradition =
A couple, coming whence no man knew
arrived one sharp winter night, amid the
smoke of Edinburgh. The wife was youn-
Ger than the husband by some years, and
possibly from the fact of this disparity OF
age, looked up to him with feeling of re-
verential devotion belonging rather to a
daughter than to wife. 1t was noticed
indeed, by all who knew them, that she
had, even thus early in her welded life
laid down for herself law of more strict
aud unquestioning obedience than is usual
| ly practised by even the best of wives
| The result of this blind submission, as will
be seen, must have borne hard upon pure
heart and tender conscience, such as hers
were represented to have been, though not
perhaps until added years had brought
home the lesson, rightly understood by few
that no mortal, even though he be hus-
band, has a right over any other human
SOUL authorizing him to rule its obedience
contrary TO Gods higher law, The tharrl.
ed pair it would seem, had been united for
some years yet no offspring had been
granted to their prayers. 1t was now that
| while living IN the utmost retirement, in an
obscure street, the husband introduced to
his wife an old Scotch nurse, bearing in
her arms newborn child. This child
said by him to be the posthumous son of a
dear friend recently deceased he represent
ed it was his interest TO adopt, and produce
to the world as his own. To insure his
wife's aid in the project, he carefully con-
cealed from her whatever deep-laid scheme:
were working IN his own mind-made very
light of the afair-asserted that it was bu
to serve temporary purpose, and that, the
object in furtherance of which this slngulaI
deception was to be carried on once attain
ed, the whole thing should be revealed.
A quick instinct of wrong, in the mind
of the young wife, made her at first hesi-
tate; but the recollection Of that strict ab-
negation of her own will to which she hat
vowed herself, at last prevailed over he
scruples, and the pleading looks of tht
helpless little orphan; lying safe and warn
within her arms, melting her soul, she tool
the forlorn babe to her bosotn; and bestow
ed upon it heartily mothers care. Th'
child proved sickly,u weary burthen to an.
but real mother; yet its foster-parent
though young aud unused to such a charge
never for a moment shrunk from the re
sponsioility she had incurred. The conse
quence naturally was, that the boy Learned
to love her strongly and entirely. But to
wards his reputed father he at all times e
vinced most strange and unaccountabl
aversion, amounting to an instructive hor
ror and shrinking from his presence
When the child had grown to be about
year old, MIR. A-g, the gentleman il
question, his plans now apparently matur
ed, resolved at once to introduce hi
portege to his family as his own lie
ultimately born son aud heir. MIR. A.
was descendant of one of the old borde
families, renowned in history for many
raid and many foray across the Englisl
frontier, and, judging from his deeds, tn
unscrupulous character and adventurou
spirit OF the early freebooter would seem L
, have been transmitted down through man,
, generations, little modified by the march Q
centuries. And now came the poor wife
trial. In her husbands home, and unde
the eyes of his kinJred and household, sh
was soon doomed to feel bitterly how sin
gle deception inevitably leads to numelou
others, and how one falsehood entails tn
necessity of thousand more to follow i
its wake. A mother in seeming, yet n
pothpr i'm truth her entire Ignorance con