Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-10-07

spurned you as she would venomou
reptile; say that she took back the low
1 you despised and flung it to the wind
as the only shame of her life; say tha
1she defed, insulted, cursed you to you
face, and all the angels-of darkness t.
her aid, SO that she might hate You en-
tirely so sfong@As glI -
I say"
Stop! in heavens name stop!" hC
exclaiWed, interrupting me, and knew
by the whitcness Of his face, and tn,
blank, Mortified look Of eutreaty which
he gave me that my vehemence fright
ened him. l was glad that it was so
and swept past him with low, dcrisive
laugh. 2
"Wait and hear me one moment
Helen - he cried, sprlnging forward tc
dctain me.
But 1 sfook off his touch as though
| it had been Il serpcnt's and walked
proudly up the garden path. [ can but
wonder now at the mighty effort with
which crushed back my true fee ling
into subjection, till my heart was numb
with the great agony it would not let
find voice. l tried to think of every
thing save the inward fire that was con-
suming me; tried to think OF the rose
bushes whose green branches, thick
with buds, brushed my garments as l
went steadily past them;-tried to think
of the lilacs that reached out their hca
Wy clusters to NE like so many purple
hands; and all the while [ felt the sharp
anguish gnawing into-my soul.
l did not go to my room for [ thought
that its quiet solitude would kill me. [
was too miserable to weep, or pray, or
think. Ineeded excitement. So [ went
into the large parlors that had been
crowded with company all the after
noon; sang, jested and played, scarce
ly knowing, and little caring, what |
did, yet dimIy conscious that once the
tall figure of Richard Eanely came into
the room, fingered for a moment as if
watching me, and then disappeared.
l do not remember how that after
noon and evening passed away But
know the great noisy, brilliant rooms
were silent at last-thc guests had de-
parted, the lights were distinguished,
and faaiat with the misery 1 had kept in
check so long, [ was sitting on Il broad,
low window seat at one end of the desc
lated parlor, leaning out to feel the cool,
fresh night wind, as it tossed the long,
unbound hair from my ievered cheeks.
Everything seemed to me like a confus-
e1 dream, and when tho door at the
farther extremity OF the apartment
opened softly, I felt rather than saw,
that Richard Vinely stood upon TIE
thrcshhold.
"What, all empty, all dark!' L heard
him say, and then he turned to so; but
the flutter of my dress must have at
tractcd his notice, for he stopped and
came back a few steps into the ROOM
cousin Amy he called in loud voice,
sis that your I did not answer, but
drew the window curtain closely about
my face. Don't be trihing," he said
impatiently. Il have something that
wish to-something that wish to tell
you. And he came along, and drew
an ottoman to my side.
That he should have mistaken me for
another person, even in the dark, seem
ed strange to mo then, although l see
now how easily in his great agitation it
could be. But l was glad to escape de-
lection, for it seemed | could suffer any
torture rather than make myself known
to him, lest he should triumph over me
again in my more womanly and.less de-
tiant mood. Besides, thought should
Ike to hear him speak once more, kind
ly and without irony, as he had been
wont to speak before that terrible honr
when nc smote me almost mad with his
cruel words So [ schooicd myself for
the deception I was about to practice,
and told him in whisper, lest he should
recognize me, that was ready to hear
him
"Oh, I am wrctched, Amy, so utterly
wretehed" he continued.
y Fierce as was the exultation with
which / heard this confession, there was
something so touching and withal so
earnest in his manner, that for a mo
mant [ pitied more than dcspised him
Since he suffered, [ thought / had
right to partially forgive him the terri
bic wrong he had done men.
Listen" he continued, seeing 7 did
not speak; "let me tell you what au
idiot, what wretch / have been You
know, Amy, l imagined his voice quiv-
eyed a little) what my feelings have
Deen TOWARDS heien heaGC-tO you, ana
to you only, have [ conGded the love
which has been my inspiration for six
long years. You know, too, that long
time ago, when she was very young and
[ was foolish, offered myself to her and
was rejected. Since then she has learn
ed to look upon ne in different light.
Need I say what happiness it has given
me to know it? To-day, Amy, when
knew that single word Of mine would
have opened the inncrmost door of her
proud heart to me and made her mine
forever, some evil demon put it in my
heart to try her even as 1 had been tried.
L taunted her with the very love 1 crav-
ed so madly, and told her had sought
it but for revenge. Fool that 1 WAS, to
tempt woman's pride! Fool, to think
[ could put her from me with affected
contempt, and gather her all the more
closely to my bosom, to imagine l mis- ht
shock, startle, terrify her, aud then soft
len her back into forgiveness, by the