Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-03-04

= tnan parental ties; and his countenance bega
% eVnce pensiye air. Alice observed the sat
u dened look, and when Judith left. she feared
break thosience that prevailed.
" My child" atlength said Hartman, YOU
mother $ husband-who and what is he?"
Why do you ask, my father?'' replied All
lce' at loss to interpret the question.
. Curiosity perhaps may say interest
affection, inclines mo to do so.''
Alice was silent
:" She loves him tonderly, venture to say, m,
child,' he continued.
: Very, very much--how can you doubt? ;
said Alice.
An expression,of bitterness, aike that which
sho mad been accustomed to witness, vet tingee
with melancholy, diffnsed itself over the coun.
'ehahcc OF Hartman as he said in a seemingly
aostracted mood
- judged 50 from the letter she wrote me. -
: You received her letter then ?" said Alice,
q | did
oh' my father, why then did you not come
nome to our mother, and your children, who
mournod your absence as a widow and ornbans
could but mourn?''
:" 10 my children, why did not 60? But to
Your mother to the wife of another TO one
who spurned me, and reproached me for an ab-
Sehce which affection, and hope, though a
mistaken hope, of improving your, and her,
worldly condition, constrained me to- wby
should go?' said Hartman; and bis conn
tenance betrayed strong signs Of woe
" Oh, my father" said Alice, who's, eyes
were snlfVsed with tears, why do you talk
thus wildly Of my mother-of her who daily
and nightly mourns your absence. and stead
ftstly refuses the comfort her children in vain
essay! She rs not tho wife of another she
does not spurn you, nor reproac'l you; but ON
her slekly couch, made such by tho lingering
and t,nacious grefs your absence brings. her
thoughts, her hopes, her prayers, ar3 all Of you
ana f1r you; and the fear continually haunts
her, that the bold, bad man, who drove us from
the happy home in which you left u.s. and around
which, TOR that yo1 left us thero, her memory
still clings with the dearest ass lciations: has
done, or is doing yon a grievous wrong. Oh.
my father, sle continued, while she passion
ately flung her arms around his neck, and tears
flowed copiously down her cheeks, {" if YOU
love the dolr mother of your children. and
would save her from tho death which wasting
sorrow will surely bring, hasten, hast,n to her
sid,.''
Hartman was confoun4ad BY tke ardent man
ner, and impassioned, and sweotly- toned words
that al from tine lips of the beautiful creature
before him Her brow WIS pure as parian
marble, and morally emJlematic of her heart
and mind while his features had bsc1me stern
and rigid, seemingly as nd,xible as iron. The
two presented a singular contrast while Alice
seemed the personifcation of Soft Words"
appealing to Wrath. And wrath was gather
ing in dark clouds upon his brow. lie began
TO believe he had b3on the victim of a orievnps
fraud.
" She wrote me she was married again. said
Hartman &
" Never Never " sud Alice. i" The hand a
'f that bad man, whom my mother regards as i
Iour, and our, evil genius has been in this" ~
" D---n Musgraye, he is all villan.n said
hartman, and he looked as if the whole tratb "
lad suddenly broken upon his mind. With sor-
'rizIns facility his passions seemed all to sub '
lde, and he SIT down calmly, to contemplate
nd arrange for the future. lie had not long 3
coupled his Chair before he got up, and, hunt Z
ns among one rubbish in chest, drew forth,
nd handed to Alice, the forged letter. CT
She Rad it.
=" Yon have received no other letter than u
his? - said She iii
" None other," he replied.
:" ls'e now, the cause of your strange de- III
lelnor, and do not wonder that 50 base de- ii
gn' undiscovered, should produce in You such
@ults. You can not fail to see the hand Of n p'
lldin in this.
" s'e 1t now, my long forsaken child" said ~, -
'rrman, g and It's strange never saw it be- '"
re. Tne hand of Mussravc is CLEARLY in it =,
nd ne Shall ahswer-fearfay, terribly, shall
answer for every word and letter, aye, for -
cry comma it contains. Have Herbert here. y,
child as soon as may be, but fist tell him :,
forgive his father for the great harm have :" "
me him. Yet stay" he continued as Alice ~
ldo joyful haste to summon her brother
caution him to see to it that the feeling which fe'
s sa'sisted here between you and him. and
,, shall not seem, in the presence Of Others, to WI
IN any degree changed. Oar safety depends yo
on this. th,
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