The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1859-10-19

she leaves this house not a lhici, bat a
liar
"My courage had obbod away with the
words | had addressed to Lucy; sank
into a chair overwhelmed with an intense
iecling OF moral exhaustion then my
aunt, in the bitterest words, upbraided
me for the opinion | persisted in enter
tanning about Josiah. She would insist
upon it, Notwithstanding all my assuran-
ces' that had eagerly caught at the
girl's story, in the hopes Of undermining
Josiah's character but the scheme had
lailed--the blow had fallen on my head.
She called upon Mr., Chapman to witness
her words Not one penny of her for
tune should be mine; hencelorth,
should work for my bread as a governess
and cease to be an inmate of her house.
Suddenly recollecting herself, she drew
Mr.. Hunty's letter from her pocket.
There, said she, the sooner you answer
that, the better, Nov this evening
go, and say you are a beggar, and see if
he will care for you
=" | was very angry--indignant at her
cruel challenge. spoke at random. L
will CO. said /, and left the room. was
far too excited to think, put ON my
bonnet, hurried down stairs, and shut the
hall door after me Whittier TO Mrs,
Huntly's-but--I began to think as
turned on the doorstep, and looked forth
on the common the old home-sccne, so
familiar years and years had looked out
upon it from my bedroom window. The
sun was beginning to set as I fingered on
the doorstep the whole scene was bright
and warm, but it chilled me through
and through. The feeling of home was
! gomez . felt was face to face with the
cold hard world Doubt and desola-
tion came upon me. my aunt had been
alone, would have returned, and swal.
lowed my words, and prayed on my knees
to be taken back but | thought of Joslah's
triumph, dare not face that and tur.
ned away and left the house.
| shall never forget the cruel doubts
which beset me in that short walk to Mrs.
Huntly'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 someth ing on my
part to enable us to marry. At the very
least, | was throwing myself on his gen
erosity, not only accepting but sciziug
eagerly at his offer, as drowning wretch
catches at a straw. Then my circumstan.
ces were so totally changed since the offer
was made, that my pride revolted at the
idea Of forcing him, out of honor, to take
me as his wife, The idea of going to Mrs.
lIunty's, which, on the spur Of the mo-
ment, appeared perfectly natural and prop
er, began to seem nothing short OF utter
boldness and impudencc.
9" an sure must have given it up,
and gone back humbly to my aunt's Lad
he, Mr.. Hunt y--not oyertakcn me on
the common: be only bowed and would
have passed on (he said alterward he
thought he had no right to address me till
his letter was answered) spol hi
name only very low, but he caught it,
and turned. | felt terribly frightened,
and could scarcely speak, but this;was only
at first a few words from him, and
doubt was over. and he took me home to
his mother.
Mrs. Huntly was very kind to me
she called me from the very first her daugh-
ter, listening with a mothers sympathy to
all | had tosay. / was 20 call their house
my home. We were married as speedily
as arrangements would permit.
8" did all in my power to obtain my
aunt's forgiveness, but in vain. The day
after | was at Mrs. Huntly's my wardrobe,
and everything possessed, We're sent to
me- but no letter or MESSAGE and though
l wrote very often, l received no reply.
This was the only drawback to my happi-
ness. Though Mr.. Huntly's income was
small, it was quite sufficient for every com.
fort. He was so thoughtfully kind he
bought Lucys 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 afterward.
had been married three months, aud
| had never even chanced to meet my
aunt in my walks, but heard Of her from
time to time from mutual friends.
"One day, intelligence was brought me
that she was seriously ill-a parnlytic seiz-
ure. In the greatest anxiety, / FASTENED to
the house the doctors carriage was a the