Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-09-02

confirmed by his defeat. and made ten-fold
more fierce when young Cameron ran away
with his daughter. married her, and took
her to Washington as his bride.
She never went into her fathers house
again, nor was recognized by him, or any
Of his family, when they met. as they did
daily. in the streets. Sixteen years passed,
during which neither Cameron nor Brom
ley changed one jot in their feelings toward
each other and then death came into the
house of the former.
Death is terrible leveler He is a tre-
mendous enemy to distinctions. So even
are the bottoms and the surfaces Of graves.
that men begin to feel that level whenever
death approaches them, and are ready to
forget all their differences. Not so John
Bromley he was not like other men. Not
so Charles Cameron; he was like John
Bromley.
Charles" said Alice Cameron, II am
dying, and would fain be reconciled to my
father. Will you ask him to come aud see
me p
He consented willingly, and sent that
very hour servant with : note asking Mr..
Bromley to do Mrs Cameron the honor to
call and see her. Such formal note SEEM
ed strange in such circumstances; but all
the town knew that Mrs. Cameron was dy-
ing, and he could not but understand it as
summons to the death bed of his daughter.
He paid not the slightest attention to it,
She penciled with her own feeble hand a
petition-a daughters earnest prayer-that
she might be allowed to look once more on
his face before she departed to the dread
assembly of the dead He did not come
When Cameron saw his wife lying dead and
the note returned, unopened, lying on the
little stand 5y her head, he vowed solemn
vow that he would never forgive the man
that last unkindness, not on earth, not
though he stood at heaven'e gate and were
excluded for that hatred He forgot that
he would have done just so himself
She left him one daughter fifteen years
old. Two years later she was seven. and
exceedingly beautiful All the strong mans
heart was bound up in the child and she
was one to love. Her form was of the
mould Of Eve. Her eye was Of the blue Of
the skies Of Eden Her voice was perfect
music. For the FIRST two years after her
mothers death she was growing into COM
plete womanhood. and then she was splen-
did woman
have some hesitation 10 attempting to
describe her character. It was by no means
perfect It was hardly possible that the
child Of such father should be very mild
and gentle; and in fact, she was very like
him in her 6rmness and her determination
of purpose. Withal she inherited from her
mother an amount Of passion, warmth Of
feeling. and devotedness to any object Of
her affection, which, coupled with her FIX
edness Of will, made her difficult subject
Of management Nj
These we're the prominent points of dan.
ger in her character. Everything else was
exceedingly winning and lovely, aud even
these points rendered her more attractive.
If her horse refused to leap fence, she rode
him at it steadily till he did it. If she
wished flower that grew on the edge Of a
precipice. she walked boldly out and pluck
ed it. If one she called friend were 10 need
she never rested till the aid was rendered.
She had even been known to 60 alone at
midnight for physician to see her father
in severe attack Of illness, because she
would not trust a servant.
It was not strange that the strong mans
heart wound itself around her. He made
her his idol. He was gradually devoting
himself more and more vigorously to his
profession, and when he did permit himself
to escape his library, it was his JOY to be
welcomed by her unrivalled smile and voice.
She queened it in his house, and held gay
revels in the large drawing room, while her
father poured over books in his undisturbed
Office.
Matters were in this condition when Mr.
Bromley died, leaving will by which he
gave his entire property to his three chill
dren older than Alice, cutting Of Mrs. Cam
eron ant her daughter Kate.
Mr. Cameron lad no care for the money:
fourth of the fortune would not amount
to one 1.-THE Of that which he himself would
give to his daughter But . flaw in the
will Of his old foe would be grand discov-
cry and a capital revenge, and he sought
for it. and, as he supposed, found it.
The CONSERVATION, anger, fury Of the
Bromley family may be immagined when it
was announced that the father Of Kate Cam
eron. now just Of age, had commenced pro-
ceedings to set aside the will Of her grand
father. The reputation Of the lawyer did
not suffice to satisfy them that it was any
thing more than the enmity Of the man tina;
induced the proceeding, and they employed
counsel to oppose.
One evening, not long after this, Mr..
Cameron came somewhat suddenly from his
library, through his drawing room, and into
a small parlor which was devoted to books
ct the lighter sort. and to musical instru-
ments. He was seeking an authority which
his library did not furnish. He found some
thing he did not expect
Possibly the freedom Of life which he had
permitted to his daughter might have author
lied it; certainly it ought to have excused
it, though it was strange affair.
Kate was sitting in no equivocal position
with gentleman His arm was around her.
her head on his shoulder; and she was in
such splendid flow Of spirits that it was
not until her companion called her attention
to him, that she saw her father standing in
the door with brow like . thunder cloud :
"Young man. leave this house !" was the
first remark Of the father.
'John. keep your sea-" was the firm
response Of the daughter, as she arose and