Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-08-06
GAINESVILLE, TENN, FRIDAY, AUGUST 6, 1858

Now put all the circumstances together,
and say if there is not strong presumptive
proof that the letter is forgery, and that
Mr. Estelle knew it to be SO p
"You have, indeed, made out strong
case for your client, Ann; but there are
yet two strong points which you have not
noticed-the dialogue between Messrs
Motley and Eskridge, which I overheard,
and her own confession to me"
"The first is matter of no eonse-
quence7 she replied, ''for Mr.. Motley told
me himself that the reports had heard
have no other foundation than habitual
Irritation thcughtlessly INDUCED. And
although he may have spoken in dispara-
ging terms of Helen when you heard him,
he uses different language now, and has,
no doubt, discovered that he was mistak
en-. As it regards her confession to you,
it amounts to very little, she simply told
you that the indiscretions of her girlhood
has been magnifed into crimes"
'a'The indiscretions of her girlhood 7
he repeated, thoughtfully. "Alasl how
much may be embraced in that single ex-
preston !-how much of misery, to our
selves and others, may grow out of one
false step. Could the effects of error be
confined to those who commit it, how
much happier would be our condition.
But so intimate are the ties that bind soci-
ETY. together that the blow which falls
on one link vibrates through the whole
length of the chain.
"And would you have it otherwise, Hen
ry? Would you to avoid the evil, forego
the good? Would you to escape an occa-
sional shock, be willing to stand an isola-
ted link in the great chain of humanity
having no feelings in common with your
fellow-man2 Would you break the harp
because its strings may be tortured into
discord--to cut yourself off from all sym
pathy because the same cord may be the
common medium of joy and of sorrow p
"No, my dear Ann, I would not--nor
would l have you to receive my hasty re-
mark as declaration of my honest senti-
ments. Blu to tlove as love, and whcn-as
| thought-my fondest hopes were about
to be realized-it is needless, however, to
to dwell upon the painful theme, and |
wish the history of few weeks past, could
be expunged from memory's record"
"But since that can not be-" she re-
piled, ''read that history impartially, give
to each circumstance its due weight before
you make decision that may be fraught
with injustice"
"You seem to reason, Ann, as if you
think it is my wish to prove Helen guilty;
if so, you are greatly mistaken, for 1
would freely give my right to know that
she is falsely accused--indeed, there is no
sacrifice, save that of honor, which / would
not freely make to establish her innocence
beyond doubt"
"Then, let the first sacrafce you makes
Henry, be little of your prejudice, on
the altar of common sense. Learn that
woman is not perfect any more than man,
and that your sex is responsible for many
of her foibles discard some of your too
refined notions of what woman should lie,
and learn to love her as she is. have an
abiding faith that you will find Helen
worthy of all your devotion, and am more
anxious that it should be so, since know
that she loves you with all the fervor of
her woman's heart"
"What reasons have you for thinking
so, Armand how can you have learned
more than 1, in the short time you have
been here p
"Do you suppose, Henry, that when l
learned how sick you have been, | did not
enquire who ministered to your wants, and
Supplied the place of mother and sister ?
And have | not reason to know that Helen
loves you, when learned that she was
the "ministering angel who watched over
you, supplied every want and furnished
nvery comfort? With her own hands she
prepared your food and drink, and, at her
own cost, provided the fruits and other
delicacies so grateful to the sick, and
which, bat for her, you would not have
enjoyed. Late at night, she would leave
her room to visit the landlady in order to
be sure that everything had been done for
you according to her instructions; and no
matter what may be your feelings towards
her, she has, by her kindness TO you, en-
deared herself to me, and is entitled to my