The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-02-24

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him with my foot.
"Do not tempt me further, Richard
Vlnley, or even you, evil as YOU are,
may shrink from the demon | shall har-
den into. | am not ashamed to own that
| loved you, for over the blackness and
corruption of your true character, you
have worn skillfully the disguise ofapure,
upright manliness, and through that only
have | known you. Go away now and
boast Of your provost am willing
Spread it far and wide that Helen Reade
proud, imperial, naughty Helen Rcade
has been humbled by your scorn. But
say not that s wept before you; say
not that she chung to you, or pleaded, or
tainted, as gentler women might have
done. Say that when she knew you bet
ter, she spurned YOU as she would ven
emous reptile; say that she took back
the love you despised, and flung it to the
winds, as the only shame of her life; say
that she defied, insulted, cursed you to
your face, and called all the angels of
darkness to her aid, so that she might
hate you-hatc YOU entirely SO long as
you and she are permitted to live
"Stop! in Heavens name stop" he
exclaimed, interrupting me; and | knew
by the whiteness of his face, and the blank
Mortified look Of entreaty which he gave
me, that my vehemence frightened him.
[ was glad that it was SO, and swept past
him with a low derisiye laugh.
await and hear me one moment, Hell
en-" he cried, sprirging forward to de-
tain me.
But | shook off his touch rs though it
had been aserpent's, and walked proudly
up the garden path. I can but wonder
now at the mighty effort with which l
crushed back my true telling into sub
lection, till my heart was numb with the
great agony it would not let find voice.
| tried to think of every thing save the
inward fire that was consuming me; tried
to think of the rose bushes whose green
branches, thick with buds, brushed my
garments as | went steadily past them;
tried to think of the lilacs that reached
out their heavy clusters to me like so many
purple hands; and all the while / felt
that sharp bitter anguish gnawing into
my soul.
l did not go to my room, for l thought
its quiet solitude would kill me. L was
too miserable to weep, or pray or think.
needed excitement, activity, amusement,
So went into the large parlors that had
been crowded with company all the after
noon; l sang, jested and played, scarcely
knowing and little caring what l did, yet
dilnly conscious that once the tall figure
of Richard Vinley came into the room,
fingered moment as if watching me,
and disappeared.
| do not remember how that afternoon
and evening wore away. But [ know
the great noisy brilliant rooms were 81
lent at last; the guests had departed, the
lights were extinguished, and faint with
the misery l had kept in check SO long,
| was sitting on a broad, low window
seat at one end of the desolated parlor,
leaning out to feel the cool, fresh night
wind, as it tossed the long, unbound hair
from my fevered checks. Everything
seemed to me like a confused dream, and
when the door at the farther extremity
of the room opened softly, felt rather
than saw, that Richard Vinley stood up
on the Threshold
"What, all empty, all dark y | heard
him say, and then he turned to go; but
the futter of my white dress attracted his
attention, for he stopped and came back
a few steps into the room. "Cousin A
N.Y." he called in low voice, lis that you
Il did not answer but drew the window
curtain closely about my face. 'Don't
be trihing" he said impatiently, q have
that wish to--something that
must 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, seemed
strange to me then, although see now
how easily in his great agitation 1t could
be. But was glad to escape detection,
for it seemed as though I could suffer any
torture rather than make myself known
to him, lest he should triumph over me
again in my womanly and less defiant
mood. Besides, / thought should like
to hear him speak once more, kindly and
without irony, as he had been wont to
speak, before that terrible hour when he
smote me almost mad with his terrible
words. So | sehooled myself for the de
ception I was about to practise, and told
in whisper, lest he should recognize me,