Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-05-23

self of the affections of their daughter, Lord
Montressor offered his heart and hand to the lovely
Estelle, and was to his profound establishment in.
stantly and firmly rejected! In thus rejecting his
suit she wept long and bitterly praying his forgive.
ness that the happiness she had experienced and
exhibited in his society should have betrayed him
into making this declaration, and beseeching him
never to renew his suite; but to leave and forget
her. There was something in the tone Of her re-
flsal which confirmed and deepened his previous
conviction that-even in rejecting him-she loved
him! But with his high-toned sentiments he would
not in the least degree presume upon that know-
edge. Taking her hand with deferental tenderness
he said
'Stella! a never but once, in his whole ex-
istence, loves woman as I love you will not
inquire the cause of the rejection, which you have
certainly right to make without assigning any
reason for the act And after having received this
repulse l may not in honor distress you by a re.
newa of my suit. But this, in parting. must say
to you-that though 60 hence, shall not go out
Of the reach of your friends; shall never address
another woman; so if ever in the course of future
weeks, or months, or years, however long, you may
think proper 10 review the decision Of this evening"
Stella, l implore you to let me know! Write but
one word, Come and will return to lay an un-
| changed heart at your feet!"
Estelle was weeping too bitterly to reply.
"Stcla! will you promise to Go this2'
Lord Montressor best and dearest friend do
not seek to bind yourself to one who can give you
nothing in return! Try to think of the melancholy
| girl that you have ptied and loved-ony as
| shadow that fell for moment across the sunshine
Of your path, and then passed away forever land
| so forget her!"
| ''Stela 1! have pledged my honor never to renew
| this suit unless you reverse in my favor the sen.
by the deep and deathless love bear you, and
hoping against hope, feel impelled to implore be-
fore leaving you, that, in the event of favorable
change of sentiment or purpose towards me, you
will not hesitate to give me leave to return. Stella,
| will you promise me much as that?"
"Noblest friend that l have in the world how
gladly would promise, but must not, Montressor.
| Were to do so, you would feel bound to wait the
| changes of my mood, and so, for most undeserv-
ing love, might miss, in some nobler woman's af-
fections, the happiness in store for you"
"Stea, will you raise your sweet, mournful eyes
| to mine, one moment, that you may read my soul
| while spcak?"
| Estelle lifted her dark orbs to meet the clear,
pure, blue eyes bent with much love and candor
upon hers, and read the Deep unchanging truth of
the constancy of his soul as he said
| 'Stela, in the presence of the hcart.searching
| God who and hears me, l assure you that
shall never love another woman as love you, and,
therefore, of course never we'd another; so that
whether give me this slightest of hopes or not,
| / am equally and forever bound Non will you
promise, Stella? Remember, it is only to let me
| know in case of change in your sentiments"
For an instant the light Of unutterable love
and JOY broke on her beautiful, dark face, and her
smiling lips parted to speak-when-as if sudden
memory and warning had grpped her very heart
she uttered low, sharp cry turned paler than be-
fore, and then said
"No! no my Lord! Stella cannot even give you
that! She is poorer that the poorest, in gifts to
you! She can only pray that you may forget her
and be happy"
He looked profoundly disappointed and troubled,
But soon mastering his dependency he said hope
fully
';Well dearest Stella, although you reject me
without apparent reason, and refuse to give me the
slightest promise the most distant hope, yet
pedt-should you in the long future change your
purpose, and write to me one word-'Come,' will
hasten to lay at your feet unchanged heart!
Good bye! God be with you!" and raising her
hand he bowed over it. pressed it to his lips turned
and left the room.
Some moments after Lady Morelle, who came to
seek and congratulate her daughter upon what she
imagined to be the only possible result Of The inter.
view-found Estele lying in swoon upon the floor!
1t was followed by long and terrible illness, termi
mating in tediously protracted convalescence. The
town season was at hand before Estelle able to
| re.enter society.
They went up to London, and once more the
| 'sar Of beauty" arose upon its world. And though
the cloud upon her life settled darker and heavier,
day by day, she vas more followed, flattered and
courted than BEFORE
| Thus three years had passed away, when one
morning, while the family, then occupying their
town house in Berkely Square. were seated at late
breakfast, and Sir Parke was engaged in reading
aloud from tile London Times, an account cf the
saring Of the French SIMPLE Due UAnjou-
sorecked off the coast Of Algiers-Estele altered a
Io'o cry md sank tainting from her seat.
This attack was not, as the other had been, fol-
lowed by illness; on the contrary, from that day,
the cloud seemed lifted from her head, and even
these who had most admired her face in its shadow,
were enchanted to how brilliant was her beauty
in its sunshinel Her health and spirits daily i'm
proved, yet in the midst of all this flowing tide Of
new life Estee astonished her friends by suddenly,
in the height of the London season, retiring to her
fathers country seat where she remained in strict
secusion from the world for eighteen months.
At the end of this period, Lord Montressor, who
had never left England or lost trace Of his beloved
Stella, and who was now staying at his castle in
| Dorsetshire, was day seated at breakfast when
the morning mail was brought him. Among score
of letters the first that attracted his attention was
dainty white envelope superscribed in delicate
handwriting. He took that up first and opened it
it contained but one word-"CoME"
The light of an ineffable joy broke over his face
Oh! he had waited, patiently, hopefully, years, for
that word, and at last he received it! Thanks to
heaven in the first instance! and then pushing all
the other letters unopened aside he sprung up rang
for his valet, and ordered his vaIise packed and
horses put to the carriage.
In twenty more minutes he had reached the rail
way station just the were about to start and
in three hours he was at Hyde Hall and standing in
the presence of Estelle!-she looked so beautiful
and happyl
With the old chivalric enthusiasm of devotion, he
dropped, at once upon his knee, and raised her
hand to his, saying
"For four years have hoped and waited for one
word from you, and at last, beloved you have writ
ten-Come,' and am at your feet, as I said, with
an unchanged HEARTH
"But II she said, deeply blushing, while she held
both hands to raise him, al, my Lord, have not an