Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-06-17

exhausts itself soonest. In few eeks
[ found myself moving calnl 4ropgh
my new duties and responsi4 4 ii'es |
arranged my affairs and risnynet to
my parents. My first care wts g p'ace
my family in easier circumsanee
paid off the mortgage on n tper s
farm; purchased a few adjoidlne dcfes;
erected new buildings: furnis eEl en-
larged farm with stock; sent fy ydpng-
est brother to school; secured atf j
had years before flled%in the 9eademy
for nay elder sister, whom | had Frevi-
ously educated; established my younger
sisters who were old enough to leave
home, at good school for girls; and e
plenished the wardrobe of the whole
family. then placed the remainder of
my money in the hands of banker for
my fathers use, if he should require it.
My arrangements all completed, j found
that l had spent nearly one-third of my
fortune. But 1 did not regret it. l
was more than repaid by the satisfaction
l experienced in tightening the burden
OF my dear parents.
Thus occupied, two years passed.
About this time received two letters,
one from Nellie, and one from a sister of
my late husband, who resided in a dis
tant city, both containing pressing re-
quests to visit them [ determined to
accept both invitations, and my first Wis
it was to Nellie, where proposed to
pass month or two. In three weeks l
was with her
For eight years had not heard one
word of Alfred Fletcher Nellie had
never mentioned him in her letters,
and l naturally supposed that he had
married. l refrained from mentioning
him to her, and strove to restrain the
strange huttering Of my heart, as l
found myself among old familiar scenes
| could not realize the great change that
had come over Inc since. [ labored as
an humble factory girl. l could not
realize that, instead of a young blithe-
some girl in her teens, dependent upon
her own exertions, was a wealthy
young widow of twenty eight.
But few familiar faces greeted me-
Changes had come to others as well as
to myself left Nellie a sprightly
laughterloving girl of twenty. l found
her buxom matron of thirty, but cheer
ful withal; and the mother of three rosy
children z--a5s
One day I walked up to see Mrs,
Fletcher. I arrived at the spot where,
ten years before, had parted with AL
fred. ''Oh, beating heart, be still he
is now (thought y the husband of an
other; and 1, what am 1, that should
think of him?' [ dare not trust myself
to stop, so l walked as fast as 1 could
up the lane. Mrs. Fletcher was over
joyed to see me; her manner was ex-
tremly affectionate and respectful. l
longed to ask for Alfred, but dared not
trust myself
a miniature case lay upon the table
at my side. l took it up and opened it.
The blood instantly rushed back to my
heart, and trembled violently. 1t was
Il likeness of Alfred: but he was changed,
too. The lofty brow had expanded, and
the brown curls were pushed proudly
back; the once rosy cheeks looked thin
and pale; heavy curling beard covered
the lower part of the face; and the large,
dark eyes looked mournfully into mine.
Yes, he is changed, Mrs. Russell;
poor tellowI and the mother bent over
me and looked at the picture
Has he been unfortunate?' 1 askeu
quickly.
She looked earnestly into my face,
and replied, Mrs. r. my son has no
secret from his mother. Years ago he
loved; but before he could summon
courage to tell of it, she he loved went
away and married another
| thought in moment of her of
whom Nellie had written
Mrs. Williams wrote to me about
her. 1 said. Noting her puzzled look
L added, She came here about year
after left, did she not?' L meant to
he very calm, but was nevertheless con-
scious of bctraying more interest than
cared to manifest.
She looked at me a moment, and took
my hand Matte, said she, you have a
good kind heart, and will at least pity
him. 1t was Matte Kendrick he loved
and no one else .
But who Was the other?' I gasped.
You must mean his cousin, Jenny
Bray" said Mrs. Fletcher ''Shc mar
ried Mr.. Melvin. She is a good. kind
girl, and was almost like sister to AL
fred
With mighty effort suppressed my
emotion, and soon changed the subject,
1t was not alluded to again. 'NellIe
must have known something of this" /
unused, as L returned home that night.
Then knew why she had never men
toned Alfred in her letters, after my
marriage with Mr.. Russell. From my
very heart l blessed her. Had l known
that Alfred Fletcher loved me it mi ght
have darkened my married life. I would
not have been unfaithful, even in my
heart, to my noble husband; but, thanks
to Nellie delicate tact. had been saved
even from temptation. From that day
1 loved my friend better than ever be-
fore.
In few weeks I left for the resi-
dence of my sister-in-law.
was warmly received by my sisterin
law, Mrs. Erskine. Every possible
pains was taken to make my stay pleas
ant. For awhile enjoyed the exciting
scenes of the city. But [ soon became
tired of it, and longcd for some seques-