Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-10-07


umph over my woman's pride he ha
sacrificed his truth, and would sacriic
my heart. l saw him degraded from al
honest, loving, noble heart, into 6end
and for my life l could not have answer
ed, save to strike or curse him. He reay
my feelings in my face, I suppose, fo
saBd was forced to listen.
Helen Reade, you need not look SC
fierce, so bitter, SO scornfully in your
anger, thinking to deceive me. You
love me and I know it. You woulC
have waded with naked feet through
seas of fire, rather than give me up a!
you are doing now. You would-wai
till l have DONE" he continued, when
would have interrupted him. 'Do yor
remember how you laughed my words
to scorn, and scofed me as q silly boy,
who had mistaken himself and you?-
Aye, was a boy in years, Helen Reade
but a mans understanding, man pas
sionate strength of purpose, had made
me all before my time, and | loved you
with as perfect love as ever grew up
in human heart. l was proud, and
your Indifference, your gay, heartless,
cutting Indifference, CALLED me, and
made my disappointment 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 anguish with contempt as
humilitating as that you heaped on me.
Has not my hour of triumph come p
Have I not won you carefully, proudly,
as best becomes the worthy object was
striving for? And did not know just
now: when my blood tingled beneath
the pressure Of your arm, half shy, half
confident, and felt the warmth of cling
ing lips upon my brow, that never be-
fore had you been SO completely, so I'M
roservedly mine? Oh, Helen, Helen !!
am 1 net gloriously avenged now that l
can toss back your heart as lightly as l
have won it, in spite of yourself and
your mighty pride?"
'-Richard Vinely," 1 began, as he
ceased speaking; but the torrent of fierce
words that leaped up hotly for utterance
chokcd me, for any lips burned as though
bhstcred by the touch OF fiay--rs..- arsd
was forced to stop, and study my wild
rage before l could proceed.
After some length, in hoarse, angry
whisper, L said:
"Yes, | remember the time Of which
you speak; although, but for your deli
cate reminding, I might never have
called it to my mind again. l was a
young. thoaghtless, ignorant girl; [ did
not understand you, or the nature OF the
feelings you proposed to bear me; an
swered you as any other giddy, incon-
sideratc child would have done; but
heaven knows 1 meant no harm, no con-
tempt, no eXuttation. Ycu have achiev-
ed noble, manly, generous revenge!
you have cherished the slight CT Il
needless girl, forgotten by her as soon
as it was given, and kept it ranking in
your memory until it has grown strong
enough to crush by its rebounding, a
heart that would have shed the last drop
Of blood 20 serve you. Love you?-ycs,
so we'll that could strike you dead here
at my feet, ard tramplc upon your life
less body i'll very loathing Of the mean
soul it contained so we'll that if your
false heart lay before me, I could snap
the cords apart with as little pity as L
would threads of hax!-so we'll, that
when you die hope I may be beside
you to show you how fit you are for
heaven; to console you by recalling the
mnsnanimous aims that have inspired
your life, an to revive you at the last
moment by whispering in your ear of
the honorable victory you have achiev-
ed over a defenceess, weak hearted
woman !' L paused, out of breath with
passion.
"Go on-please go on. Anger i'm
proves 'the style of your beauty, and /
am grateful listener" said my tor
menter, dryly.
II have nothing more to say" re-
piled, 'saye that pray I may never
look upon your face again, unless tho
sight of me becomes torment, and then
[ will risk wealth, life, aye, everything,
for the sake of passing once more before
your eyes!'
He caught one of my hands that lay
idle in my lap, and when l would have
snatched 1t from him, lie closed his fin
gers about it like IL wise. The look OF
bitterness softened away from his fea-
lures. and one Of almost tender expect
alton took its place. L saw in the change
only new revelation ofhypocracy, Gun
ming and far seeing treacherous malig-
nifty; so waited for him to speak Is
it any wonder hated him?
''Helen," he said, and the cunning
sharpness was all gone from his voice
twill you marry me p
The question did not startle me hal
as it would have done an hour before
it was like him-strange, abrupt, con
Trajectory. L sprang up and spurneG
him with my foot.
''Do not tempt me further, Richard
Vinely, or even you, evil as you are
may shrink from the demon L shall har
harden into. l am not ashamed to owl
that have loved you, for over the black
ness and corruption of your true char
acter, you have. worn skillfully the dis
guisc of a pure, upright maniness, anC
through that only have I known you
Go away now and boast of your proves
Il am willing. Spread it far and wild
: that Helen Reade has been humbled b,