True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-04-07

death.
"And The boy went out the succeeding
day into the sunlight of the morning with
an unburdened life The weight Of his
past belief in his own degradation lifted
from his heart. 81 Will be good her way
no more," | said to myself, and thereafter
there was more freedom, more happiness,
in my bOyhood. A second time Looked
on death, found him whom | had heard
my Aunt Hannah and her friends term
sinful. through his unbeief in their creed
--him, The proud, high spirited old man,
stricken from a life, vigorous even in its
extreme age, to death--alone, died in his
chair; and that face bore no vestige of
the conflict which Death had engraven
upon the face of his child; and | never
forgot The contrast between the two.
"Hope, ] have thought myself strong
man l have been vain, boastful of the
vigor Of my manhood. Look upon ME
now, am weak as little child foI the
cross Of my life is greater than | can
shoulder. The words which | would
speak 10 you are fainting into silence OH
my lips, | cannot utter them But before
you leave me, tonight, Hope Raymond
before you open this letter which ! give
you 10 read-let me impress upon your
remembrance that | was in ignorance of
its contenls-lha, did not wiI(ully de
ceive your trust in me. And Hope, re.
member always that bihd myself not 10
forms that bind other men, that as openly
henceforth regret, thoroughly contemn,
the narrow and arbitrary forms which
would bind me, body aud soul, to imbecle
sutmission-lo inlamy and misery. l
ask you not, Hope, for love which will
give itself as a sacrifice. with fear at its
vilals to corrode its peace and purity; moi
for heart which will thrill with shame
while it yields to its desire. But, Hope
Raymond, if The miserable shackles with
which the tuition of that grand tutor,
society, has fettered your soul, fall for
ever thence, come to me my beloved So
the earth shall make itself heaven in
Harry Worthing on's love!"
There was passion in his glance. there
was madness in his tones but his com
panion shrank not from his violence, or
trembied at his words. She was girding
up the strength Of pure heart, and sub
DUNG the wounded pride Of maidenhood,
to answer him fifty.
"lf you lack strength. Harry Wor-
thiugton, to make to me your confession,
10 lay bare TO me the secrets of your life
which it is ueedfuI that should know,
your weakness is no, mine. can listen;
and surely, if | can listen, you can speak.
From your own lips beseech you, suffer
me to learn what can better endure, if
of great pain, to hear from yourself"
He took back the letter which he had
proA'ered her. Once or twice he paced
the little chamber, luminous now with
the full light of the moon; and then he
spoke, but his voice was hoarSe with
suppressed passion. ' b..
"Tn Florence there is one whom the
world calls nv wife, one who calls her.
self woman You start now-yon rise
you are going now, Hope thought
you said but now, you would listen pa
tiently 10 what | might have to say"
"There can be nothing more for me to
hear" He could not tell whether it was
despair or pride that sleaded her voice III
tone so clear and quick (; hut he answer
! ed, "There is more that you should.
tha, you shall hear, Hope. No affection
sanctied the tie which she assumed, and
+ | yielded tn her desire. In the mad
I intoxicating life led in Florence, q
brilliant fete glowed upon my delriOm
the woman who called that brillancy
her own, saved a life which time has
proved too worthless, too miserable IL
} have been spared. In gratitude for the
, useless boon, | gave her what she asked
} She knew we'll that no faith of mine
| consecrated the idle mockery which made
her, in mans eye, my wife.
But she whom | would have endeav
ored to have cherished through her truth
t had deceived me. She was unworthy o
t affection, We parted in disgraceful con-
3 fiict. and | returned hume, when | haC
= cause To suppose that the grave hid he
) sin, my misery. With this conviction il
, the first stages of our intercourse, dc
! not feel that, even in the eyes of ,ht
q world, my love for you was shame o.
+, guilt,
"But later, when the fatal tdingl
{ reached me, tina, that wretched exislehc,
which had been chained to mine, wa
h still prolonged, even as my lips frs
n sylabled what my looks fur weeks hat
d told you, yet determined, in spite Of lh'
Is harsh jndgmen, Of nv fellow beings t,
g make you mine. Bnt | reiute the false
If hood with which the world would assai
Il me ! | recognize not the bondage will
l. which il would make me slave evermore
d a miserable oucast from human tender
d ness and human love! Will you leav
!. me nnw, Hone, with ruthless scorn, wit
n proud rejection uf love which is al
q pure, buyior ihe stain with which aoclet,
Al would hlacken il :" 4aJ "
Z g" Not II scQrn-nOl in coldness an
u pride, and no! that the shadow who