The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-02-24
that [ was ready to hear him.

that was ready to hear him.
80, | am wrctche,i Amy. SO utterly
wret, hed.' he commenced.
Fierce as was the exutat:on with which
/ heard this confession, there WAS some
I hing SO touching, and withal SO earnest,
in his manner, that for moment l pltled
more than despised him. Since he suft-
cred | thought had r gilt to partially
forgive him the terrible wrong he had
done M.
Listen lie continued, seeing did not
speak; LET me tell you what an id OF,
what wretch [ have been. You know,
Amy,"-I imagined his voice quivered
n littlc-"wIat my feeling, hayc been
towards Helen Res1e: to you, and to you
only have l confdod the love which has
been my inspiration for six long years.
You know, too, that a long time ago,
when She was very young, and | was fool
ish, | offered myself to her and was re-
iecte.l. Since then she has learned to
look upon me in different light. need |
say what happiness 1t has given me to
know it? To-day, Amy, when | knew
that single word of nine would have O
pened the innermost door of her proud
heart to me and made her mine forever,
some demon put it into my heart to thy
her even as | had been tried. | tainted
her with the very love | crave,l so madly,
and told herI had sought it but for re-
vense. Fool that | was SO to tempt q
woman's pride. Fool to think could
put her from nc with affected contempt,
and gather her all the more closely tc my
bosom; to imagine might shock, startle
and terrify her, and then soften her back
into forgiveness, by the same tenderness
hal outraged. Oh, the real indigna-
ton with which she scorned me, and flung
my insults back into my teeth. Iquailed
before her, astonished, ashamed, baffl d !:
] trembled at the storm had invoked.
With rash hand dared disturb the
sweet channel of her maidenly love, and
it turned into river of gall, whose bitter
ness shall henceforth be over all my life.
| feel that no explanation, no apology, no
plea for forgiveness, can be powerful G.
nough to counteract, the great unu ter:-
bile hatred with which | have inspired her.
Pity me, dear Amy pity ms! A mad,
unman!y freak, has cost me the happiness
of a lifetime"
lie paused, and | could hear his proud
form shaking with strong, passionate sobs
Of grief. 1t was well that he was thus
agitated, or the bud beating of my heart
would have betrayed me.
''R;chard,, whispered softly through
my binding tears, after had time to con-
troll the rapturous feelings that nearly over
whc!med me.
He turned his head quickly and exclai-
mel in voice scarcely above Il whisper,
"hark, Amy! am dreaming, or did |
hear her call me?
put my hands out to him, as had
done before that day, and drawing his
head forward with the sano quick, impet-
uous movement, let my lips cling once
more to his white forehead. Just then
tho moon came over the tops of the trees,
and broad beam of light dropped in at
the window like torch of silver. He
caught me by my shoulder and turned me
about till | faced the light, anil saw n
rapid intense happiness break over his fea-
lures as he murmurcd low and huskily,
.'HcIen.r'
'Do not ropulse me again Richard |
cried putting both my arms around about
his neck, and dropping my happy, fearful
face upon his shouder-''it would kill
me-"
"Repulse you Heien?' 1t was all he
said, but a whole heart full of gratitude,
penitencc, hope and tenderness was in the
words, and [ was content.