The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-10-14

quiet, manly way, he told the story Of hi
life-of the father who had died befor
his remembrance, and the sweet mothe
who had closed her eyes in their eterna
sleep ere the grass had twice grow
green Ger the husbands coffin, of hi
desolate, friendless struggling boybood
showing me one by one, tho weary step,
he had climbed; telling me so gratefully
how my hands had sown roses in thu
steep way; and at the close saying, witt
such q serene smile, Helen, | would
suffer my life over again thousand times
rather than give back this day." my hear
was filled to overhowing. |, too was al
orphan, and knew better than any one, ]
thought, how cruelty and grudgingly the
world had laid its hands upon him as he
toiled onward in its service. How glad
| was that had always been kind to him
that had kept my heart free, unsulied
and womanly, as the crowning gift of his
success and joy.
wept, moved deeply by his eloquence
and leaning towards him, with quick
| impetuOus movement, drew his head far.
ward with my hands, and pressing my
lips to his white forhead kissed him--not
lightly and coquetishy-but reverently
and tearfully. For a moment he bowed
his head, and ! could not see his face
but when he looked up its expression
startled me, the change had been so sud-
deu.
"Do you know said he, slowly drop
ping his eyes before my look of wonder
ing inquiry, "that ! think the woman
who bestows the tokens Of her love un-
sought. lowers herself beneath the re-
spect of him who bcomes their recip-
lent p
am sure should not have understood
him, but for the meaning, sarcastic smile
with which he spoke. saw then, in a
moment, his whole power over me, !
saw how he had led me on cautiously,
lsafully. through love to pity, aud through
pity, to humiliation | saw that for an
ignoble triumph over my woman's pride
be had sacrificed my heart; ] saw him
degraded from an honest, loving, noble
heart, iuto tiend, and for my life l could
not have answered, save to strike or curse
him. He read my feelings in my face,
| suppose for be laughed ironically. He
spoke again, and | was forced to listen.
Helen Reade, you need not look so
fierce, so bitter, so scornful in your anger,
thinking to deceive me You love me,
and know it, You would have waded
with naked feet through seas of fire, rath-
er than give me up as you are doing now.
You would-wait till | have DONE" he
continued, when | would have interrupt
ed him. "Do you remember the time
when | came to you, five years ago, and
offered you what now would be your high
est bliss to own, do you remember how you
laughed my words to scorn. and scotfed
at me as silly boy, who had mistaken
himsef and you? Ay, l was boy in
years Helen Reade, but mans understand
ing, mans experience, mans passion
ate strength of purpose, had made me
old before my time, and loved with as
perfect love as ever grew up in the hu
man heart. ! was proud, and your in
difference, your gay, heartless, cutting in
difference CALLED ME, and made disap
pointment doubly bitter. | said then, as
/ left you with that dead hope making
discord in my breast, that some day your
heart should bleed as mine did then;
that some day would mock your an
guish with contempt as humlliating as
that you heaped on me. Has not my
hour of triumph Gomez Have ] not won
you carefully, proudly, as best became
the worthy object / was striving for 7
And did / not know just now, when my
blood tingled beneath the pressure of your
arm, half confident, and felt the warmth
of your clinging lips upon my brow, that
never before had you been so completely,
so unreservedly mine! Oh, Helen, Hell
en- am | not gloriously avenged now
that | can toss back your heart as lightly
as have won it, and know all the while
that you loved me in spite ofyour mighty
pride ?"
Richard vinelyp' | began, as be
ceased speaking; bnt the torrent of fierce
words that leaped up holly for utterance
shocked me; my lips burned as though
blistered by the touch of flame, and ! was
forced to stop and steady my wild rage
before. / could proceed,
AT lenght in hoarse, angry whisper,
I said Yes, ! remember the time Of
which you speak; although, but for your
delicate reminding, ! might never have
called it to my mind again. | was a
Young, thoughtless. ignorant girl; l did
not understand yon, or the nature Of the
feeling you proposed to bear me; | an
swered YOU as any other giddy. inconsid-
ate child would have done; but heaven
knows meant no harm, no contempt,
on exultation. You have achieved no.
BILE, manly, generous revenge !--you
have cherished the slight Of needless