Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1857-02-05

iOAS O'NA h'SS ShioSOa w
mind. Danish it from your recolle,
ton. Happiness is yet within yot
reach. if you will strive to clasp it!
"Alas! my friend," he cried, "yo
know not what lost. You woul
fain administer comfort TO me, bu
!, you know not the extent of th
wound, yon probe. | feel that to
morrow will bring the crisis of m,
! fate. We can neither of US sleeE
If you have patience to listen,
will recount to you the events whicl
have so changed my being, and, j
you ever return to our native soil
you can tell my yfriends my story
and my fate" @
/ / expressed my willingness to lis
ten, and Archer proceeded at once
Il am anative of Boston, my pro
fession is that Of a lawyer yeti hat
no necessity to practice it, for | was
left an orphan at twenty, With ar
ample fortune.
II did not fall ll'iuto the course o.
dissipation common toyoung men who
are left their own masters at an early
age Reared in the path of honor
and integrity by a wise father, ]
remembered and treasured his coun-
sells long after the lips that uttered
them were crumbling into dust.
"Tha old lawyer under whom ]
studied had nelce; she was the heir
ess to a fine estate which was, unjus-
tly withheld from her by a male rela-
tive. Her uncle had given her a
home, and instituted a suit, to recov-
er her property.
Della Hallet was seventeen, when
| first beheld her. and | thought her
the loveliest of her sex. Twill not
attempt to describe the charms which
made me her slave; suffice it to say.
that | loved her with my whole be-
ing.
Il sought every opportunity of
securing her society, and cur acquain-
tance soon ripened into intimacy; my
love was told and accepted. Della
promised to be my wife, only on one
and that was, if she gained
ber lawsuit, as her fortune would
then nearly equalm own.
Il endeavored in vain TO combat
this resolution. She was firm against
all my ertreaties; she acknowledged
her love for me, but, in the sane
breath, she told me ] should never
call her mine so long as she remained
a beggar.
II left her with the determination
to exert all my energies in her cause.
l would prove myself worthy of her
by winning her. Animated by this
idea, / at once offered my services
to her guardian; they we're joyfully
We labored together.
The trial day came-the case was
severely contested, the result gave US
A decided victory. l bore the news
Of our success to Della.
Il have no thanks to speak, she
said, laying her hand in mine, 'this
IS your reward.
1.-THE wedding day was fixed
With Joy, awaited the approach of
this eventful period. Time passed !
slowly to my eager Anticipation
The eve Of the day came. ] was
sitting in my Office, when servant
brought me the alarming intelligence
that Della bad disappeared, no one
knew whittier. AT the same time, |
he placed in my hand a note address.
ed to me, in her well-known hand
writing. ] tore it open with trem-
bling hands. 1t contained these few
which have since then benin.
delibly engraved on my heart: .,
EDWARD = Forgive me for having
SO long deceived you. Ineverloyed
you. am about to elope with him,
who alone possesses my heart. Par
DON ber whom you have SO often call
ed your !. g. DELLA
~ sat in my chair, IN a state Of
stupor, with the fatal paper firmly
clenched in. my hand. Heaven only
knows how long ! should have re-
mained thus, if had not been. dis
furbed BY the entrance Of her guar
dian.
sHe noticed my distraction aud
at once inquired The cause. | gave
him the letter silently: | could not
speak, my heart was in my throat,
and choked my utterance. Could
/ have wept, it would. have relieved
me. =. - 5gsg