The north Iowa times. [volume] (M'Gregor [i.e. McGregor], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1857-03-06
MGREGOR, FRIDAY, MARCH. 6, 1857

sweet, the memory is too divinely dear fol
regret, although it must entail on me, a
least, life Of sorrow" she sobbed
through rain of tears. ..a.'
l ',Helen dearest Helen what has hap.
pened ?-what do you mean ?" he ex.
lclaimed.
"That your father never will consent tc
such union as you desire, - was her des.
pairing reply. .af FL -...
"Fear not, my beloved" he affirmed.
in all the confidence of ardent youth and
burning passion; II will throw myselt
at his feet, and pray for his sanction to a
step on which my happiness-nay, my
very life itself-depends. l will appeal
to his justice, his mercy, and every gen.
erous impulse of his nature, and tell him
how long we have loved--even since we
were children. He is stern, but still hu-
man, and must yield to my entreaty-
Nevertheless, if he should turn me out OF
doors beggar, it shall not bar our bridal.
We will seek the wild forests of the dew
dropping west, and dwell or die togeth
er Say, shall it not be so %
EYES," she murmured, gazing in his
eyes with look of infinite fondness eyes,
my hand, heart, soul and body, are all
yours-only yours p a..
After long, lingering farewell, the
young lovers parted, and the son hurried
home, with the resolution to address his
father on the subject of all his hopes and
desires at the earliest opportunity; and
chance favored him much sooner than he
could have expected, as he met the rich
man walking alone some hundred yards
from the party in the meadow. 49,.
"What does this mean % demanded
the miser, in angry tones. while his dark
features and gloomy countenance reveal
ed mingled surprise and scorn; ''why
did you leave the company assembled to
do you honor?''
Il have not been absent a great while, "
replied the youth, II only conducted Hell
en- Martin to her cottage" s........
"What you dared pay that attention
to pitiful beggar ?" cried the other, of
the most bitter rage.
Father, hear me p exclaimed the son,
falling on his knees and pouring out, in
words of fire, the story of his unalterable
love, with earnest prayers and imploring
gestures that might almost have melted a
heart Of marble Is .
But, had thunderbolt shivered the
sky above his head, or an earthquake
rolled the world from beneath his feet,
the millionaire of the Blue Ridge could
not have been more astonished.
"Never!' he fairly shouted "Never
shall you wed such low beggar! I would
rather see you married to the meanest
wench on my plantations. 1t would not
be half the dishonor !" ...........
The son arose, and. confronting his faith
er with flashing eyes, said in accents of
terrible determination-"If Helen Martin
be beggar, so am l from this moment
for l now, before Heaven. renounce your
inheritance, and tomorrow will give my
hand to the bride of my heart p and he
turned to leave the place.
"Stay !" exclaimed the father, in will
der voice; s'do you know anything of
Helen's parentage ?"
The youth looked at the speaker in
mute astonishment, and trembled before
the dreadful gleam which lightened in his
dark eyes.
Il will tell you," said the miser, with
a diabolical smile that seemed to chill the
very blood of the beholder's heart ''you
have never heard either mother or daugh-
ter say word as to the father, because
she, your adored paragon, is the child of
shame"
81 care not" replied the son, with a
beaming countenance; II only love her
the more for misfortune that was no fault
of hers. and she shall be my wife before
the golden setting of another sun behind
yonder blue mountains3'
boy. You shall not-you dare not p
said the other, as he took three steps for
ward, and laid his fingers on Amber's
shoulders.
"And why not ?" gasped the young
man, horror-stricken at the lurid paleness
of his fathers visage.
"Fool p hissed the miser; "because
Helen is my own daughter, and therefore
your half-sisterH p .s. .....-..z. &.
Amber Holton reeled as if stunned by
a cannon ball, but recovering himself i'm
mediately, gazed into the others eyes, as
if to search the bottom of his soul, and
asked, in hollow voice: @
els it indeed true 20
Certainly, as I may hope for saliva
ton !" was the unhesitating response.
''Father, you have gained your point, "
said the youth, in tones Of measureless
despair. whether you have done so by
fair means or not, shall never know
Yet you have gained your point, neverthe-
less. shall not wed Helen to be tortur-
ed by the uncomfortable doubt. and haunt
ed by the spectre of hell conjured up by
your awful revelation. Then let your
two daughters be the heirs Of your wealth ;
for, father of mine never more, you have
lost your son r And he turned on his
heel and fed away towards the blue noun
tains.
i The blue-eyed virgin spring melted in
to the burning arms of sunny summer.
summer faded into the sere and withered
leaves of autumn, and autum died in the
E.>..- l.. &c l., xv;,tor until tho oil.