True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-06-20
trait of your mother.


"There is one thing more I ought to
tell you. Your father leftno will, and my
father claims Hutchison-house as my legal
inheritance. Before our conversation this
morning, he had instituted suit for its
recovery, as DR.. Hamilton your appointed
guardian refused to give it up. | did not
know of this, and tell you now, only be-
cause hearing of it through DR.. Hamilton
might distress you, and / wished to say,
what you must know, even if 1 did not
say it, do not think l have any right
full claim. 1t was your fathers, it shall
be his child's, but l cannot help this suit.
l shall attain my majority as soon as it can
possibly be concluded, and on my twenty
first birthday you shall receive deed of
the house and grounds. t ...
"Aust I give you up? And is it my ter
rible duty to give you this fearful reason?
Oh, lisa, it does seem unjust-you arc not
to blame-you are pure and good-you
are my hearts bride still. | must keep
the oath have vowed to my mother, but
I,ciN love you; can never love another
lnmy dreams | will hold you to my heart,
and my breast will be bathed by the dark
waves of your hair. My love, my Isa-
you will not, you must not hate me. Seas
shall not separate your heart from mine,
nor mountains hide you from my vision
In my soul, I shall look upon you over and
over again, and my hope will point ever to
that future, perhaps far away, perhaps very
near at hand, when lisa will come to my
side yet once more and be my bride in
Heaven. Still lisa, through doubt and tri-
al, through all Iife's changes, I am yOur
REGINALD PERCY"
read it from beginning to end without
7 a tear, groan, or single pause; though
l felt by the dull heavy throbs of pain,
that my heart was breaking. I folded it
: up-it needed no second reading. Every
! word was engraven upon my soul. I tool,
} lamp and went calmly upstairs. I had
J never thought of doubling its truth
could not when I remembered the remorse
1 that had worn my father to the grave fol
the wrong he had done his lost Inez.-
But if 'oromged, then she had sinned igno
I rantly. l could loue my mother still.
opened my escretoir, and my eyes fell upon
the casket. Ipressed thespring, and ther
, turning the golden key, the lid flew open.
Perhaps had vain hope that I should fine
9 there some proof of my mothers limo
cence, but there was none. Every com
r partment was full of jewels. There were
9 diamonds worth prince ransonl-rubies
e sapphires, emeralds, and among them al
: was one simple cross Of pearls, attached t.
: little golden chain. On the clasp were
e the simple words-"Grehville to Inez."
= pressed it passionately to my lips and huns
e it about my neck. There was nothin,
u but these jewels and single tress of shi
s ming hair. My father had evidently anti
|. cipated that my fortune would be take
d from me, and had left these fora resource
= | shut the casket, and drawing toward m
1t my pen and paper, wrote
/ Reginald, come to me tomorrow morn
I ing. You must if you have ever love,
Z me- 1t is all right, Irelease you, but
% must see you. As you hope for mercy i
n your last need, show me mercy now
n Come to me!
e .' ISABEL HUToHIsoN."
g l went quietly down stairs and into tn
I servants hall. They started, as if the
d had seen a ghost, when Icame among ther
d with my white face and cleaning eyes.
4 "James," I said to the footman, I'd
you know Sir Sydenham Pcrcy's Londo
N residence?" . .....
q eyes, my lady" ..... ..t
or "Well you are to take this note thel
le Immediately, and give it into Reginal
" Percys own hand"
p every we'll"
lie 1t was my habit to bo obeyed Instant.
is | went back into the dining room and Ia
as down once more opposite my mothers pi
as ture. I do not think thought of mysel
H. All the sunshine was blotted out from IL
Id life-all the roses crushed, and 1 forg
as that had any longer an individual exi
e. tenCe. But I thought intently of her, n
re beautiful mother. She had never SCENE
an so near me- as now that I lay looking upc
at her pictured features. wondered
ys voice had ever before spoken TO tell II
Dr. that those bright eyes had grown dim wi