Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1859-02-15
q Mr. 6. 7 asked, somewhat agtonished,

VI Alr. ". 1 asked, some what aStonished
4 am my mothers daughter, answer
ed thechild, withta crave dignity in one
soyonng land in minute alter she arose
and quietly left the room. s.sss
= sat watching her white robes fitting
through the long shady walk opposite my.
window, and knew that the child bFooded
over some dark sorrow for her eyes were
filed with tears.
Why wasfit. questioned myself, that
painful thought took possession Of me as
! sat there Il seemed as if Is was So
journing in an enchanted spot, and that
some horror was suddenly to break upon
me. Kat "a si5i 81 ss.s HH sf
AT my side. nearly covering beauti.
full table Of letter-wood, were several costs
ly gift books. I took them up carefully,
for@>l have d reverence for books--and
turning to the fy leaf of fsplepdidly
bound copy of Shakespeare. read
To Mary Francis F.. from her
devoted husband Henry E..
A thrill Of surprise and anglisI ii ran
from vein to vein. My thoughls seemed
paralyzed. The truth had burst upon
me with such suddenness that the blood
rushed with a shock to my heart.
I knew Henry 81 f 81 - - had known
him intimately for years. He was a
friend to whom all my sympathies had
been drawn for he had seen such sorrow
Jas makes the heart grow old before it's
time ajf lFts s3S43 III sf;gfsi,.,
His wife, whom he loved, had deserted
him. She had taken with her his only
child. She had desolated a household !;
and forgetting honor, shame. everything
that pertains I'd virtue and tp God, had
fled from the country with the man whose
tarts had won her wanton ioye.fr AZ
H How could I remain under this Roof
that now seemed acenrsed /? How meet
the destroyer Of virtue the fend who
had reyelled ia such conquest :? .Eaa
HI l could only think Of the evil they had
.done--not what they might suffer through
the fortunes Of remorse. II was some
time before the seducer came into the
room where / still sat with the child, de-
Itermined to meet him once more before |
tleft7the house.. 8
n o how guilty how heart stricken his
appearance Remorse sat on his fore
head-looked out from his eyes spoke
when he was silent. ii
4 81 Win you come To- dinner 2 he asked
4 / hesitated. Should partake{oE Ills
hospitality; the hospitality Of one 81. those
2fends in human shape whose steps take
hold on hell? / knew his gailt--why
delay to declare il !? Why not at once,
in burning words, upbraid him for his
villainy, and flee as from pestilence this
Isin-cursed house. The man noticed my
hesitation. He could not Of course, in
terpret its cause. AS hslinpeated hisre-.
guest, tie look Of distress uponlhis face,
excited "a feeling Of pity, which, for the
moment, slightly disarned ny resent
tnent, aud under the infuenceIof this feel
ing, almost unconciously I passed into
the dining room.
a am sorry little Nelly's mamma -
{ was glad he did not. use the sacred
name Of wife -. is not able Itofsit down
with u.s., he said. 1t IS many months
since We have had her presence at our
meals. She is suffering from the effects
81 slow fever induced by the climate,
he added gravely, AS he motioned me a
seat before him. ..
The table gliLtered with silYer-plate.-
0bedient servants brought, On the most
costly servers, delicacies such AS I had
never seen before. r4 Js,t
But the. skeleton sat at the feastl 4
EiI could not talk, saveinj monosylables.
My host ate hastily--almost earelessly-
waiting upon me with many abrupt starts
and apologies. fi + y.
Wine came. He drank freely. Soon
hef sent the little girl and servants from
the room, and seemed striving to nerve
himself to conversation. #s
Bs.tt You are from ------ city, i believe
he said neryously. .t;s
II answered an affirmative. I.fI s ss
Did you ever know gentleman there
BY the name 9of-H. E. F. F. i n sf
4E'I know him.. SIR 1 said steraly,
looking the man steadily in the face, and
I know him also as ruined, hearttbro-
ken man.
With an ejaculation of anguish he put:
hip handkerchief to bis eyes. It would
have seemed hypocritical, but the suffer-
ing on his face was unmistakable.
!. Perhaps you have suspected then IL T.
be began in a quivering voice. ii !.
Not calmly, but with the words of an
accuser ] told him what ] had seen, and
thought and felt. 1tggt.H
Elf L SIR said he, in tones which I shall
never forget, | If q. have stunned, God in
Heaven knows / have suffered |; and If in
Els bereavement he has cursed me, that
curse is fearfally fulfilled Poor Mary
is dying--has been dying for months and.
Il have known It. II has been for me to
see the failing step-the dimingteye !; it
ID for me, now, to see the terrible strug,
giles Of her nearly worn out frame: it IS
for me to listen to her language Of re-
morse, that sometimes almost drives me
mad. Yes, mad mad mad, he said,
id frenzy, rising and crossing the floor
with long. hasty strides. When buryings
bis face ii his hands, he exclaimed, Too
late-too late-I have repented. There
was 4 long pause, and be continued more
calmly, No human means can now re-
store my poor companion Her moral
sensibililies become more and more acL
cute as she fails In strength, So that she
herself constantly