Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1857-02-14

playing place. There Edward Preston
came suddenly upon me had one risen
up ghastly and sheeted from the dead,
could not have been more startled, more
shocked
But he advanced toward me, and then
all the wrong he had done to me and
mine, all the horror, all the loathing with
which had grown to associate his name,
rose up torepel his approach, and spring
ing up, / answered him
"Go away, go away, You bad, wicked
man You shall not touch me, you who
wrote that awful letter, you who have
killed my sister Nellie. Oh !! as mamma
says, You may go unpunished for sea-
son, but your sin will surely find you
out.
l stopped short, trembling in every
limb, utterly confounded at the anathem-
atizing torrent that was issuing from my
lips. Edward Preston's eyes were rivit-
ted in wild bewilderment on my face.
81 will solve this mystery if God
grants me another hour of my life, y
came, after momentsry pause, from be-
tween his compressed lips; he wheeled
suddenly round, and rushed in the direc-
ton of our cottage.
"Nellie Nellie my beautiful, my
beloved Oh, to find you once more and
thusi'' And Edward Preston spunng into
mammals bedroom, regardlessHof her
presence-sprsRg to the bedside of my
unconscious sister, for her physical being
was too weak to sustain the first shock OF
his presence.
The young man wrpped his arms
round her, and laid his head or her Bosom.
"Nellie, darling" he said, in veace
pathetically tender, "open those bright
eyes and look upon me once more. There
has been long dreadful shadow between
us. Look up, dearest, and tell me You
have been true to me as l have been to
you in every pulsation of my heart. Look
up and tell me you did not write that
cruel letter" And at the sound of that
beloved voice, Nellie's brown eyes unclo-
sed and roamed eagerly over his face.
She opened her lips, but the words had
no audible birth, for she had not strength
to consummate their utterance.
"Mr. Preston - Mammals voice was
gentle, but very firm, for the surprise and
bewilderment which Edward Preston s
abrupt entrance had momentarily be-
queathed were now vanished. Before
any further communications take place
between my daughter and yourself, de-
sire private Interview with you in the
parlor. The mystery which surrounds
your conduct must be revealed. 1t NAV
be we have mutually suffered wrong
Nellie, my child, trust your mother
for mamma read the prayer in my sister S
eager eyes.
"Yes, trust her, Nellie, even as I do,
for very foul wrong must have been done
to both of U.S." said Edward Preston, as
he bent fondly over my sister for a mo-
ment, and then left the room with mamma.
"Nellie, my sweet girl, restore him
to you, true and worthy of your love as
he was when you plighted your troth," "
said my mother, as she returned to Nell
lie, after half hours absence, accom-
panied by Edward Preston.
"Oh, an enemy has done this!' ejac-
ulated the young man, as he looked with
mournful fondness on Nellie's thin, pale
face. "Curses on hips Sor the bloom he
has taken frssn those cheeks. If could
only find him !'' And his brow darkened.
" Vengeance is mine / will repay
saith the Lord" came low and impressive
from my mothers lips.
"Oh, Edward, 1t is enough to feel
that you are here to know that you are
true to me | can forget and forgive all
who have wronged us now p and Nellie S
thin fingers floated among the short
brown curls, and the smile of former
times rippled through the bed of dimples
round her lips. as her brown head was
pillowed on the bosom ofEdward Preston
That night all was revealed. That
cruel letter, which had well nigh broken
Nellie's heart, was the offspring of ano-
ther brain than that of Edward Preston's;
and the brief, cold epistle in Nellie's del.
icate Italian hand, telling him that ano-
ther love frightened the hearthstone,
where the flame of girlish fancy which
he had kindled had died out forever, fur
nished complete solution to Edward
Preston's long silence.
"Nellie, darling, do not tell me so |!
cannot bear it o God my God, spare