Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1857-04-10

used to welcome-sha turned away
If faintness or death could have come
to her reliefit would have been bliss
bat no, there she stool, her arms hung
powe less by her sides, .er lips quivered,
her brain and head seemed burning!
at is Edear!' she muttcred, breath
essly.
No one noticed her agitation turn.
ing from the glare and noise. she rust.
ed into the half lighted conservatory,
seeking peace, seeking to escape from
those eyes that bent on her such q
prieved. searching look she tried to
control her throbing heart and to regain
her totterins reason. She sank down
upon seat-a thorn pierce her finger
"a white rose overriding the bench--a
rose like that he had given her! with
supers 'itious d,ca /. Alice thrust il from
her.and placed her hands upon her burn
ing forehead.
She heard step bei;ns her. and
voice-she knew it we'll
Alice. Alice !"
Mrs Harcour, rosa and sprang to-
wards him
Edgar, my love-
He turned away.
Have mercy, hear Tie, Edgar; tina.
VOW. gave YOU, have not broken
my love has heen. shall ever be yours ~
Mrs Harcourt !"
Alice felt the mran;n, Of those words
in bitter agony; II am wife. He
thinks | am guilty Of having sacrificed
love to ambition, TO wealth of home, os
fortune, but to poverty Of heart
Edgar she cried. If you have ono
drop Of love for M in your heart, if i.
has not all turned to most bitter hate,
in pity hear me. After you left me, my
father came, and, in his stern, comman.
ding tone. that have never dared
disohey, said to me-'.ilice, my once
immense fortune, by unsuccessful spec.
ulation, has become mere pittance.-
Poverty and rain stare m, in the Ace
You can avert that ruin, change tha.
poS eItv to wealth. the way is open to
u-IIarcourt is my friend he is old.
krow but he is rich and noble Alice.
YOU mus, marry him :; he loves you ,nd'
has asked your hand.
.Resistancc was useless. PRAYERS were
vain, my mother added entrcaties to nv
fathers commands Il was married
Nothing was wanting to complete nv
misery, but your curse, Edgar - and
she sank sobhing wildly, at his feet.
Edgar lifted the palid form and droop..
ing head. that, in the white evening
dress, rcscmbled crushed and broken
lily.
This marriage is a sacs;lege. Alice!
4 meIc bargain to retrieve fallen for.
tune. You are not this old mans bride:
you were mine before you ever saw him
| claim you; and awav from those that
would sicze YOU from M. l will bear
yoa-I have now that wealth to gain
which ! left you. To some lar of dis
tant isle, to some villa on the shores Of
France, shall take you. where you will
forget that You were ever but mine,
wholly mine ~
These words, like poison to the taste,
came sweet to Alice's wounded spiri.
all that night and through the long
hours of the ncxt day, she count d Ito
minutes as they dragged along. Her
courage rose, her pulse quickeled as the
hour OF midnight, .he hour of escape
from golden prison, drew near!
Alice sat waiting at the cuIt,in at the
cnrtained window on that easement he
was 70 tap when all was ready.
Tie fun moon looked calmly down
upon the scene the young wife sat
t1era holding in her arm. child.,iks
form.
minnie. my little sister. am abou.
to leave you; the happy moments you
and have passed together will never
come again another's hand will smooth
your Pillow at anothcrs knee you will
lisp yourev ming prayer. VIII You always
remember mo when ! ar. eona y
why do YOU 60? wondered the child,
clasping her arms arounl her neck. as IL
that hold could retain her.
"What if you were in loathsoyna
/ prison, Minnie, shut ont FROM life and
happiness, and there were two ways OF
escape offered. fyou chose the first,
4
/ the way, when you entered. would be
/ beautiful and inviting, as years past, it
would darkcn. the flowers would fade,
the sunshine change - gloom. and At
last you would fall in darker dungeon
than the first.
But if you remained long in that
prison,ru would prey upon those walls.
loose its corroded bars, your chains
would fall off, you would be free, with
life, love before you. Love loved bet.
ter for tho suffering you had endur-
ed"
II would be loved forever" answered
the child.
Il would be loved forever" repeated
the wife; she heard a tread upon the
gravel path without. II was Edgar's
step. She glanced at the elock-ths
hands pointed to that fatal hour. In {
moment she would hear his signal, In a
moment it would be too late. all would b
lost.
A1,ea tnyued fro - 49, -:~1o,-. = ~ N