St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-07-28
Gomantit skettb.
The Vow Fulfilled.
BY MRS. FRANCES T.. MACE.

With all her proud inheritance of
noble mansion. wild" forests and mead
ow lands, Blanche llucSton was ncith-
CT happy nor satisfied. She looked
out on her broad domain with sad I'M
rest and gloomy torebodings of the
future, cnvying the poorest cottage
girl that went singing past her win
dow. One thing onl y was lacking to
Blanchc--hcr freedom. She had wealth,
beauty, and rare education for one
So young; but just one year ago to-
day she had knClt al her fathers death
bed, and taking a solemn VOW that the
rich estate which he had spent his
life to gain, should not pass into the
hands nor bear the name Of a strau-
ger, but that William Uoucston, her
cousin whom she had never seen,
should receive her hand and fortune.
He was a strange father, one would
deem, to demand such promise from
his only child, and it was true. A
hard, stern, selfish man, his only am
bition had been to acquire wealth,
and through his wealth to maintain a
naughty and aristocratic position.
Blanche, whom he loved passionate
ly, though scltishly as was most con-
siStcnt with his nature, had been
brought up almost in solitude, lest
she should come in contact with any
one who would steal her heart and al
lcgiance from her father. She had
not, therefore, been neglected, but de
voting her girlish years to the acquire
ment Of every accomplishment whict
could adorn her position in life, she
had reached the age of eighteen, witt
far more than the usual share of grace
and intelligence.
She had never dreamed of her ia
ther's matrimonial plans in regard tt
herself, until suddenly stricken dowl
by illness, he had called her to his
side, Informed her of his long matureC
plan, and implored of her, with {
strange mixture of tenderness and au
thority, to promise sure fultillmen
of this his dearest wish. Her cousin
he informed her, desired it equal,
with himself; nothing, therefore, re
mained for Blanche but to acquiesce
or, in this last and painful hour of he
fathers life, to renounce forever th'
inheritance he had SO hardly earnet
for her, and with it his dying blessing
To obey, was to give up, at once
all the free, happy dreams and hope
Of her Girlhood, and to bind hersel
for life to one whom it might be i'm
possible for her to love, or even rev
crcncc but to disobey, or refuse sub
mission, with those dying eyes tixe'
upon her, those dying hands stretches
toward her, was more utterly imposs
BILE. With but momentary strug
glc she knclt, as he badc her at hi
bedside. and solemnly vowed that hi
last wish should be fulfilled.
4 year had passed since the ster
man was borne ont of the house an
laid in the marble tomb of the llues
tons, and all this time the young he'll
ess had dwelt alone in her richly dc
corated home. More and more gal
ing had grown the chain with whic
, she had bound herself, and now whc
only three months more of her maldeI
!; hood remained, for the very day {
, her wedding had been PREDETERMINED
: bitter defiance of her fate took pO:
t session of her. She refused even t
t see her future husband, who, from hi
+ home in the South, wrote to her /,
= peatedly, and urgently requested
meeting. She coldly returned, tn;