The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1854-06-01
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THE FATAL TRUST.
BY HARRIET A. EADwAr.

"My happiness, dear Lilly, depends
upon it, and you must not, you cannot,
betray me-"
This was said by one of two friends,
as they separated after pleasant after
Moons ramble in the woods.
Clara Golden, who had just spoken,
was an orphan. Her mother was taken
from her ere her first ten summers had
passed, and God, who saw fit to try her
in the furnace of affliction, called her
father to himself before her eleventh
birth day had arrived.
She was now a brotherless, sisterless
orphan, and she sought a confding
friend for trustworthy indeed must that
one be, who shall be father, mother,
sister, brother, all in one.
Until she met Lilly Carlton, she had
seen no young person with whom she
could freely converse in the language of
her own open-hearted nature, whose
heart could drink in the o'erfowings of
her own.
She had selected Lilly as her friend,
or rather she had accepted what heaven
seemed to have made and sent to earth
purposely for her. Day after day, and
month after month, they were constantly
together, walking, riding, or chatting in
Lilly's little parlor, as they called it.
They were both under the instruction of
the same teacher, and in the same recit-
atoms, they were seated side by side.
One sought not to excel the other;
their ambition was to be equal to each
other, and before all the rest.
1t was the middle of June. The
summer term of the large and flourish
ing school which they attended was near
its close, and each student was busily
engaged in preparing for public exam
ination, now close at hand. Each class
mate was striving to gain the first honor.
Each for himself, and alone, burned the
midnight oil, save Lilly and Clara, who
toiled together, and by sharing their
labors, made every task an easy one, and
every burden light.
The teacher watched their movement
and, knowing that their united strength
was too much for any one to contend
with, he laid his plans accordingly.
Wednesday morning came one week
yet remained. A large class in Algebra
had just taken their accustomed places,
Lilly and Clara being Of the number.
Soon the kind voice which had so often
greeted them in that same place, broke
the silence. Here, my young friends" p"
he said, is my plan for examination
day. 1 have selected most difficult
problem for you to solve, and | wish
each of you to make trial of it. 1t
will require much study, and those who
master it will be truly worthy of the little
prizes which will be awarded to them
l have but word more to say at pre-
sent. Each Of you must depend solely
upon yourseIres, receiving no assistance
from any source whatever, then, if they
are successful, their success will be ap-
preciated as their own, and will deserve
commendation."
At these last words death-like pale
ness came upon the bright features Of
Lilly as she thought of the disgrace that
must attend her failure, and she felt
that she must, for she had not for one
moment relied upon herself alone since
she became the friend Of the kind and
faithful Clara. She endeavored to con-
ceal her emotion, and even Aattered her.
self that her strange manner was quite
unobserved.
Clara saw her agitation, she feared
for and pitied her for herself she had
no fears, but, should Clara fail, ber
+ heart was already broken.
eve shall triumph yet," said one
classmate TO another, +" "fop once we shall
test our strength with theirs in equal
strife +; in Lilly's face I can SEQ the IS.
suranoe Of her failure and our success y
A tbev left the room, each paye the