True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-06-11

Mrs. Pennington was expatiating upon
the beauty of the lace, and the richness
Iof the satinto Alice, who was trying it
on, when ! entered her dressing-room,
one morning. My heart sickened poor
child poor child!
Is it not becoming exclaimed the
happy mother, proudly gazing on her
child, as she shone out from her bridal
veil like a pals, pure lily, in her virgin
loveliness.
"If Roderick could only see her now
The door opened, Pauline stood on the
threshold, pale as death, an open letter in
her hand. She started back as she saw
Alice; a look of agony passed over her
features. The next moment she was
clasping Alice in her arms, calling her BY
every endearlng name. 81,
Pauline, has anything happened, why
do you look and act so, strangely 2 Pau
line flung herself on the floor and wept
aloud. MY darling friend, what is it,
tell me 2
Oh, Alice, they have written to me
to come home directly, my brother is dy-
ing
Alice burst into tears. Then You
| will not be my bridesmaid after all But
| am very selfish, when your grief is SO
much more than mine !!
Pauline was gone. Sorrowing and in
tears. she passed from the roof where
she had SO lately come in JOY and glad
ness, and Alice refused to be comforted.
Roderlck was 10 go that day to town
about some business preparatory to his
marriage. He was looking very pale
and thin and Mrs. Pennington thought
1.-The change would do him good. He
would be gone week, he said, perhaps
more, but how much he could not say.
He took a hurried farewell of Mrs. Penn
ington and myself; Alice walked down
the path with him to the gate where his
HORSE was waitingfor him. elingeted
a moment, pressed her in his arms. then
flung himself ouhis horse and galloped
away. }s.s
Alice recovered her usual flow Of spir-
its in a few days, and week sped quick
| ly away, engaged as we we're in prepar-
ations for the coming event. My visit
of six days had been lenghthened into six
weeks, and / knew not how many more
| it would be before Iagain went back 10
| my home. ssf >
9 Roderick will certa inly be here too
morrow said Mrs. Pennington, on the
evening Of the tenth day of his absence.
20 yes said Alice, gazing out ofthe win
dow as if she already saw him dashing
| up the road. si,
/ But the next day and the next passed
and he did not come. knew how il
would end, he would never return.
| Hope deferred maketh the heart sick
Poor Alice, she returned pale at every
noise. and soon Mrs. Pennington, al.
though che tried 10 disguise it, and talk.
ed gayly,--at times looked detected and
melancholy.
| one day, two weeks after RodoriOl''
| departure, Alice pale and silent, sat at the
open window in the twilight Her form
had lost much ofits pretty roundness, and
she looked very fragile with her long
curls dropping dejectedly uponh her bosom
| Mother !mother! here he isl ant
with a smolhered cr she fellfainting a
our feet. @
! The next moment Roderick strobe il
/ the midst Of us. A
He took Alice in his arms, and carried
her 10 the window. Reproachmg ghlnsel
with having killedher. H0h mo, criee
mrs. Pennington, smiling through hel
Tears, Joy never kills. Alice reviyee
4 quickly and in a little while we were al
talking as quietly as if nothing happened
\ [Roderick held Allce's hand scarcely al
j ,llowing her to stir from his side, unit
MRS. Pennington declared. she glooke'
very pale, and must go Ito bed directly
and 50 carfiedher Of. .,ss
j We were alone, Roderick and /. II,
pacing the room with 9 quick uneveJ
| tread, suddenly he stopped beside me.
4 n Miss Madeline, he said, and his voic
sounded thick and unnatural you low
ed my father, will you keep his sons Sc
cret for his sake He waited eagerly 70
/ an answer, his eyes dilated, and his fac