The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-12-02

gwen his neart TO one more worthy or MIN
but have not forgotten him, and never cam
They call me a heartless coquette ) perhaps
Henry does. I was not coquette then, though
have been since. My hear. is given to Hem
ry, but have lost his % EvE1e1 .Ee -
"But, Emma, If you have loved no one bnt
Harry Ration, why have you so often promised
to marry others? Was it for the sake Of
breaking your engagements ?''
"No, not exactly that; hardly know why
! have done so. have given you the reason
for some Of my engagements. I did not know
but might forget Harry, and love some other
one-but cannot; sometimes i did it for fun
and at others was altogether reckless. But
will never promise TO marry again. T'll tell
Edward Leslie cannot love him, and live a
nun for Harry's sakep' f
s'See that you keep that resolution 20 said
Nelly, laughing al Emma's sober conclusion.
"Oh. Pm in earnest! I'm tired of hearing
of broken hearts and dying lovers. There is
no sense in 1t. l am tired Of being called
cruel and hardhearted. I'll give no more oc-
casions for silly words and sickening sonnets.r
l am really determined to take the veilr' .. z,
"Perhaps yon are serious, but I'll bet tlla
mond ring that you. will be engaged again be-
fore the end of pwinterp' m -afu,'a
81 don't think shall have any need of dia-
mond rings in convent 20 said Emma "hut
fll accept your wager, for know shall win
it, and it shall remain a lasting witness that /
have kept, atleast one promise 20 "a.y @l
Thus the wager was agreed upon. Emma
Lee had determined to become nun, aud i'm
mediately wrote for admission to convent i'm
the following spring. al84sr has..a5.g.
don't know but she would have taken the
veil the day after her conversation with Nelly
Ray, bnt Nelly was to be married in few
weeks, and Emma had promised to be her
bridesmaid. This, like the promise between
Emma and Henry Ralton, had been made in
childhood, and ratified every week since IF
Emma was married first, Nelly was to be her
bridesmaid; if Nelly was married first. Emma
was to be hers. Though Emma had made
twenty promises to her beanx, and broken
them all, and though she had declared that
vows were things of air, yet, these two prom
Uses she had ever considered sacred; and,
though her promise to Henry was now void.
yet, there were moments like that in which
she had conversed with Nelly Ray. when she
felt that perhaps il was binding, and she would
live in seciusio1 rather than trif1a with or
break that engagement The promise she
made TO Nelly, though OF minor Importance
was also promise of childhood, and now re-
manned in fall forc-, and Emma deferred en-
tering The converts in order to fulfil IT. '##'
Nely's wedding was a joyous occasion 70
all save Emma Lee. 1t had long been wished
yousg, handsome, and happy in each others
love. The wedding party was large and fash
loaable. The apartments were splendidIy
adorned ant lighted mp. The refreshments
were rare aid sumptuous. The bride was ell
egentlv dressed-she looked almost as beauti.
ful as Emma The brideeroorns looked bet
ter than usual though Emma thonaht not so
well as Henry Ration. But all this happiness,
elegance, beauty, and bliss bad charms for
Emma. She had dressed herself richly, and
with taste, and looked beautful-for she could
not look otherwise. She looked happy and
pleased, for she could not look otherwise at
Nelly's wedding; yet, she felt that lch a fes-
tival might have been, but never would be, for
her; that all those happy smiles, and Joyous
wishes, and bridal kisses might have been law
ishei upon her, who wonld be so lonely
When she looked upon the happy bridegroom,
she thought of Henry, and lonsed for the ST.
lent cell Of the covnent-the holy cloister OF
the devoted nun.
Gay music echoed through the festive halls.
Youth and beauty joined in the slight toed
dance" but as Emma accepted the hand Of the
first groomsman to join in the the qnadrile,
she felt that il was for the last tina. Her
partner was a young gentleman from India
who had just arrived. Emma had been in-
troduced to him as Captain Allen, an old
friend of the bridegroom's, who had re-
turned tosvisit his home. and be present
at his friends's wedding. He was tall, erect,
and of fine. figure, with large, regular
features, and dark, expressive eye. He was
noble, dignifed in his bearing, graceful in the
dance--all that girl could Iowa Before they
had finished the first set, Emma was deeply
interested In his conversation, and thought he
bore striking resemblance 10 Harry Ration.
She was tired, and did not join in the next qua
drilie. But Captain Allen sat by her. and wa
even more interesting than in the dance. Nelly
looked ct them and thought Of the wager
Captain Allen attended Emma to the supper
table. She did not airt, and was evidently
pleased with him. He handed her into the
Carriage, and she asked him TO call upon her,
which he did on the following morning.
Let us hasten to the sequal.
Before the winter was half finished, Nelly
received a note from Emma, together with
diamond ring, stating that she was again en-
gagged to be married, and before the end OF the
winter there was another splendid wedding.
a larger and more fashionable party than that
we have before described--a more beautiful
bride and a handsomer Bridegroom than on the
former occasion. But how did this come
about? Henry Ralton and Captain Allen
were one and the same person. The plot, and
fictitious name had been contri. ed by Nelly.
The climate and hardships cf India had so
changed Henry that Emma did not recognise
him. After the wedding, Emma received n