Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-04-15
Alisrellaneoms.
OUR CHAPTERS OF A WHITE LIE.



the letter impaticntly down.
{" It's well you are here in New York" rcp!ied
her queenly cousin, shaking the heavy curls from
her shoulders, as she looked up unwillingly from
her book" what does she say z"
T" She wishes to know if by mistake could have
brought II on, or if | remember where last saw it,
and when."
Easily answered, little simpleon. just tell
her IN general way that you wonder at her for
thinking You so careless as to bring it here, and
say that before you went to the party you saw il
fastened to the toilet cushion in her room--you
know you dressed there"
But wont that be falsehood, aimost1" said
Iona, tmidly.
"A fdilestick, you little Puritan where's the
lie? You haven't brought it TO New York. have
you? You did see it on your mothers toilet table
didn't you You must learn to distinguish
between a prudent way Of getting over a matter,
and sheer iaschood, you little country BIT of per-
fcctiou."
lena felt satisfcd-she could no, bear tho snccr
OF her bcautiiul C0usip--nOr could she bear the
term Purtsnicsl. which her fashionable New
York relative styled her acts Of conscience. The
letter written, scaled and sent, but that night
in the midst Of splendid throngs Lena's heart beat
with shame for the decd at which her conscience
rebelled.
CHAPTER II.
"Mary. come hero; want to see you alone q
moment" and Mrs. Alley entered her dressing
room, followed by her handsome, nnocent-looking
chsmbermaid.
"Mary, hare lost my emerald bracelet she
said firmly, when she had seated herself; A" | want
to know If you remember seeing it?"
Mary turned pale; she exceedingly timid
and the thought that She might even be suspected,
frightened her exceedingly.
When she answered, her voice trcmbed. In
deed msem, don't think have seen it at ALL"
But Mary" and the tone grew frmer, Lena
writes me that the last time she saw IT, il was in this
room, last Wednesday week. That night left
you here alone. | am positive that no one but
hn IN InnN IN I..... L a Al
nght-tell me if you have it-Rnd t--return it to
me, and | will forgive you"
"Oh, Mrs. Atley, indeed indeed l don't know
anything about it," exclaimed the girl with a look
of terror; 81 never was n thief--my mother will
tell you that. She brought me up to the Sunday
school and good things. / would sooner spill my
hearts blood than touch it,"
Hush, Mary, protestations will do no good
your looks are guilty. The bracelet could NOT
have gone without hands-re1ect moment The
best OF girls give way sometimes TO temptation
You said at first you didut think you had seen it,
Oh, now indeed | remember. 1t seems as il
Lena had it," replied tho girl, trembling so she
hardly stood upright. 81 do think-I believe
saw It on her arm yes ON she must have
taken il to the party"
That is The coolest impudencc I've heard vet, "
exclaimed Mrs. Atley, her lips quiyering with pas.
sion. g might have forgiven you, had you been
candid and told the truth. But the charge YOU
make against my daughter--the soul of candor
itselt-places you entirely out of the reach of my
sympathy am astonishod, confounded at your
duplicity, no less than convinced by your manner
No honest girl would blush and stammer and turn
pale-or turn her guilt upon another. | shall dis
miss you if you do not restore the bracelet
heard you speak Of it, l saw you look at it tina,
evening, but the thought never entered my mind
that you would stoal If do not get the bracelet
soon, very soon, shall write to William Harmon
and do you think he will marry you when he hears
that you have been suspected as thief? You may
take t4-morrow to restore me my property-you
know do as | say"
= with a cheek rs white any corpse, and wild
light in her glazed eyes, Mary tottercd from the
room, felt her way along tho entry up the stairs,
INTO her own little chamber There falling head
long on the floor, she lay in silent, bitter agony
Her spirit was almost broken--she claspcd her
hands and broke into the widest grief.
IN never go home-itl kill mother The
little children shall never think they had thief for
sister and as for William-God bless him. We
were going 10 be married SO soon-and was SC
happy; out Il can't meet his eyes now; | cam
prove anything was in the dressing room die
ask MISS Lena what the pretty thing cost and wher
she said five hundred dollars, did say" 0, how
nice it would be to have all that money!" 30 In
for this ?"
Away, in the dark night, has the poor girl gone
the burden OF suspicion crushing her life out
On, on she hurries, she fearful of the dark sh
who had nursed hundred idle superstitions o
ghosts and of fairies. Night, with its cloudy arms
welcomes her now, and covers her innocent sham,
from inc sight OF even inaRimate things by th
wayside
CHAPTER Ill.,
Mrs Lacy's compliments ma'am-and here 4
the bracelet Miss Lena wore. She heard she has
lost it ma'am, but hadn't no idea il was in hel
house-bnt 1t got dropped between the cushions on
the sofa, she expects and she is very clad she ound
it, ma'nm, for Miss Lena felt so bad :"
That poor child" was Mrs. Atleys first ex-
clamation, she took the marcel mechanicallv and
returning to her room' placed it upon her toilet
taDie; nave almost broken her heart, and
sent her away despairingly / shall never forgive
myself
And had her own daughter deceived her thus
Vie thought was death TO her fond hopes. She
threw the baubie on her dressing table, and sal
down overwhelmed with distress. Her first though
was to write to Lena her second was to inform poo
Mary by letter MS speedily as possible and she hat
just seated herself for the latter purpose when ,
hurried knock startled her, and pale woman stooc
before her, exclaiming with startling voice ant
manner, " Mrs. Alley, where have YOU sent my
chlldY For Gods sake, where have YOU sent my
child? heard nothing from her-I came to Sc,
II she was sick, and the servants tell me She
gone,-GoSE WHERE? Tell me, or | shall q,
crazy"
Her distress was fearful when she had listened
TO Mrs. Alleys broken words Of self-accusation
"Where shall go? Where shall | find my poo
childH Oh, Mrs. Atley. | hold YOU respcnsibl,
for the lie of my poor child And then sbe bar
such great dread Of the jail---and she hadn'
any courage at all! Oh, where shall find m,
poor child? Oh, Mary, where are you at thi,
hOurf
~ is fearful thing to charge the innocent VI
lushy-to listen 70 the prayers Of the helpess--to
Judge with harshness those who have none to pleaG
their cause. F'N'
CHAPTER ".
"Why, Lena, you look like ghost. An hou
ago your checks were red as roses. What Is tb
matter, nay petite cousin?"
Lena said nothing and her face assumed
deadiier hue as she pointed to a single paragraph
in her mothers letter.
a. haee found tie bracelet but / fear Us loss an
year deception AaUe caused he deaih Of poor .Nur
Grey. Nobody knows where she is I've bay
been searching for her two days; and have come
the conclusion that she has DESTROYED her IiF