Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-10-21

tfary sHnJ ever this dlstrlct-was averse to
The match, my pride was reused quite as
MUCH as bis j. aud 1 did nst Upstate an in
slant as to the Line Of conduct, I ought to
adopt Well, you and Mary parted, and,
q few days after, Influenced ~ feelings
With which ! Gan readily sympathiEe, you
quilted England for the New World. No
sooner were you gone... than your brother
Edward, whose real character, I fear, you
never knew till now, endeavored to sup
plant you in the affections Of my child."'
John started at these words, as il ~ Jew
light had suddenly broken in upon him
This, tHeh," he exclaimed, sis the reason
why he was SO urgent in advising me to
quit the country Curses .eh-but no. he
is dead, and be all his sins forgiven,
'.Nqbly said, my boy" Mr.. Mordaunt
then proceeded to state how, for months
and months, together, Edward Travanion
hsset Mary With his dishonorable addresses
and bow, when he found himself repuls,d
with deserved contempt, he had recourse,
il his rage. to. the Baroaet, whom, 5y,nev-
cry species of insinuation and calumny,
he endeavored to prejudice against both
father and daughter. II regret, john"
continued Mr.. Mordaunt. "to speak in4 this
way Of que 50 closely re1sted to yop; but !
owe you full explanation, and have there
fore no alternative. My child here can
bear testimony to the prosecutions to which
both Of US were subjected daily bI the bar
onet, who, being our landlord, was never
at a less for the means of direct or indirect
annoyance Fortunately, about this time,
your brother quilted the Hall on visit te
some .sporting friends III the north, and we
bad an interval of quiet but he returned
within the year, and renewed his insulting
addresses with more pertinacity than ever.
Doubtless you wonder. why, under such
circumstances, ! did not quit South Zeal.
Alas, my boy, | had not the means to do
SO, for by the vilIalny Of an agent at Exc
ter. | was robbed Of the proceeds Of q, small
estate which | had empowered him to sell,
and involved in law suit which reduced
me to "a state little short Of beggary.
Thus Situated, got into arrears with my
landlord, who, still urged on by his son,
threatened me not merely with election,
but also with Imprisonment Then came
your brothers final proposal. He would
release me, he said, from all my embarrass-
ments, but ouly at the expense Of my poor
girls good nane." ..,,,:, J.. ,,. =.
John was here again. about to bu-st into
excavations against his brother, but Mr.
Mordaunt stopped him and resumed as fol-
lows :-''Driven to desperation, but re-
solved at all risks to protect my child, l de-
termined as a last resource-for [ had no
other means at commando spread about
areport Of her death Judge, John, to
what an extremity father and daughter have
been reduced TO adopt SO strange-so dis
tressing an alternative" $40.
Mary, who had ,peen. Listening with evil
dent feelings Of uleasiness to Mr.. Nor.
daunt's explanation, here burst Into tears.
Johns soothing and respectful attentions,
however, soon treasured her, and the SPEAK
er proceeded with his.narratiye -" when
questioned on the subject Of, my child's
death, my reply was, that. she had suddenly
disappeared, | knew not whittier, but that
! feared she had come to an untimely end
in one of the numerous streams that inter-
sect the moor Twas an unworthy SUBJ
terfuge, and ] feel my !s,hesk burn while |
recall it ? but, OH John, # you knew but
half the agonies We were then undergoing
half the prosecutions we we're subjected
to--half the, priyations to. which we were
tedacsd-y would cease to wonder that
We had recourse to it. Previously, how
ever, to setting this report aAoat, I con-.
veyed Mary secretly to the Witch's hut CT
Dartmoor-you may remember, john, We
never shared in your imaginative dread #
its half crazy tenant-where We found the
poor, creature at her last gasp, and at her
request, ! buried her at The foot Of one Of
the tors, far removed from the hated neigh
borhood Of those from whom, in life, She
had suffered % much. Twas sad change
for my child, but her moral courage sus-
tanned her through the trial !; and .desolate
as wss her dwelling. there, at least, she
felt she was safe, for seldom did human
footstep venture near that haunted quarter
Of the moor. Every day at night-fall I
paid her visit, bringing With me such, CON
sveniences as might render her new abode
more habitable; and was delighted to find
how soon she became reconciled to her lot
when she found herself free from persecu-
ton. From, this period | sustained no more
annoyance from Your brother remorse had
struck him, aud it is but Justice to his mem
Dry to say, that he would have made me
every atonement in his power, would
have accepted anything but forhearance
from insult, at his hands. Soon after this
he died, and you returned home; and sin
gularly enough, on that very day, too, my
child Quilted the hut of which she had so
long been the tenant You asked anx-
iously about her, but though I always es-
teemed you. John, yet your brothers con-
duct having inspired me With. 9 dsstrrst Of
all the members Of your family-boing ig-
norant too how far an acquaintance With
the world. might have perverted your own
fine nature-I determined fo-' i time to
persevere in ny story. But at the sight Of
your grief, my heart rslented, and / was
on the point Of makingsa confession, whep,
on reflection, | thought it better previously
to make sure trial Of your constancy. In
due season, should have explained every
thing, but Mary, whom it was paramount
object with me to keep secluded from all
observation, precipitated my design. Twice
in the dusk Of the evening, when she thought
she might venture abroad without risk Of
discovery, she made her way secretly to
your favorite grove, pleased, no doubt, at
the idea Of finding herself once more so near
you. On both these occasions you. beheld
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