The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-05-21
CHATTER XVI.

The life Of Senator Malcolm Was for
msny DAYS d-spsired Of, aud for several
weeks after he had been pronounced out
of danger, the constant pressure Of mind
diseased, greatly retarded tho improve.
ment Of his physical faculties. The heart
at the proId man Sas indeed crushed /;
for days at y time, the re,uen,krance OF
his lo., boy would So weigh upon his
mind, ~ 10 seriously alarm his attend.
anls. II ~as an occasion that called
forth the tender affection, and fillial soici-
tade, Of his daughter, and her soothing
xttsniious and gentle manner won upon
him at laa', and served greatly to soften
the crushing weight Of his bereavement.
b. The Senator, however, WAS a different
man. Ills spiri,s we're broken--a,nbi,iea,
his ruling passion, was dead in his heart
his arrogance had given place to her
~oInanly :enderness--his manner was rs
quiet and unassuning ss il had formerly
hen naughty aud overte.riny. ii. min :
gied NO more with ,hs world-the ring
Ing cioqaence that had often encha,ncd =
crowded Ssns:e MAS gone--he delighted
no more in the showers Of applans.. nor
the cu.ogies OF the Press, tha, had once
served to feed his ambition; and to the
grsLt regret Of the vast number of his ad
mirers, he resigned the position tLa, lie
had SO long held with such distinguished
honor.
Albert Ashley. Who wss preparing 20
lsays for the South, on the memorable
evening that the sad news that had so AZ
f-cted the Senator reached MalcuImviIle.
now psstponej his departure ind, ,finitsl, s.
fos many weeks he remained with the
t'ereAved family, and when at last he WAS
compelled to tear himself away, he car
ried With him tho heart, aud promise
: thsi u, soIns future dag he should receive
the hand, ofthe gentle Hllsn. The cheer.
= fal consent Of Mr.. Mslcol,n va. obtained,
who parted from the former FREUD Of his
Son, with sincere Affection and regsst
). The ball. Of Malcolmvilie had never
been 90 completely deserted s now. The
proprietor and his daughter lived in sl.
most complete retiremsr,; in vain Ellen
Sadssgsre 10 in,iuce him to miuglU more
10 socsety. and With the world; nothing
conld arouse his lethargy, or shaks Lis
melancholy. When hs heard tina, Joss
phinc, tho former bctro,hed cf Edward,
Was about to he united to Mr.. Hallum, he
exclaimed:
"oh ] that my memory was As short
- hsss or my loss 90 easily repaired"
One esening, u little more than q year
after Edward had left-a cold and bleak
winter evening il was--a servan, brought
. number Of mail packages into the room,
adjoining the great Hall, where the Sen.
Ator and Ellen were seated, and deposited
them upon the table, where the greater
portion Of them usually remained unopen-
ed, until removed by Ellen or the ser
vants. This evening q solitary letter &C.
sempsnied The packages. Le;:s.s ~sss
act 80 common at halcolmyills now, a.
Formerly; and, for weeks, no, one had
found its way to ITS quiet Halls. The
Senator quietly glanced at tho letter, bu.
evinced no curiosity to know its contents.
Hs had, perhaps, forgotten II again, when
Ellen called his attention TO il. lie re-
qnesied her to open IL, and read the con.
tents to him.
1om savannah" said she, glanc.
ing At the post mark.
IL know no one there" answered her
father.
IL was written IN q strange hand. e.
len read few weeds aloud and stopped J
Her voice seemed bushed by sone is,~aSd
esaeties --ibtr eyes still fixed upon the
paper, and the blood forsook her finely
chiseled lips.
"What 10 the matter, ElIeni Ellen |!
my daughter, what 10 the matterf'' er.
claimed her faihex, as he attempted to
reach the letter.
please do not, ksthert please do nsA
read 4 now! J" said Ellen, eatreatingly.
But It was too late; her ialber had al
ready snstcied il from her. The kind
girl, although scarcely able to suppor, her
own emotion, was not unmindfui Of the
effect that tho contents Of that letter
.night have upoe hes father. 10 his psesen,
inssm state Of health. Her fears were.
ho~syer, groundless! That letter aroused;
him more effeciually than ten thousand
<fors could have dove; be read il xith