Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-05-13

not that tr1mng, Ada 2
| Kate, may as well tell You first as last
l promised Willis Fletcher, tonight. that 7
would be his wife in month from thus time
Kate sprung from her chair and clasped
! her hands in astonishment.
| : Adelaidel Adelaide! you do not mean
what you are saEngp r'--'
certainly do mean it, Kate: WHY should
not?'
Because you do not love him. Obi 7
know, you are only joking
It IS rather a serious subject for tests
kate. In just four weeks fram t,-morrow I
shall marry, Willis Fletcher be Is down
STAIRS win father new-hark / can hear
!. has voice.
They listened there were voices in the
parlor but, after a little while. the outer
door closed, and all was still again.
There was a strange contrast in the two
sisters when they again turned their faces
toward each other. Kate was white and
cold, and trembled like an aspen leaf. while
Adelaide's cheeks burned with excitement.
and her lips were wreathed with a mockine
smile. Kate looked at her earnestly for n
moment.
Adelaide, my dear sister you are surely
mad.'
If am, there is method in my Madness
Duu HOOK dL me so, hate.
Adelaide, tell me-do you love Willis
Fletcher2' 2 And Kate's voice was almost
lmploring as she asked the question.
No. Kate Warren, do not
i knew it I / knew it Oh, Adal Ada
! will you perjure yourself? Not week ago,
in your sleep, | heard you whisper George
Tilden's name-and you have not so soon
forgotten. Why have You done this p
Because eouli not helpit Kate! Kate !
do not reproaeh me Calm and gentle as
your nature is, you cannot dream how have
suffered, or how am tempted And Ade-
laide Lindsey covered her face with her
hands, and her wild sobs Fl led the whole
room. Kate did not know what to say; but
she. passed her arm caressingly round her
sister, and drew her to her bosom.
Hush. darling, hush But no, weep free
~, and then you will be better able to tell
me what all this means. l cannot under
stand it."
| Adelaide lay quietly-sobbing at long in
teryals, like tired child, for nearly an hour.
Then she raised her head, and Kate said.
softly,
You had better go to bed now, dear, and
try to Sleep"
No, Kate-I must tell you all about this.
tonight Inever thought Of marrying Will
lis Fletcher until this evening. / liked his
society, for it diverted nv mind from. other
matters, and did not suppose he cared for
me particularly. While YOU were chatting
with Mrs. Lewis THAT was before Fletcher
came in felt warm ard tired, and thought
l would go up to the dressing room, where I
could be alone for awhile. You know there
rs small room asj6iningFThe larger one, and
went In there, and threw myself down on
a lounge behind the door. Presently heard
voices in the other room-Fanny Loomis.
Clara Hall, and Jane Temple were there =
they were talking Of me and of George Til
demand what do you think they said. Kate?
Ihey said that everybody could see that
was dylng tor him: yes, that was it-dyiao
for him, In spite of the mask | was trying to
wear; and they pitied me so, and said it was
unfortunate-it must be such modification
TO me, for l was so proud. But that is not
all, Kate. Clara Hall hld a letter from The
resa Gordon last week and she wrote that
! George Tilden was to be married. in Februa.
~, to lady in Alabama. Oh, Kate ! saw
through it all. then. | had thought before.
that he really thought me tickle and ineon
stant; but saw then, that it was not so.-
1t was mere excuse for breaking the en-
gagement, that he might return free to his
later love. They said great deal more.
Kate: cannot tell you all-but it made nae
wild; and | was obliged to listen, for could
not leave my position without being discoy-
cred. At length they went down, and |
stole out through the back staircase ard went
into the garden. Willis Fletcher found me
there; he told me that he loved me: he
begged me to be his wife. Kate-the pitv-
lng taunting voices of those girls were in nv
ear every moment, and | consented. He
urged me to name an early day for our mar
rage. That startled me a little: hut
thought OF Georges wedding in February.
and told him that / would be his next
month. There-now you know all about it p
and she threw herself back in the chair with
a sigh of relief.
Kate was weeping silently.
'Adelaide-it is not too late yet this can
be broken off. Mr.. Fletcher will release Won
when you tell him the true state of the case
DO you think l would ask it. Kate3 r.
do not wish it; shall not draw back this
time. And do not cry aboutit, sister-I nre-
sumo shall be just as happy as other peo-
pie. Mr.: Fletcher is all that is good and no
bic, and wilhtry to make him good wife.
at any rate, shall not be pitied any more.
Oh, Ada my dear sister, that naughty
spirit OF yours is urging you to the commits
sion OF terrible error: [ do not know that
crime would be too severe a word. There
can be no true happiness n marriage with
out mutual love-trink what you are about
to do. VIII you. make false VOW at the al
tar? Will you promise to love him and him
only, who is standing by your side. when ey-
cry throb of your heart tells YOU that il he
longs to another?'
1 told you that I did not love Willis
Fletcher-and | do not but did not tell
you that still loved another. Love. GEORGE
Tilden no-I hate him =
Do not deceive yourself, Adelaide: but
above all, do not deceive Mr.. Fletcher IF
you will persist in this course, at least prom-
ise me that you will make him acouainted
with your whole past history
cannot do it, Kate-it is nothing thar
concerns him in any way presume he has
heard of it already; if he has not. # il no
fault of mine, and shall not take the tronble
to inform him. I want you to understand
me now perfectly. my dear sister, and then we
will not discuss this questioa any more. n
shall marry Willis Fletcher, and shall learn
to love him ifhe is kind to me. | shall dis
charge all the duties | owe him faithfully.
and do not expect to be wretched hard
ly knew what was about when l pledged
myself to him, but d. not regret it now
Losk at me, Kate-I am as calm as | ever
was in my life. and tell you l do not regret
it..
i shall say no more to dissuade you, Ade-
laide; but one thing | must urge-do not let
Mr.. Fletcher be deceived in the nature of
your feelings toward him, and, if be really
loves you, he will be willing to delay your
marriage for awhile, and give you time to
learn to love him. believe that was the