New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-09
hesSe informing suy other member Of the family Of the

morning af the door, the servant IN ootsuehce 10
yious directions guided him TO the place where they
awaited him. II was a small building at some dis
lance from the house, containing enc room OF con-
deru bic siEe where the business Of the plantation was
Transacted To reach il the colonel crossed the gar
den. and wen; into Enclosure planted with fruit
trees of various kinds, and some grape vines winch
were trained beside the high fence, acrOss lattice
work Al the further end of the incosure stood the
place be sought He found Mrs. Warner with paie,
ecatea face which bore the traces of tears and her
husband at his desk neryousy cutting SHIPS OF paper
with his perknie and pretending 10 be writing when
in reality he was locking through the open door for the
approach of the dreaded guest.
In embarrassed salutatiOn passed between them,
while the servant placed chair and withdrew. Then,
closing the door, Mr.. Warner said, hesltatingy,
lyon viii understand, Sir, how painful a situation
this is in which we now find ourselves. Excuse my
SEEDING for you, but you see it is necessary Tor US 10
know - -. ...
81 will spare you further explanation, interupted
Col. Bel, looking deathly pale, and speaking WITH
great dicuty will confess the truth TO YOU ine
story you have heard is true. =, .,,,. ho..
"And YOU have known il all the time they DOth
exclaimed, at the same moment.
THAT Helen was my daughter! Yes, since last
Spring have known il 4"
80, poor, poor Helen, what Will become OF her,
And TO think how have been introducing her every
where into society, and been so fond OF her! What
viii the neighbors think of us p and Mrs Warner
burst into tears of mingled grief and motihcation.,
Then must say, SIR, that you haye treated Is US
Mr. Warner said, warmly.
Col Bell looked from one TO the other with an air Oh
suen gloom, and replied,
Allow me to explain TO you the peculiar circum-
stances which have led TO these results and then, per-
hans. YOU will not regard me as an objectionable mn
postor Ii is not very long story, ana VIII not tax
your patience too severely. tie paused, anu LOT a
few moments seemed lost in thought, from when ne
aroused by Mr.. Warmers rather impatient
Excuse me; was thinking where should begin
my tale" .u,.,.
Sir said Mr.. Warner, in a tone OF asperlty.
A momentary fash of anger shot from his eyes
but Il passed away and he proceeded III low, CAIN
voice. -
when returned from college 10 my fathers house,
| found young gr whose peculiar and wonderful
beauy al once attracted my attention She, with her
mother had been purchased during my absence. L
think, though the mother looked like full quadroon,
there must have been Indian blood in her veins; Tor
the child had the clear dark complexion, the hne SOFT
hair and the Spanish style of beauty, which the UNION
nj these two races often produces. The same type OF
face still further Angicized, appears IN Helen whose
fatal resemblance to her mother has been the cause oil
this Fad discovery.
a. beg you to understand, Sir" interrupted Mr..
Warner flat we do not regret discovery when mas
saved our family from an ntolerable disgrace. IL Is
painful Sir but the regret is that we did not know IL
sooner o.,
perhaps Won don't regret IT," retorted Colonel
Bell, but do; loved Corllla-l loved ner chid-i
meant she should never suffer for the shame OF her
birth W
"You did very wrong, Sir, very wrong. Your affec-
ton for such child should not have made you forget
he claims that Others had upon You, SIR. -
"Hush father don'tnterrupt him, said Mrs w ar
ner in fdgety, anxious manner. IL am AFRAID some
body NAV come 10 interrupt before ne gets through
with the story remember, Colonel Bell, hearing a
great deal about that affair of yours IN the time Oh IT.
and must say it was very little to your credit
,, l. ,lrvlv
nj the time thought my love for Gorilla and the care
and tenderness with which | treated her, almost the
only pure thing in my life. Certain 1t IL, 1 have
never lived FIVE years IN which L can rehelnper 80
much happiness But must not forestall my story.
told you how found her. We were OF course very
much in each others society," for she was my mother
fayorite attendant and will swear to you that young
ibeltine as l then, the purity and modest dignity
of that Young girl won from me respect which made
me blush for an unhOly thought IN her presence one
day. on entering my mothers sitting-room, l found
Gorilla reading aloud. This great surprise, and
in reply to my remark upon 1t, learned that sue nau
been carefully raised by her late MISTRESS and having
naturally uncommon capacity tor learning, she had
eagerly improved every means OF instruction. and was
really as well informed half the young ladies one
meets. OF course her reading had been desutory ana
her mind was undiscplined, tor she had chiefly read
such books as invalid mistress wished to hear But
never saw anything like the chlds thirst for knowl-
edge and never took such delight in anything as IN
reading to her and my mother and hearing the re-
of forgetfulness She never forward or obtrsive
but st aed with her work at my mothers feet, have
watched her face change with succeeding emotions,
and her large black eyes raised suddenly with such
flash of intelligence as almost startled me-"
~ wonder your mother allowed you there so much, y
said Mrs. Warner.
0Sbe seemed at last to awake to the conviction that
was becoming tery fond Of reading to her, and OF
staying indoors; or, rather, my father did; for one
day heard him say, it appeared to HIM stayed IN her
room too much and asked if it would not be well to
send Gorilla away when was there's but she answered,
Pooh there il no danger. Ike to have him read to
me- and az to Gorilla, would trust her virtue as quick
as would my own. They did not seem to think for
a moment that her very virtue and dehcacy was what
refined and fixed my boysh passion.
"Howeyer for a few days she needed my father 8
advice and Gorilla banished nom any room where
| chauced TO be. But then her mother, to whom she
was much attached died. after short Illness ana III
her overwhelming grief my kind mother could no
longer refuse her the occupation and amusement Wnch
alone had any power to comfort her for her lose she
was admitted again TO our morning readings; anu
then grew bolder and pretended to have weak eyes,
that might get her allowed TO read IN my presence
What pleasure it was to me to hear her low musical
voice and see how quickly she caught the Inspiration
Of the page over which she bent Then l pretended
TO criticize her reading and make her repeat certain
Messages again and again, that might force her TO
look Al me and talk to me, and thus put myself into
communication with herr for all this time, such was
her innate delcacy, and her obedience to what she
aterward told me hei mothers lnstructions that
she would hardly ever remain with me a moment; or
lock at me, except in my mothers presence. The
chamber Of my mother was her InvlOlaDe sanctuary
NV father coming in one day, found thus teaching
her to read some passages from Shakespeare and put
stop to the business by sending her abruptly out Of
the room Nothing was said to me; but the next
week | was sent away from home, end ON various
pretexts of business or pleasure kept away three
months" ,
He paused and added, bitterly, SIT had been well
il had never returned-if the death which made me
an orphan had taken me instead In an imprudent