Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-01-22

pied was beautifully situated had chosen it
for Carlotta, and her presence was still there
III the few trifling articIes-books aud music
which she had used during her short residence
there her voice was ever ecboing there but
alas it came with tears and lamentations, for
that room had witnessed little else.
| gazed on the scene before me. | thought
of her-of her youth and heauty-of her suf
fering and sef-impoSed penance. Oh how |
yearned to see her that nght-once to clasp
her in my arms-once to implore her forgive
nesS-once TO tell her that the crime was mine
only-once to attempt 10 Soothe the agony Of
her young spirit | lost myself in thought
| of her. | covered my face with my hands, and
| started when step beside me reused me.
Heavens what did | see Blanca stood
before me, her face streaming with tears and
in her arms she held an iHfant--a little infant
which opened wide its innocent eyes, and
seemed to return the gaze of its most msera-
bic father
| hardly know now how Blanca told me hCr
tale. | know that from that night | forbade
| her ever to mention Cariotta's name again |
told her that | could not hear it and live-and
| live | must for the sake Of her chiid-of our
child
CarIotta was dead-and her dying words
hade Blanca seek me, and bring to my care the
infant she was leaving mOthereSs. She would
not write She told Blanca she dared not dis
turb with earthly passion the calm that was
stealing over her diving hours but she bade
her bear me her full and perfect forgiveness !;
she bade her tell me that she believed Heaven
had accepted her repentance, and she bade her
charge me 10 give our child the tenderness and
devotion which she had not dared to receive
herself
And SO she dicd-my victim aud my idol
That a very terrible time Alone had to
wreStlr with that Sorrow-no comfort no hope
on any side. Her image came unbdden be-
fore me as she was in her husbands home in
Englani-lovcd and honored, 50 happy ia her
thoughtle>S Innocence. Scene after scene rose
up before me in vivid colorS, till the fatal day
came which changed her from careless child
to miserable woman. She was before me
as she left me-and then Imagination saw her
in her solitude suffering mentally and bodily,
longing for my presence. yet reSoIute not to
yield to the desire of calling me to her side
Each word that Blanca had uttered seemed to
NE the token of scene of suffering and self
denial She had told me how she louged to
place her infant in my arms and yet how per
emptoriv she forbade Blanca to seek me
She had told me- how She wept over the ma
conscious infant, ana | felt that knew she
had sent murmnred words of love and tender
ness 10 me through that innocent medium.
sometimes felt as if could not look on
that child {; and then again ny whole soul
seemed bound up in her. and vowed to devote
my life to her happiness 1t seemed the only
Offering | could make to her wrougcd mothers
memory, and very SoIemnlv resolved to fulfil
the trust she had committed 10 me.
Then commenced a new period of nv exjs-
teHce. | cannot say that al first ever found
anything approaching peace or consolation in
the task. | worSlIipped CarlottaS child, but
| never met her unconscious gaze without fan
cyiug that there was something reproaclful
in it. | Graded her in my arms, surrounded
her with nv care She soon welcomed me with
baby smile. AMI held ont her little arms TO
me but although my life was bound up in
her iife aud conld not endure her to be long
out of my sight. still trembled as | gazed
OH her, and felt a> ii in her sweet face | saw
all my guilt recorded.
Years passed. and this feeling gradually les
sened aS INV doIatry for nv child increased
When she was first laid in my arms-a LITTLE
infant-how | should have Scorned any one
who had told me that day would come when
even the memory of Car!otta and her early
grave woad grow dim in the light of the love
that nv child would bring to my tortured
heart Yet SO it was There were still hours
and days of remembrance when even my child
might not soothe NE but they became rarer
as she grew older. and my heart cung more
and more tn her
She was named Carotta. Her mother had
been beautiful fairy child-like beauty which
hardly seemed 10 have attained its height or
developed it> character when death came to
her-hut her child was more incomparahlv
beautiful than any painters or poets dream.
She was more Italian than her mother had
been, both in beauty and IN character. Her
large cseS flushed where the mothers had melt
ed Her impulses were rapid and vehement
aud instantly acted upon. where the mother
had turned for advice and support 10 whomSO-
ever was nearest TO her gentle and loving IN
her nature, As her chtld was impaSSioued and
independent often felt, whilst Carlotta grew
up beside me, that when the moment came that
love entered her Sou it must be a decisive mo-
mcut for tue veal or woe of her whole future
life. No emotion could come calmly to her
and so it proved.
Ny chld-ny chili-wouli that she hal
died with her mother
Carlo,ta'S infancy and childhood was spent
in Italy | formed nv future plan of Life when
she was brought to n!e | had sent instruc-
tons to England that ms estates should be sold
had changed nv name resolved that no trace
of nv existence should remain, and | deter
mined az that time that when Carlotta had
passed from her childhood | should return 10
England 0nd fix our home in some remote place
where | never might meet again with any one
whom had known in early life
Nv fortune was very large. knew that ]
could surround Carlotta with eFery luxury that
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