The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1854-10-04

Mary appeared to my eyes So lovely,
and rs sat with my head reposing
upon her breast, was happy, and
thanked God for giving mo the love OF
such an angel.
Z" Mary" said ], has it never ap.
peared to you that in the course Of
time your love might grow cold"
lush" nonsense, said she, lyon
know love you above all things, and
never will change in my affection"
"God bless you," | murmured, and
then impressed kiss upon her rosy
lips.
At that moment there fell from her
bosom small piece of paper, and she
eagerly made an attempt to regain it.
But had already seized it, and horri.
BILE. thoughts took possession Of my
mind, as witnessed her anxiety to
reposscss it.
"Givc it to mc--for heavens sake"
she almost shriekcd.
Paying no attention to her entreatics
opened the note, and read:
Dear Mary Yet little while,
and the farce will end. Keep him
deceived until the day appointed. and
then, when we are united, we can
laugh at the foolish thoughts Of the
disappointed aspirant for your hand
and heart. Ha, ha! poor fellow.
| CHARLES"
AS read this piece Of villany, my
bTaiii burned us touched with living
Goals of fire. And this was from him
who had sworn eternal friendship -
As read all my love turned into hate,
and swore to be revenged.
The next night | called upon Charles.
with hate in my heart, and vengeance
i'll my thoughts. He was in his room,
poring over q copy Of Dean Swift, and
rs entered, he noticed the frown upon
my brow, and said.
Well, old boy, what's out? Ju.
pitcr how black you look"
In q tone of freezing coldncss
replicd:>
"a false and hypocriticai friend is
sufficient cause to produce such an
| effect as you have intimated."
l GOULD see his tace .nrn ralc, s%%55
his voice trcmblc rs he .ait'
Have YOU any personal allusion,
sir? if SO, let us near the grounds on
which your accusation is based"
Grounds, | replied, now losing
control Of my temper. "Grounds
yes, sir, and such grounds as prove you
to be Il william. And SO you thought
to make dupe vi me, you and your
dear Mary but you have tailed
You are worthy couple; take her, and
DO happy if you can; but you, sir, are
4 scoundrcl"
I" Recolect, sir, to whom you are
speaking"
IL do, assure you, for your ediica
ton, let me assure you It's an internal
william"
" You shall give me satisfaction, sir,
for such language, and that shortly"
and with rapid strides he paced tho
floor.
Most certainly" replied !, "and
be it now, no delay, no prucrastination,
but at this hour when all is still, and"
whispered |, let it be to the Death
one OF us must fall"
T. BE it So" he muttercd.
AS was tho challenged party,
according to rule had the chocc OF
weapons. | was Il perfect adept in the
exercise of the sword, and was fully
aware that lie was ignorant even of tho
first branches; but | was bent on his
destruction. My revenge needed a
victim, and fate had selected him.
We wended our way into the depths
of the forest, and there, with no wit.
nesses but the silent stars of heaven,
there, beneath the passing moonbcams,
we engaged in the contest.
The tale need not be told. Heat,
cd paSsion-maddencd with the
thoughts Of my wrongs, and bent on
revenge, he fell beneath my arm. Hav.
ing exposed his breast, | took alvan.
'agc of the opportunity, aud plunged
the sword up to its hilt in his body.
With cry Of agony that still rings in
my ears, he shrickcd 81 am killed"
and then fell liteIcss corpse on
the ground. As the warm blood gush
cd from the wound my feelings un.
derwent u sudden and powerful change;
the Nervousness of my crime broke in
upon me, and rs beheId bis pale face
upturncd TO heaven, horror rooted me
to the spot.
All, all, was blank. | had slain
my friend, and Tor what? For wo
man, whose false smiles had nIIured
him on to deceit, aud me to murder!
| knclt down by his side and strove to
staunch the wound, but in vain. Muir
dercr! and | shrunk back with terror
rs ! contemplated tho deed which |
had accomplished.