The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1857-04-30

but every day, as the evening mail arrives,
tnds her, dressed in her choicest, watching
for him who comes not.
George my dear cousin George, have
wished to ask your forgiveness, oh, SO often;
you must have seen my desire to do so;"
and drawing herself up, "you know my
PRIDE, 1t was long ere could do it; but my
beloved fathers illness, that perhaps soften
ed me, and your kindness TO him, George
-am | forgivenl"-and Helen held out
to him her matchless hand
SURPRISING groan of agony, and to hide
the deathlike pallor Of his working face, he
turned away, and then. without a word,
drew her TO him, and clasped her in his
arms, while one deep sob burst from his
overcharged heart.
Dear George, now know how truly
you love me. When you spoke hurriedy
tha: day, you remember, had heard some.
thing which caused me pain, and was
hurt and angry. You dou't know how |
repented afterwards having wounded YOU.
DO not now ask me to tell you what it was
heard. You shall some day know all: |
shall never conceal anything from you,
George, then"
"God bless you-may God bless YOU"
was all his reply.
/ They were together in the drawing room,
but at this moment q summons from her
father called Helen away, and the door
closed on Asleigh, than whom then the
world scarcely contained a more miserable
man.
Desperate was the Inward struggle before
honor gained the mastery; ut one moment
| the spirit of evil whispered Cannot your
marriage he annuled perhaps denied and
| Helen made your ownl' at the next, happi
! ly for him, better impulse succeeded
Should the name which COR generations had
! remained unspoued he sullieI bv himl
/ And yet" he murmured, "oh, Helen, Hell
/ en-, why did you drive me to do that which
have donel Wretched, hateful woman
that have made my wife, why did ever
meet voui"
Helen watched for Asleigh all that even
| ing, but he-did not appear. 1t had rather
surprised her 10 find hm gone, when, on
her return from her father, she, re- entered
the drawing room. How great became her
astonishment during the following day.
when n letter from her cousin WAS placed
IN her hand, the contents of which we're as
! follows:
Helen, my dearest cousin, we may
never meet again on this ealth. An in>ur-
mouniahe barrie: stands in the way OF our
union. dare not meet vOu again, nor eau
tnither explain my conduct, which know
must appear incomprehenSlbie and tickle.
Forgive me, | besrech YOU, and believe
only tiiat, whatever / may seem, | love,
aud shall ever love, YOU better than life
better than all, save honor. shall have
| qnlttel England ere you receive this, it may
be to return no mere. Forgive me. Fare
well. g NJ Al
How the proud Lady Helen suffered in
secret no mortal was permitted To know.
Not another eye but her own saw GEORGES
letter, and while the old man mourned
over the quarrel which he supposed had de
! prlved him of his nephews society for =
season, he little suspected the truth, but
imagined that, like other lovers quarrel,
which had preceded it, il would blow over.
and his children, when reconciled, be better
friends than ever.
In the meantime Hester watched on bpt
her husband came not: DAYS grew into
weeks, weeks into months. and still he was
absent. No word reached her TO tell of his
lelrS
Tor his safety aSSalcd her, vexa,ious calls
upon her purse, which she could not meet,
came IN daily; her servants grew insolen,;
and when she told the tradespcope her
husbands absence alone caused DELAY i'm
The payment of their bills, they answered
hy smiles which cut her to the Quick.
Gradually, 10 lqudate rs far as possible
what WAS due Hester parted with every
thing she possessed but a few articles Of
cIolhlng she grew pale-was soon To be.
come moihcr-what TO DO, or where TO
turn, she knew not: frieudless and alone
the future was dark indeed for her.
IL transpired one day in the town that
Hester had disappeared. No one knew
whittier the poor deserted girl had bent
her steps. The hard-hearled laughed, and
SAID they had always suspected something
wrong; and those more kindly disposed
Pilied while they blamed, adding, they
feared, indeed they feared, it was tue "o!d
tale" so often told
CHAPTER II.
On the night before his departure from
England, Asleigh wrote to his wife, and en-
closed an order Tor money, telling her AZ
the same time where to apply for a yearly
allowance. lie gave no reason for desert
ing her. but praying for her forgiveness,
and applying to himself every epitLet of op
/ probrium, bade her farewell The letter by
some accident never reached her-fortu-
na!eIy perhaps--(or the shocI, might have
been fatal ia the delicate state of her health
while the hope deferred" even though 1t
/ Oumed but family within, still su>t ,ineL
her, IN measure, and encouraged the at.
tempt she had resolved to make of follow.
ing her husband to London, on the chance
Of discovering him.
Late in the month Of May. footstore and
weary, Hester had arrived within a stage
or two of the metropolis. She had walked
the last few miles, and now, with feeble
limbs and totlerinp stems. enlered ihn rnrL