The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1859-10-29
tation to an obstinate persistence in her

But coutd not keep silence.
had been forced to speak against Josiah
upon strong conviction. should neve,
have felt convinced Of my mistake if
thought the girl had signed the pape,
from mercenary motives.
:" Lucy, said I, listen to me. The
question is, was Mr.. Josiah with you in
the garden that evening before the din
ner, or not! They say it was your inter.
est once to declare he was it is now
clearly your interest to deny it, Lay
aside this wrefched question Of interest,
and speak the truth. You will have to
speak the truth one day. 1t is better to
speak it now, though it makes you beg
gar, than speak it hereafter with shame
aud renorsc.'
81 could see how agitated the girl
was; pin of irresolution flushed her face;
she abruptly left Mr. Chapman, and
came to my side.
''' | won't sign it = she exclaimed. -
Il did speak the truth
My aunt was the first to recover
from the surprise which my conduct ere
ated. She rang the bell; the butler en-
tered. Pay that girl said she, "a
months wages, and turn her out of the
house. Mind, she leaves this house not
a thief, bat liar
My courage had ebbed away with
the words | had addressed to Lucy
sank into chair overwhelmed with an
intense feeling of moral exhaustion; then
my aunt, in the bitterest words, upbraid-
ed me for the opinion persisted ia en-
'erta'ning about Josiah. She would in
sist upon it, notwithstanding all n,y as
snrances, that had eagerly caught at
the g'ris story, in the hopes Of under.
mining Josiah's character; but the
scheme had failcd-the blow had fallen
on my own head. She called upon Mr.
Chapman to witness her words: Not one
penny OF her fortune should be mine :;
henceforth, | should work for nv bread
asa governcss, and cease to be an inmate
OF her house. Suddenly recollecting
herself, she drew Mr. Huntley's letter
from her pocket. There said she, the
sooner you answer that, the better.
Now this evening! go, and say you are
becgar, and see if he will care for YOU
:" Was very angry-indignan at her
cruel challenge. l spoke at random
4 will CO. said |, and left the room |
vas far too excited to think | put on
my bonnet, hurried down stairs, and
shut the hall door after me- Whittier !?
! to Mrs. Hunfley's-but-I began to
/ think as turned on the doorstep, and
: booked forth on the common; the old
hone scene, so familiar, years and years
[ had looked out upon it from my bed
room window. The sun was beginning
! to set as fingered on the door step the
whole scene was bright and warm, but it
chilled me through and through The
! fec!ln-" of home was .one-I felt | was
! face IN face with the cold hard world
/ The doubt and desolato came upon me.
! II my aunt had been alone, I would have
/ returned, and swallowed my words, aud
] prayed on my knees to be taken back
but | thought of Josiahs triumph
dare not face that and l turned away
and left the house
. | shall never forget the cruel doubts
which beset me in that short walk to
Mrs. Huntley's, the sad possibilities
which thronged my BRAIN not that |
doubted of his love, but | knew he was
not rich he might have looked for
! something on my part to enable US to
marry. At the very least, was throw
ing myself on his generosity, not only
accepting, but seizing eagerly at his Of
fer, as drowning wretch catches at
straw. Then my circumstances were so
totally changed since the offer was made,
that my pride revolted at the iuea of
forcing him, out of honor, to take me as
his wife. The idea of going to Mr.
Huntley's, which, On the spur of the
moment, had appeared perfectly natural
and proper, began to seem nothing short
of utter boldness and impudence.
'' am sure must have given it up,
and gone back humbly to my aunt's had
he-Mr. Huntley-not overtaken me on
the common he only bowed, and would
have passed on Che said afterward he
thought he had no right to address NE
till his letter was answered). | spoke
his name only very low, but he caught it,
and turned. | felt terr bly, frightened and
could scarcely speak, but this was only
at first, ! few words from him, and
doubt was over, and he took me home to
his mother.
Mrs. Huntley was very kind to me
she called me from the very first her
daughter, listening with mothers SYM
pathy to all | had to say was to call
their house my home and in a very
short time it really was M own home
We were married as speedily as arrange
merits would permit.
q did all in my power to obtain my
aunt's forgiveness, but iu vain. Tho
day after was at Mrs. Huntleys, my
wardrobe, and everything | possessed,
were sent to me, but no letter or message;
aud though | wrote very often, receiv-
ed no reply. This was the only draw
back to my happiness. Though Mr..
Huntly's income was small, it was quite
sufficient for every comfort He was so
thoughtfully kind; he bought Lucy's
brother out Of the army and Lucy, poor
girl, Mrs Huntly took at once into her
service, and she never left US till she
went away to be married many years af-
terward.
"I had been married three months,
and | had never even chanced to meet
my aunt in my walks, but | heard Of her
from time to time from friends
"One day, intelligence was brought
me that she was seriously ill-a paralytic
seizure. In the greatest anxiety. has
tened to the house the doctors carriage
was at the door | asked how my aunt
was. The butler said she WAS very i'll -
Could | see hers The nuan said he had