Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1859-04-22


'Yes, my dear. Do you know anytinI
of that country2' returned still grow
ing more and more pleased with her ex
pressive face. ..rI~ rr !
Only that mamma came from there, sn'
l think, she added, hesitatingly,' that
did. But Mr.. G. won't let us talk abou
it,
Are you then not the little daughter
Of Mr.. Case 2 / asked, somewhat aston
ished
L am my mothers daughter, answered
the child, with grave dignity for one SC
youDg-and a minute after she arose
quietly and left the room. GEg'
sat watching her white robes fitting
through the long shady walk opposite my
window, and knew that the child brooded
over some dark sorrow, for her eyes were
filled with tears.
Why was it, Lquestioned myself, that
painful thought took possession Of me as
| sat there2 1t seemed as if l we're So
journing in an enchanted spot, and that
some horror was suddenly to break upon
me. r..|.
At my side, nearly covering beautiful
table of letterwood, were costly gift of
books. I took them up carefully, for l
have a reverence for books-and turning
to the Ay-leaf of splendidly bound copy
of Shakespeare, road
'To Mary Francis p, from her
devoted husband-Henry E. F..
A thrill of anguish and surprise ran
from vein to vein. My thoughts seemed
paralyzcd. The truth had burst upon me
with such suddenness that the blood
rushed to my heart with shock.
I knew Henry e. F., had known
him intimately for years. He was friend
towards whom all my sympathies had been
drawn, for he had seen such sorrow as
made the heart grow old before its time
His wife, whom he loved had deserted
him. She had taken with her his only
child. She had desolated household,
and forgetting honor and shame, all that
pertains to virtue and to God, had fed
from the country with the man whose arts
had won her woman love.
How could | remain under this roof
that seemed accursed? d? How meet the des-
troyer of virtue--to find him who had revel
led in such conquest.
I could only think of the evil they had
done-not what they might suffer thro'
remorse. 1t was sometime before the Sc
ducer came into the room where was
sitting with the child, determined to
meet him once more before | left his resi-
dence.
% how guilty how heart-stricken his
appearance Remorse sat on his forehead
looked out from his eyes-spoke when
he was silent.
will you come to dinner, now? he
asked, | hesitated Should / partake of
the hospitality of those fends in human
shape, whose steps take hold on hell2 I
knew his guilt-why delay to declare it
Why not at once, in burning words, up
raid him for his villainy, and fee as from
pestilence his sin cursed house? The
man noticed my hesitation. He could not,
of course, interpret its cause. As he re
peated his request, the look of distress
upon his face excited feeling Of pity,
which, for the moment, slightly disarmed
my resentment, and under the influence
of this feeling, almost unconsciously l
passed into the dining room.
Il am sorry little Nelly's mamma'-O
was glad he did not use the sacred name
Of wife)-'is not able to sit down with us,
he said, 1T is many months since we
have had her presence at our meals. She
is suffering from the effects of a slow
fever, induced by the climate he added,
gravely, as he motioned me a seat opposite
him.
The table glistcned with silver plate
Obedient servants brought, on the most
costly servers, delicacies, such as I had
never seen before.
But the skeleton sat at the feast.
I could not talk only in monsyllables
My host ate hastily-almost carelessly,
waiting on me with many abrupt starts
and apologies
Wine came. lie drank freely. Soon
he sent the little girl and servants from
the room, and seemed trying to nerve him
self to talk.
'You are from -- city, I believe,
he said nervously.
/ answered an affirmative.