The Westerly echo, & Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1854-1858, 1857-11-19

sacred motives which led to it, still call
ei forth sigh from Camclia Wood
courts lips more than once on that lon
afternoon and she sighed again, us she
WATCHED the unrcmittlDg coastancy with
which her mother piled her needle
scarce lifting her head to gaz: upon the
beautiful scene before her.
/ True, it was familiar to her eyes fol
the W WoodcourtS had lived many year,
in the best MANSION in the village Thith-
er, Cameiia's father bad brought the
bride when he was the richest man in
all the country round, and she, the or
phan heiresS OF great wealth. Now the
mill owner, Mr.. Allen, lived in that
beautiful mansion. Charles Woodcouri
was i'll his grave, and bis widow in her
poverty, had gladly sought the shelter
OF the tlny cottage. In the days Of her
prosperity, she had built it ha Il reverted
to her.
To trace the downward course Of such
a man as Charles Woodcourt, is always
painful. 1t is enough that he had new
er applied himself to business, but had
lived tLoughtlessly y and rccklessly. Idle
ness had strengthened habits of dissipa-
ton, and he had become Il gambler and
a drunkard. Wealth soon melts away
IN the hands OF such man, and these
rash speculatioas only percipltated his
downfall. lie died, and was laid in a
drunkard's grave, aud then Paul Allen
for years bis business agent was f3und
to own his mansion and his lands -
There were whispers of foul play, and
hints OF fraud, wnich Done were bold
enough to suOstantiate, and so the Wild
ow went forth sadly and a.one, with her
little ones, aud Paul Allen dwelt in her
fathers halls.
They were very, very poor, and so
VIXEN Paul Allen had built the huge
Cotton Mill, Camelia Woodcourt had
become one Of his operatives, while her
mother cked out her earnings by inces-
SAINT toll at her needle.
Camclia was very young when her
father died, and her education, owing to
early iIl.health, had been sadly neglec-
ted. But there was an air Of refine
ment which distinguished her from t.e
rustic maidens, who were her fellow
even more than her beauty.
There were many bright eyes and glow
ng checks, and red lips parting to dis
play their pcarly treasures, among her
ompanionS, but the uamclass grace,
which arises from refinement Of thought
lud habit, rendered her conspicuous
among them all.
SO thought two young men saunter-
ug through the mill that afternoon.---
Jamelia did not see them, but both had
% gaze at her, as she fitted about, aud
hey watched her with very different cx-
DrcSsionS
One Of those was the son Of Paul Al
en- He had known Camelia all her
lie, aud the time had been when the
dea hat he might ever hope to approach
Ter as an equal would have given hiG
,arcnts wild delight. But now the
abes were turned. Paul Allen had
Son in the game of life. The Wood
ourts had lost, and Paul, the younger, ,
ow dared, in the mcanness of his das-
ard heart. to hiss words of insult into :
he ear of the fair girl, whose fallen for
uncs made her mark Of his foul de-
igns.
lie annoyed her at the mill, he waylaid
nd prosecuted her with his loathsomc
ttcntions in her daily walks, he follow
d her even iato the sanctuary of her {
umblc home. At first he had come Il
nth spcious pretences Of interest and
ympathy, but the cloak was too loosely
,orn to long conceal the hideousness it
las meant to veil. They had learned
, know and dread him, aud yet from
is prosecutions, there seemed no escape. f,
o appeal to his father, whose favoritc
C was, would bo to deprive Camcilia of
cr employment and that employment
as necessary to clothc and feed the de-
endont ones at home. Thus matters ,
TODD, when Paul and his college class
rate, Herbert Elliot, strolling through
,e factory on that sultry afternoon.
Both these young mcu would haycIt