Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-02-26

| found 1T.
"Youwrong me Ida" said Bell, surprised
and confounded by the charge; "Capt.
Fritz handed me the note, and l brought
it here to ask if you knew what it meant;
but you were not in, and dropped it ac-
cidently." ...s.
',Yes, and accidently you forgot, when
you heard me accused of secret cores
pondence with Mr., Wilmer, to tell what
you knew about this note, which l saw, for
the first time, in the hand of my father.
All, Bell, your jealousy has strangely per-
verted your once amiable and candid dis
position, and has blinded you to the fact
that Maj. Dade can not be won by the
course you are pursuing"
"If you sent for me that you might off
er this insult, Miss Holmes, I presume,
your purpose being accomplished, you
have no further business with me. And
Bell sprang to her feet, and tossing her
head about in the most approved style of
offended dignity, started for the door.
"Stay Bell, said Ida, in a tone of COM
manding firmness and dignity, and step
ping in front of her retiring visitor. at
is device of little minds to feign injury
and insult, as an Offset to wrongs done,
but neither acknowledged nor repented of;
and your last remark has given rise to
painful suspicious. | have been your
friend, would be so still; and if you
would have it so, forget the lessons given
you by Capt. Fritz, abandon your foolish
jealousy Of me, and cultivate that spirit of
generous candor for which l gave you
credit. We snail be together but short
: time-let that be period of peace between
us--if possible, of confidence and love-"
Her lips touched Bells cheek, as she
bade her good night, and they parted in
tears. Bells were tears of modification
and regret; and Ida wept because she had
been betrayed by one she trusted, and be-
cause the Vaccinations Of her enemies had
planted suspicion in the mind other father
and destroyed, for a time at least, that m u
tual confidence which had constituted the
strongest link in the chain Of paternal and
ilial love. But heart whose griefs are
not self-inAicted yields readily to the bal
my influence of sleep, and Ida not only
slept, but dreamed of happiness, and hei
beautiful lips greeted, with smile, the
bright visions Of her fancy.
She awoke in the morning, however, tc
find these visions but dream, ,-dispelle(
. by cold realities. The incidents of thu
preceding evening presented themselve
in no softened light; and it was with sac
heart and grave countenance she received
her fathers announcement that he woulC
ride with her after breakfast From sucl
an excursion, she anticipated no pleasure
and began, at once, to brace her nerves fo
an interview which could not, by any pos
sibility, be pleasant, and which she look
, ed forward to with that sort of present.
, ment which so often foreshadows the com
. ing evil.
The morning was bright, the air balm
, and invigorating, but Ida saw not tn
one, nor felt the influence of the Other
= The birds sang blthely, and the dew drop
t dashed aside by her horses feet, sparkle
in the sun like shivercd diamonds; but a
c passed unheeded by the sorrowing CIR
2 whose eyes were fixed upon the arehe
p neck of her steed and it was with a loo
C of dreamy abstraction that she met th
;. gaze Of her father, as he asked:
h "Aro you aware, Ida, that your cousi
It Edward will be here today"
e 81 am aware that he isexpected, father.
r "And you are aware, too, of the bus
II ness which brings him here, suppose"
Vt "I shall not feign ignorance, sir, on thi
/ point He is coming, he says, to clail
= the fulflment ofa promise which new
e gave him"
l. "Younever promised to marry him, Ida
II "Never, sir! When Twas about fourtoc
u years of age, he asked me if loved hir
II and | answered yes, and added, that
II should always love him. The same 10y
that gave him then, he has now-the lo'
due to brother. lfhe construes that il
H. to promise of marriage, he gives it an i,
G. depreciation foreign to any intention
L mine"
-. "Then am destined to be dsappoint'
- in the hope that you will become his vii
"A during his stay here, and return with hi
to the city, at an early day"
m 81 hope sir" she replied "you will n
10 urge me to take a step so ropugnant
nc myself, and SO unjust to him. My hal