The home journal. [volume] (Winchester, Tenn.) 1857-1857, 1857-05-29
TO lay an unchanged heart at your feetr
E''ells was weeping too bitterly to re

E'tells was weeping too bitterly to re
/ ply,
"Stella! will you promise to do this7
"Lorl Monlressor, best and dearest
lrendl do not seek 10 bind yourself to one
who can give nothing in return! Try to
think Of the melancholy girl that you
have plted and loved--onIy as a shadow
that fell for moment across the sunshine
OF your path, and then passed away for
ever --anl so forget her!"
"SIella! lhave pledged my honor new.
er to renew this suit, unless you reverse
in my favor the sentence you have pro.
nounred upon it; but, inspired by the
deep and deathlcss love bear you, and
hoping against hope feel impellcL 10
implore, before leaving you, that, in the
event Of favorable change Of sentiment
or purpose towards me, you will not hes,
itate 10 give me leave to return. Stella,
will you promise me so much as that"
"Noblest friend that have in the
world how gladly would promise, but
must not, Monlrcssor. Were | TO do so,
you would feel bound to wal the changes
Of my mood, and so, for most undcserv.
ing love, might miss, in some nober wo.
mans affections, the happiness in store
for you"
"Stella, will you raise your sweet,
moufniul eyes to mine, ono moment, that
you may read my soul while speak"
Eslelle lifted her dark orbs to NEE, the
clear, pure, blue eyes bent with so much
love and candor upon hers, and read the
deep, unchanging truth Of the constancy
of his soul as he said
"Stella, in the presence Of the heart.
searching God who sees and hears me,
assure you that | shall never love an,
other woman as oye you, and there.
fore, Of course, can never wed another; so
that, whether you give me this slightest
Of hopes or not, am equally and forever
bound! Now 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 an unutter.
able love and Joy broke on her beautiful,
dark face, and her smiling lips parted to
speak, when, as if sudden memory and
warning had gripped her very heart, she
uttered low, sharp cry, turne palerthan
before, and tfen said
mo! no! my Lord! Stella cannot even
give you that! She is poorer than the
poorest, in gifts to you! She can only
pray that you may forget her and Re hap
pyn'
He looked profoundly disappointed and
troubled. But soon mastering his dc.
spondency, he said hopefully
"Well, dearest Stella, although you
reject me without apparen, reason, and
refuse 10 give ME the sIiehtes, promise or
the most dts,anl hope, yet Irepeat, should
you, in the long future, change your pur.
pose, and write 10 me one word, Come,
| will hasten to lay at your feet an un.
changed heart! Good bye! God be with
you!" anil raising Ter hand, he bowed
over it, pressed it 10 his lips, turned and
lett 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 interview,
founl Estelle lying in swoon upon the
floor! 1t was followed by a long and ter.
rihle illness, terminating in tediously
protracted convalescence. The town sea.
son was at hand before Estelle was able
to re- enter society.
They went up to London, and once
more the "star Of beauty" arose upon its
world. And though the cloud upon her
life settled darker and heavier, day by
day, she was more followed, fattered and
cour,ed 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 break last,
and Sir Parke was engaged in reading
aloud from the London Times, an account
Of the SAVING Of the French Ship. LIE
Due D'Ayou, wrecked off the cast Of
dleiers, Estele uttered lou cry and
sank tainting from her seat
This attack was not, as the other had
been, fol flowed by illness; on the contra.
~, from that day, the cloud seemed lifted
flom her head, and even those who had
most admired her face in its shadow were
enchanted to see how brilliant was her
beauty in its sunshine! Her health and
spirits daily improved, yet in the midst OF
all this flowing tide Of new life, Estells
astonished her friends by suddenly, in the
height OF the London season, retiring 10
her fathers country seat, where she re-.
NAMED in strict seclusion from the world
for eighteen months.
At the end Of this period, Lord Mon.
tressor, who had never left Eng gland, or
lost trace Of his beloved Stella, and who
was now staying at his castle in Dorset.
shire, was one day seated at breakfast,
when the morning mail was brought him.
Among a score Of letters, the first that at.
,racted his attention was dainty white
envelope superscribed in delicate hand
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