True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-04-08

shoulder. He shuddered, and shrank
from my touch.
" Not dead to li(e," l said, slowly,
but dead to lappiness!' '
He recoiIed as though bitten by vi,
Iper. His pale face became even more
corpse like, and he cried, in a tone of
wild wondering entreaty,
"'" Meicent Graham are you dead or
living?" .a.' '.
''I am Melicent Graham" replied
calmly, Do you wish to mock me I"
Arapid change passed over his face.
He caught me almost savagely to his
breast emily, Milly--my own little
lost darling Oh it is indeed my MilIy
come back to me ?" and he passed his
hand with the old caressing movement
over my hair
With powerful effort released my
SELF
"Doubly betrayer" | said bitterly,
60, lest l scorn you! You whom l made
my Idol Oh God that one so true in
seeming should be in reality SO base"
He looked at me with an expression
| shall never foret, SO anguished and
grieved,
Oh, Milly oh Milly God help me
Listen to me, Melicent,- there is some
dreadful mistake in this--for the love OF
heaven, hear me ~ and he caught me
forcbly by the arm as turned away
He attempted to seat me on the bench
beside him, but | resisted. Yet bis
touch thrilled me through, and woke all
the old love smoudering within me. l
stood up before him. "Pray proceed,
Mr. Graves" hi
A flush fitted over his face, he hcsita-
ted, then. fell on his knees before me.
"Here at your feet, Melicent, let me
confess Would to God that | were ly.
ing at peace, yonder!' and he pointed 10
; the white table. which covered the clay
of his parents. ''' r. '''''' a'''''t'4.' 7'' .
! stood outwardly quiet! but very
Etna burnt in my breast. With ges-
ture of despair, Willis commenced.
Il need not tell you, MilIy' that | did
love you better than life, that do love
you now-married though be-betler
than aught else on earth! d. not frown
and condemn me, Meliccnt, until you
have heard all. Then, as you hope for
mercy hereafter, judge me not too harsh
, ly! | left you and reached Ilaly-the
land of my life dreams. My glorious i'm
, aginlngs were realized. A land of beauty,
poetry, and art opened to my enraplured
vision / became IN art student with
Professor R. made rapid advance,
, ment;! and as the portege of the wealthy
! Mr. Markley, and the pupil of the wor-
. shipped R, | was admitted into the
most fascinating society in the city. But
| your blessed image, MilIy, kept me from
admiring the many celebrated beauties
who futtered around me. worshipped
at a shrine too holy to admit anotheridol 4!
l received your letter telling me of my
mothers death, then the other bearing the
. dread intelligence Of my desolale orphan
age! oh, how your words of consolation
cheered me ] wrote TO you immediate
ly, and after waiting several months in
, vain for your reply, wrote again, No
:, answer came. Again and again 4 wrote,
E but received no response. ! had seated
myself 10 write for the sixth time, when
my share of the United States mail was
brought to me. searched for letters, but
: the hand writing | wished was not there.
) | opened New York paper, and strange.
y enough the first paragraph that NIT
$ my eye was an announcement Of your
: death. For weeks after this remember
e nolhing-they told me when recovered
Q consciousness that had lain at deaths
door Tor nine weells-7ill of the brain fe
yer, and that only the most assiduous
e care had saved me. ] regretted that i
t was thus; why did they not let me die
t | asked them again and again it would
n have been better. Those around me
smiled, as if they thought me even ther
e deranged but God knows ]! was my sin
d cere wish! | found, on recovering, iha
y / had been removed from my lodgings t.
k the private abode Of Mons. Gullct, re
tired French officer, the husband of Mr.
Marcley only sister'-now dead, 1t wa'
. a long time before they would allow m,
to 90 out, and in The interval / was tended
e by their daughter Corinne. @
i. 8"M Mr.. tMarkley slrove 10 arouse M
l. from the apathy into which / had fallen
e toiOspireme anew with enthusiasm Q
!! art; but he might as well have talked +
d soulless marble {! For months my life wa
At one long revery, in which l lived over a
Il the past back even to my bliss(ul man
2 hood, when you were mine, all mine
le my little Milly T. Mr.. Graves paused
le and tears such as only a strong man ca
A weep, burned through the fingers whic
/ covered bis face, In few minute
is he conquered his emotions and coniir
le usd.f M \. aa. s.6Faos ,i,..
.fIig"Mr. Markley came to me one dal
lg with an astounding revelalionl Corinn
III Outlet loved me +! | remember sayin
We that / was very sorry, and then relapsin
into my bitter revery. Mr.. Markle
ID aroused me by entreating me 10 MARI
b. her. Surprised, shocked, and grisye
is beyond measure, emPhatically refuses