Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1859-03-05

| AWhiWS . IVhRhSo'
As she approached the place IL was al.
ready near dusk nevertheless she saw n
man going out Of the house, who passed
down the street in the direction opposite to
that from which size came. True it was
dusk, and he passed into the twilight shad.
Ow nevertheless the figure, the difficulty
with which he walked, supported by stick,
an indescribable but unquestionable feeling.
which did not permit Of a doubt, told her
his nape.
Hertha entered Amalia's room in n state
of feeling which is easier to imagine than
to describe. She found her alone, sitting
beside the cradle of her child Amalia
was evidently in an excited state of mind,
but not alone from suffering, though she
appeared to have wept. She rushed tow
ards Hertha with agtated impetuosity,
embraced her, and buried for moment her
face on her shoulder.
Hertha released herself softly from her
arms, took her head between her hands,
aud gazed with her deep, earnest eyes into
those of her cousin, and said
What is the meaning of this, Amalia {?
You are excited; you have been weeping.
Yes replied Amalia, turning away aud
re-sea ting herself by her child; yes, but not
from sorrow. have had q pleasure. a
comfort; it will henceforth be better for
me-better than deserve. But do not
ask me any questions, Hertha. ! cannot,
must not say any more
You must tell me more, Amalial' said
Hertha. with terrible earnes,ness; you
must tell me who is the father of this child
ImpossibIel' replied Amalia. Do not
ask it from me, Hertha Everything, ev.
erything except this, will | tell you.
have sworn not to reveal it. / should make
him unhappy, should impede his future sue
cesS-NO, no, never!'
Answer me- said Hertha in q voice
which sounded almost awful, it was so
calm, so low, yet at the same time SO fear
fully imperative; is the name-Yngye Nor
dinr
Amalia started up. My God, Hertha |!
How, how have you come to know the
name? l have never mentioned it to any
one; had sworn to conceal it, / vowed
this TO him, because-I was more guilty
than he. My inexcusable levity was to
blame; was the seducer, and not he; that
| is the tfuth-the whole truth. He was
weak, but be is not wicked He will now
make amends; oh, he is in reality noble
and good y
Amalia might have continued talking
| thus; but Hertha scarcely heard her after
the first acknowledgment. The room, the
whole world, swan round as it were She
felt dizzy, aud was obliged to seat herself.
She safe immovable, with her head bowed
into her hands, and without speaking a
word At length Amalia approached her,
skiing anxIouSly: .....
'Hertha! why are you sitting so2 Will
you not look at me; nor speak word to
me?-Are you i'll =
Yes replied Hertha, rising slowly, my
head feels very strange, and-I must now
leave you, Amalia; but you shall soon hear
from me. FAREWELL
Amalia followed her anxiously You
will soon be better again. she said.
. | hope sol trust so.'
And you'll soon come again to me?'
'Soon-as soon as | can.'
'And you'll hide the secret-thc name
as if in the grave
AS if in the grave repeated poor Her
tha, in halfsuppressed voice, as she left
the room.
She was obliged to pause when she reach
ed the stairs. She safe down on one of
the steps aud rested her head against the
wall, and wished for a moment to lose con-
sciousuess and life together People com
ing up the stairs obliged her to rise. She
walked homeward like some one in dream.
An utOlerable burden lay upon her breast,
and eternal darkness seemed TO spread over
the world When she reached the desola-
ted portion Of the town she was again COM
PEELED to stop. She seated herself on
piece of wall. Was the extremest truth
the EXTREMIST reality-of life and reality
a ruin
She reached home; her young sisters
rushed into her arms
You have stayed so long!-and it is so
so darkl We have been so anxious!
Hertha kissed her darlings, asked them
to leave her alone for moment, and went
into her own room.
Before long she came out again, evident
ly calmer, in order to join the rest Of the
family ut table. The Director and Aunt
NelIa were more loquacious aud more live
ly than usual Her;ha, as usual, attended
TO all at table, ate and drank also little.
but still the young sisters every now and
then cast upon her questioning and almost
sad glances. They saw that everything
was not right, that something out of the
common way, that something very sad had
happened to her.
When the family separated for the eve.
ming, Hertha took her sisters with her into
her room, seated herself, aud putting an
arm round each Of them, said
Little ones, must go journey which
will require week, perhaps two, and you
must, in the mean time, manage the house,
and see that everything is comfortable for
papa and aunt
Early in the morning, you, Maria, mnst
give this letter to papa, aud afterwards you
must read the papers to him in my stead
Martha must in the meantime undertake
the housekeeping. Here are the keys Of
the larder, the cellar, and the store-room,
aud there the housekeeping money for the
remainder of the month. Let me see, my