Western Reserve chronicle and weekly transcript of the times. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1854-1855, 1855-01-24

full confession; telling her that shocked
and terrified at his crime, he had sen
Anna Fay away, who had refused t.
marry him as he wished, and how she
had lived in Italy ever since-he, Jacob
feeling that an entire separation, though
they loved each other well, was the only
reparation they could make to Heaven
and how five years ago she had died,
leaving their child without a friend Oh
protector in the world. How he had
then gone over with Betty Thorne, to
whom he had confded his secret, to
guard and educate his girl, which he
had done carefully. He then ended by
appointing Tabitha guardian and sole
trustee of his daughter, now seventeen
years of age.
All his usual superscriptions. and a
certain yearly allowance of which we
shall have to speak presently, were to
be continued until EStella would be Of
age, when she would consult her fathers
memory and her own feelings only.
1t took but little time for Mrs. HILBERT
to reflect on her course of action. Paul
and Jessie, impulsive as all young peo-
pie are, pleaded instant adoption of the
child, and Betty Thorne, too; out Tab
iths HILBERT, wounded in her family
pride. in her religious conscience, and
in her worldly ambition, turned coldly
to her children saying, The girl who
has robbed you of your inheritance, who
is stain on an unspotted name, and
who damages our religious character
forever, shall never darken our threshold.
1 REUSE to act as guardian or trustee -
Entreaty is useless, Jessie l am a
Christian woman and mother, and l
understand my duties. -
So Betty Thorne was written to, and
q" all recognition of that unhappy girl !"
distinctly declined coupled with Sc
we're warning sounding very much like
a threat, to "sell the Hail when she
came of age, and never dare to iutrude
herself among the members of a family
which disowned her as a disgrace. -
After Mrs. HILBERT had written this let
ter, she read, as was her daily wont,
the lesson of the day. 1t chanced to be
the history of the Magdelene, her sins,
and her pardon. But she made no COM
ment upon it, though Paul and Jessie
looked at each other, the girls pale eyes
full of tears, and the youths cheek
crimson.
Months and years rolled by; and ia
cob's name was never mentioned, neither
was his sin, neither were isgood works.
The beautiful old hall was still shut up,
until Estella should be of age, and the
donations and subscriptions were punctu-
ally remitted Betty Thorne writing all
the letters in the name of Master Heiress.
There was certain yearly allow ance
made by Jacob to certain widow with
FIVE children, Mrs. Malahide, relict
of Captain Malahide of the Fourth En-
gineers. She was an Everett - Miss
Grace Everett-who had eloped one day
with scampish young officer, with
nothing but his pay, and who had con-
sequently been disinherited by her father.
She was the youngest, and had been
the darling but she had lost herself
now, they said /; and so not wholly dead
to, she was partially excommunicated
by the family. Jacob, as head of the
house since his fathers death, had al
ways given Mrs. Malahide an allowance,
with the consent of Mrs. Hilbert, and
the archdeacon, to whom it was mat
ter of pride rather than love that an
Everett should not s:arve. But for them
selves-Grace had married poor man,
and an unconverted one, and what claim
had she, therefore, on them? So the
archdeacon drove his prsncing bays,
and Mrs. HILBERT bought her Lyon vel
vets, and both said that Mrs. Malahide
was only too fortunate in having such
a devoted brother as Jacob, and that
her sins had merited her sufferings.-
This was the allowance which Jacob had
desired in his will should be Continued
until Estella was of age, but which then
she was free to discontinue or keep up,
as she liked.
Mrs. Hilbert had not remembered
this clause when she refused to accept
the trust con6ded to her. Perhaps if
she had, she would have acted differ
emily from family interests. For the
EvCretts dared not for the sake of the
worlds opinion, wholly desert a sister
of the house and if Jacobs five hun
dred year were Withdrawn, they must
either support Grace themselves or suffer
an additional disgrace in her poverty
Neither of which alternatives pleased
them. However the matter was yet in
allegiance, but soon to be settled for
the year wanted only six or seven months
of completion, which would see Estella
of age, mistress of the Hall, and Of
her fathers wealth.
And Mrs. HILBERT groaned, and the
archdeacon shook his stick, and some
thing very much like an anathema few
across the seas to r,st on the bright head
of the young girl sitting in the balcony
i -