The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-02-11

never before had you been so completely
so unreservedly, mine! Helen, Helen
am | not eloriously avenged now, that
can toss back your heart as lightly as
have won it, and know all the while thai
YOU love me, iu spite of yourself and you
mighty pride?"
Orchard Vinely," began, as he ceased
speaking; but the torrent of fierce word:
that leaped up hotly for utterance chokeC
ne; my lips burned as though oii-tered .,
the touch of Game, and was forced to
stop and steady my wild rage before
could proceed.
At leanstb, in a hoarse, angry whls
per, said:
YES, [ remember the time Of whicf
you speak; although, but for your deli
cate reminding, | might never have callec
it to my mind again. | was young
thoug htless, ignorant girl; | did not un
derStand you, or the nature of tho feel
legs you proposed to bear me; | answer
ed yoa as any other giddy. inconsideratt
child would have done; bu: Heaven knows
meant no harm, no contempt, no exuI'
tation Yor have achieved a noble, Z
manly,a generous revenge! you have
cherished the slight of a heedless girl
forgotten BY her "a soon as it was given
and kept it ranking in you memory til
it has grown strong enough to crush by
its rebouDding, a heart that would have
shed Its last drop of blood to serve you
Love you,-yes-so we'll that | could
strike you dead here at ny feet, and tram
PIE Oh your lfclcss body in very loathiuz
Of the mean soul it contained!-so vel
that if your false heart lay bare before
me, | could snap the chords apart with
as little pity as would threads OF fiax!-
so we'll, that when you die hope ] may
be beside you to show you how fit you are
for Heaven; to console you by reeallin.
the u agnanimio1s aims that have ia,pir.
ed your life. and to revive you at the last
moment by whispering in your ear of the
honorable victory sou have achieved over
defenceIess, weak hearted woman!' ]
paused, out OF breath With passion.
"Go ou-please go on. Anger i'm.
proves the style of your beauty, and
am a gratified listener" said my tormen.
toT, diiiy.
III have nothing more to say" I re-
piled, save that pray | may never look
upon your face again, unless the sight of
me hecoEes = torment. an3 then vii
risk wealth, life, ay, everything, for the
sake Of passing once more before your
eyes"
lie caught one of my hands that was
lying idly in ny lap, and when would
have snatched 1t from hin, he closed his
fingers about it like vice. The look of
bitterness soitcned away from hi, fea
lures, aud one Of a,a.o,t tender expecta.
ton took Its place. saw in the change
only a new revelation OF hypocrisy, cum
ming aud far-,ecin. treacherous maligni-
ty; 80 | waited for him to speak. |, it a.
Dy wonder hated bimy
"Heleu," he said, and the cutting sharp,
ness vas all gone from his voice, twill
you marry me!'
The question did not starile ne half as
much as it would have done an boar be-
fore; it was like bim-strause. abrupt
contradictory. l sprang up and spurncd
him with nay foot.
DO not tempt me further, Richard
VineIy, or even you, evil as you are, ms J
shrink from the demon shall harden in.
to- | am not ashamed to own that [
have loved you, for over the bIackne,s
and corruption of your true character
you have worn skililully the disguise Of
a pure. upright mauliness, and through
that only have known you Go away
now and boast of your prowess-I All
willing. Spread it far and wide, thai
Helen Reade-proud, imperial, naughty
Helen Reade la, been humbled by youI
scorn.
Bat say not that she wept before you
say not that she cur& to you, or pleaded
or faiDtei, ss geutlcr women mig ght have
done. Say that when she knew you bet
ter. she spurned you as she would ven
omous reptile; say that she took back the
loge you despised and flung it to the
winds, as tue only shame of her life; sal
that she defed, insuited, cursed you to
your face, and called all the angels o
darkness to her aid, so that she may hate
you-hate you entirely SO long as you
and she live; say-
"Stop! ip Heavens name, stop" be ex
claimed, interrupting me; and | knew by
the whiteness OF bis face, and the blank
horrifed look of entreaty which he gav'
NE, that my vehemence frightened him
| was glad that it was SO, and swept past
him with low, deri5ive laugh
"Wait, and hear ne one moment, Hell
en!" be cried, springing forward to de
tain me.
But l shook off his touch as it hat
been a serpent's, and walked proudly u
the garden path. can but wonder nov
at the mighty effort with which | crushed
back my true feeling into sutjeeton
till my heart was nuub with the grea
agony it would not let find voice.
tried to think of everything save the in
ward ere that was consuming me; trie,
to think of the rose bushes whose gree
branches, thick with buds. brushed m
500 Al