Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-09-03


was never guilty of making a mockery oi
the marriage ceremony, all your efforts
will be in vain, and hope you will say
nothing--Ieaving matters to take their
own course"
/, AT this moment note was handed to
Helen, which she read, and calmly handed
to Mr.. Motley, saying-"You will see /
was right, and this comes just in time to
prove it."
He read the note which contained but a
few words from Mrs. Whitman and Ann
Lee, declining the excursion they had
planned with Helen, and for that morning.
He impatiently tore it in two, and telling
Helen he would see her again in an hour
or so, hastened away to The hotel and or
dered his horse; then, on going toward
his room, was met by Miss. Lee, who thus
addressed him
"You are just from Mr.. Berne's, toll me
how Helen bore the reading of our note. "
"With the utmost charity !" he replied
Gas every woman with her high resolves,
generous impulses and enlightened mind,
can afford to view such sights from those
who do not understand her"
"Mr. Motleyr' She exclaimed, surpris-
ed alike by his language, and the strong
feeling legible upon his countenance.-
sThen you do not know what has been
lately revealed to me, by my brother, in
reference to Helen--you do not know that
she has been passing herself off as sin
gle woman, when her husband is here
"She h; s no husband here, or elsewhere. u
He replied, without any abatement of feel
ing. al was present at the time she was
said to have been married, and know il
was all foolish piece of fun to quiz q
gaping crowd. She was wrong--and l SO
told her at the time-in suffering the spir.
it of frolic to carry her so far; she feels
acutely that she was wrong, and | almost
rejoice that the error was committed since
it has developed her lofty charactefsbJ
bringing into play faculties of mind anf
emotions of heart admirably calculated t.
win the love and esteem of all who car
] properly understand her." sr aaa
, "My aunt agrees with me, Mr.. Motley
that such desecration of the sacred rites
of matrimony is sin of the first magni
tude, and that we should wrong ourselves
, by further intercourse with one who coult
f commit it; and l am surprised, Mr.. Mot
ley, to hear you utter language that ma,
[ be construed into palliation of the higl
, offense."
."I am aware, Ann, of the light in whicl
you and your aunt and your brother viey
? this matter; but if all the balance of tn,
) world concurred with you, my opinion
would remain unchanged, and / woult
rather die in defence of that noble an,
prosecuted woman, whose sins have beef
E punished in thousand fold disproportiol
, to their magnitude, than, by any act o
mine, add one pang to her sufferings.-
, Your brother has thrown away priceless
: jewel--one which he can not reclaim a
l will, and you have cast off friend, sucl
f as you will never find again.
] II may have acted too hastily, Mr.. Mot
$ ley,p she said, evidently influenced by tn
4 earnestness of his manner, "but how coul
I have acted differently, under the cir
, cumstances?. We women are not privi
D legged like you men, to palliate the error
e of our sex, and to stand by each other
b with impunity, when the ban of publ
f opinion is upon u.s.
: 81 have not said word in censure O
e your conduct, Ann, but can not accep
$ your plea as sufficient You help to max
o up an unjust and erroneous public opin
Il ion, and then quail before it at the momen
$ you should defy and contemn it. Their
a are crimes committed by your sex whic
you can not palliate nor hazard your ow
$ character in the effort to uphold; but
= mere error that the tear of sincere PEN
e tencc to wash away from the memory {
IT the just and good, is already atoned for b
s such penitence, and in such a case, insu
e is not only wanton cruelty-in my opinio
IS but has a direct tendency to injure th
n cause of morality by discouraging the e
d forts Of virtue to overcome error. b.
moralizing is out Of my line, and as hay
2 much to do this morning, hope you wi
d excuse me-my horse is ready, and mui
e be off, )"
Ann retired to her room, with a consc
t. ence i'll al ease. Mr., Motley was eviden
d y irritated by her conduct towards He
/. en-, and she doubted, seriously, the PR