Amador weekly ledger., 1857-11-14

that although he could converse freely and
appeared to be fast recovering yet he could
not bear motion and was therefore for weeks
coDfned to his bed His account of the at
tack npon him was very short; he was wash
ing his hands at the back door when the ruff
ians approached him, and ere he could defend
himself they felled him to the earth senseless.
When informed by Minnie of the service that
Waters had rendered her, his gratitude knew
no bounds, and he pledged him his lasting
friendship Not yet did he know that be
was indebted to lis sisters first lover for his
own life and the saving Of his niece from
fate worse than death.
Minnie's conduct during the illness Of her
uncle, aside from the beauties of her person
and mind, was such as to win the heart of
the most obdurate How was it with him
who saw in her not only her own loveliness
but the similitude and perfcctions of her moth
er Reader, [ leave you to frame super
atives sufficiently strong to express his infat-
uation. The days in which he so constantly
engaged her society, were so enhancing to
him that they went by unnumbered. And
how was he looked upon by Minnie? AS the
best Of men--as a friend in whom she could
conlide at all times-as one to whom she was
indebted in a sum Of gratitude incalculable
This being so, she doubtless often gave Wa
ters reasons to believe that her feelings to-
wards him partook of the tender nature of
love
As soon as Waters considered Mr.. Stan
ford sufficiently recovered be took a favorable
opportunity to reveal his identity to him.
The younger brothers sympathy had ever
been with Waters and although he was
astonshed at learning who was his guest, he
welcomed him the more warmly as his old
acquaintance W
"Love, and murder will outD This adage,
as far as love is concerned is decidedly cor
rect. Waters determined to reveal his; and
with him, to resolve was to act But his hon.
or forbid him doing SO until he had first re-
veacd to her those things that he now would
have given worlds, had they been his, had
they never occurred. He sought an inter
view with Miss Eastfeld and in his most ell
oquent and touching manner told of that
which although it did not shock, bewidered
/ her. Riedcr, remember she had been reared
| from infancy by those who had been ruined
/ by her father; who never spoke Of him ex.
cept to censure; aud that she had never
known a fathers Kindness remember her just
gratitude, and you will admit that she did
/ right in not casting off from her friendship
even the one who had deprived her of q
parent. Ere she had recovered from her
surprise at his disclosure Waters seized one
of her hands and in passionate language de-
clared to her his love, aud besought her to be-
stow that hand on him and thus complete
his happiness. This declaration, while it
amased her, was fully met by her sense of
propriety Had she not known the relation
Waters had sustained to her parents, it is
doubtful what her answer would have been
as it was she refused him in words which
/ though few and becoming, inflicted wounds
in his heart, deep and incurable. He felt the
madness Of his presumption, and owned to
the business of her decision.
The remainder of the day after his rejee-
tion he fingered around in silence He willed
| to 90 from the scene of his short-lived bliss,
and yet he remained His spirit was broken.
With a cold feeling at his heart he retired to
his bed that night not to leave it again in
life. Without visible disease he was hur-
ried to the grave, and no skill could stay his
progress
was sent for at his solicitation, and ar
rived in time to receive his last request
He died smiling, for Minnie was wipng the
death-dew from bis temples.
We buried his remains beneath spreading
oak in a secluded dell, all the neighbors at
tending his corpse to its resting place. The
birds that perch in .he foliage o'erhanging
his grave sing requiems for the rest of his
soul; and the falling leaves rustic each other
but gently lest they disturb his repose.
My story here ends. Although may
have embellished il as one is wont TO do
when speaking of friend, yet it is true in