Grass Valley telegraph., 1854-03-09

they told me yOu had sought with your hus
band a home in another cline, yearned tt
look once again upon the scenes where all my
happiness died! had no thought of seeing
you, Ruth, or had never corie. And wher
visited this little grove and found you by
our old trysting tree, the past scented all q
weary dfeam, and forgot the dark gulf be-
tween us; but tell ME you forgive me, thai
we part not in anger, and will CO."
'sIn answer, 0 Frederick, I do forgive
Heaven forever bless you goodbye" and
there was heart -thrUb in every word as Ruth
turned herself awaynturned to meet her hus-
band fAce TO face. 81
The beautiful summer moonlight looked
through silken draped windows Upon scene
of splendid misery. Over pictured walls,
velvet ottomans and gorgeous carpets glow
ing with the richest dies of the Eastern loom,
smiled the pale starlight, and the subdued
rays of chandelier fell upon Ruth Preston's
face. She was now no longer pale, but
dark-red spot burned upon either cheek, and
wild, defiant spirit looked from her eyes, as
they rested full upon her husband. Angry
words and bitter taunts had he showered upon
her and she had borne it all meekly, but how
undeservingly.
Herbert Preston knew her heart was given
to another when he welded her, and yet he
claimed her hand, even when she told him she
could never love him, and begged him to be
generous And now when she declared to
him her truth and innocence, told him she
had never by word or deed brought stain
upon his name, the name she bore, he had cal
led her ''traitoress," and had raised his
hand against her true, he had stayed it e'er
the blow had fell, but it had been raised
against her, against her, his wife, the mother
Of his child, and Ruth's proud spirit rose up
in fiercer rebellion against her husbands un-
just suspicious, and this last indignity it was
more than high heart like hers could brook.
And so with flashing eyes and lips quivering
with unspeakable scorn, without a word, she
left him to his own dark thoughts.
Late that night when the moon and stars
had become clOuded in darkness, and the grim
night hung glooming over the silent earth, a
female figure knelt down by child's cradle
and prayed "Our Father who art in Heaven;''
a few hushed sobs, hurried embrace, and
there were light footsteps descending a wide
staircase, and the same figure paused before
door from under which the sickly rays of a
night-lamp were dimly visible. She presses
the Threshold with wild kisses -''Father, mo-
ther," whispered blessing and the figure
steals noiselessly away and is lost in the dark
night
Morning light brings the sunbeams to the
birds and flowers but there has a shadow
fallen during the nighttime upon Preston
Hall that no sunlight from heaven can ever
clear away. The master of the Hall goes
wandering through its grand rooms with are
morse gathering darkly over his heart A
pale, sad mother is moaning for her lost child
and baby-lips call "mama;" but there is no
answer to their call. Though there are eager
searchings and wild fears as they drag the
dark stream, there is no answer to their call
and though night comes again and again. un-
til two years are past there is still no answer
to their call.