The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1856-11-20
ain defiance" sho repeated" Of your ia.
ther and motherl In defaace?"

ton had been increasing, and it appeared
now, to rise beyond control. Two crimson
spots shone on her pale cheeks, her Sigh;
frame shook, as with agitation, and her
hands were cold and moist as she grasped
those Of her son.
"Listen, William" she said; n will tell
you painful tale. You may have gather.
ed something of it in your boyhood, but
not its details. IViH you listell Or are
you going to despise even my wordsl"
"My dear mother You know l will lis.
ten-in all reverence. If you would but
afford me the opportunity to be reverent in
all things"
II was happy girl at home. My moth
er died, and then owed my father dou
ble duty. was but child, barely eigh.
teen, when n young man, handsome, viii
lam, rs you are now, was introduced TO u.s.
lie was extravagant, random; but he loved
me, and that was all cared for Our at
tachment became known 10 my father. He
deemed this gentleman no eligible match
for me; he doubted his ability, in many
ways, to render me happy; and he put n
stop to our meetings. lIe forbid me to
think more of him; he said if did. in spite
OF his veto, pursue the acquaintance, he
would discard me from his house forever
On the other side, the friends were equally
avetse to it; and his parents bid him. though
in all kindness, shrink from the fruits Of
disobcdience. His father. clergyman,
begged OF him not TO brave it: he told him
that deliberate disobediencc TO parent was
surely visited on chld's head. Happy
for us both had we attended to their coun.
sci; but youth, in its ardor, sees not things
as they are; in after years, when soberness,
experience, judgment have come 20 them.
they look back and marvel at their blind.
ness. We, he and I-oh, William! that
should have such an avowal to make to
you. set our parents Introduction at noucht.
and | ran away from my home with him
to become his wife. That.man was Thorn
as Elliot, your father"
She was excessively excited. Her son
would have begged Of her not 10 disturb
herself. but she waved away his Interrupt
ton.
I'VE glorel in having deceived them.
Not so much for the deceit, in itself-we
had not quite descended to that-as that
we had obtained our own will But, vii.
liam, how did it work! How does such
sin always work."
She paused as ii she waited for an an
swer. He did not speak.
Look abroad in society aud watch the
results: scan narrowly aIl those who have
thus rehclliously entered upon their own
career. Sooner or later, more or les. bit.
terly. retrIUulion comes home To them. IL
may rarely be attributed to its right cause,
even by themselves, aud many there are
who would laugh at what am now say
ing. None have had the cause, that have,
to note these things; and i, is from long
experience, from repeated and repeated in.
stances have witnessed ofthe confirmation
of my opinion, that my firm conviction has
been formed. Some are visited through
poverty-some in their children in
themselves, in their unhappy life. We,
William, had a taste OF all. In the early
years of our union, it was one struggle TO
hive: perhaps you remember, yet, our pinch
ings and contrivanccs. Ny children died
of, save you, one after another; and she,
Clara, who remained to us'-Lady Elliot
sunk her voice TO a whisper "were better
oil had she followed them. / and he whom
chose have had no mutual happiness, for
we found that we were rs unsui,ed te each
other as man and wife can be. My father
never Drgavc me; so for his remaining wears.
and they were many, was an alien from
him Thus have dragged through life,
trouble upon trouble pursuing me, and the
of my sin ever haunting me
William, before YOU talk of marrying Mary
Goring, You should know what it is to brave,
and live under parents curse"
William Elliot did not reply, but his face
wore a look Of keen anxiety.
AT morning, at the suns rising, Mt even.
ing, when it sets; in the nervousness of the
dark night; in the glare Of mid day, was
my dlSobejience present TO me. Heavily,
heavily 1t pressed upon me. would have
forfeited all possessed in life, even my re
naming years, to have redeemed it; and
WilIiam-l prayed to God that he would
IN mercy keep my children from commit
ting the ike sin"
Lady Elliot paused for breath, and her
face, sufficiently young face still, in years,
WAS b!anchel, and her eyes were strained
on her son.
81 prayed it as the greatest mercy that
could then be accorded me: have never
ceased praying for it, William, will YOU,
my ever.loving and dutiiul boy, be the one
TO set that prayer at noughti"
No answer. His lips were white rs her
own
You were my first born--my first and
dearest. In you rests all the hope left to
me: what other comfort have | in lfel
have said to myself, now and then, The
closing years of my existence shall be
brighton than the earlier ones, Tor my dar
ling son shall be my stay and solacer oh,
William, William! give me your promise
now! | kneel to beg it. Say that you will
never marry without our consent
The lines Of his palo face werc working
it seemed that ho wouId speak, but could
not. Lady Elliot had shrunk down ut hi.
feet, and would not rise.
"If YOU brin0 unop yourSalf tbis sam,