Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-11-19

Matte English will marry old Squire Allen
but do know that she had rather die than do
this. Poor girl My heart aches whenever
look into her pale, sad face.
- But dear me, ROwena, I've gotten 10 the
bottom ofmy fourth page, and not commenced
telling you all have to say, So"
But, reader, we charitably infer you are fa-
miliar with the conclusions of schoolgirl let.
ters. Suffice it, this one did not lack the usual
saccharinc elements. Rowcna read over the
last page twice. Then she resumed her walk.
"llow wish could help her-dcar little
Matte English. How clearly her sweet child
face seems looking down OH inc now and
can almost feel my fingers winding through her
rich curs. 10 think Of her marrying that
grny.haircd, bcnt-over, wrinkled-facc, Squire
Allen-giying her sweet youth to his age. 1t
makes Inc shuddcr. If could only prcventit
in some way-cvcn il few hundred dollars
might do some good for q little while. Uncle
Hurry would givcmc this for myself, but come
to asking it for other peOple"-and ROwena
shook her head doubtfully.
81 haven't but fifty dollars by me-stop-
yes have! There's that five hundred Cnrle
Harry gave Inc to buy diamond set If
should tell him Id concluded to wear the old
pearls, and keep the money for another pur-
pose, he'd only pinch my ear, and say / was
u changrablc little mink, aud could easily
incloS0 the bills and send them TO Mattic. and
neither she nor anybody else would be tho
wiser But want the diamond set terribly
to wear to Mrs. Chapman's bridal party next
week. How charming it would look with the
blue brocadc Uncle Hurry promised me But
then there's poor Matte English. How could
! bc 80 selfish MS to think Of diamonds, when
her li(c's happiness is Nt stake? And here,
tOn IL fln n,,nnrtun;N,, I ,nIoon;nr, e.. ,,c
doing good, before Julia's letter came. GOd
has sent it to me, know lie has, and I'll not
wait another moment"
R0wcna Strong turned hastily to her writing
desk and there was light in her blue eyes, u
brightness rising over hcrwholc face which 10
diamonds could have given it.
She stood at the window looking out sadly
OH the sun, that was going down so early be-
hind the bare hill tops 1t had been one of
those November days that hang their gray,
gloomy bordering on the white skirts Of winter,
and now the wind was beginning to take up
the funeral song Of the year. With a low,
shudderlng cry, the mOurner came down from
the mountains and wandered through the short
dry grass Of the meadows, and up through
the forests. The gray clouds thckcncd over
head. No wonder the lace that looked out at
the window grew Sad
| wish could describe it, with its clearly
cut profile, its large, long-lnshcd, mellow eyes
its full, dropping lips, and the rich curls that
hung all about it. All, Inc this is faint
suggestion Of its beauty.
The house, large, old fashioned but very
respectable wooden building, stood in some
distance from the road, but the whole had
bare, deserted kind Of look, which the season
alone should not have given it.
lie will be here tonight, murmurcd Mat
tic English, still looking of at the Clouds
"And must decide my fate. God help me
| would rather 20 down into some kitchen and
toll there the vcIirst drudge, all the days of
my life, than marry that rich old niscr. But
my poor mother, she will starve or be depend
cnt on charity, if do not do this. l know
the ncighborS (Dr. Gilman, cSpccially,) have
secretly helped us for months and We haven't
money in the house to buy another meal
Dear, dear mother! When think Of her fail.
ing health, her former life of ease and luxury,
| know | ought to sacrifice myself for her. II
would kill me to see her suffer; and she can.
not brave poverty with the strong heart and
young health that l have. But to think of
that old mans being my husband! How it
makes me shuddrr."
"Om home should be the proudcst in all
Meadow Brook, he said, and silks and jewels
should add new luStrc TO my beauty"
And with these shall bc bought and sold"
There was Scornful working Of the pale,
proud face, but the next moment it sof.cned,
for another memory had come up to her heart.
"Oh what viii Pau say when he returns
and hears Of it!" And now she had lain her
forehead against the window, and the tears
arc struggling up to the long. FLASHED eyes.
e lie never told me he loved MO with his
lips, but his eyes have thousand times.
know, too, 1t WINS because his uncle wanted
him to marry that Boston heircSs, that he went
on this long journey. Poor frllow lie did
not like TO offend his rich old uncle by rcfu-
sing-and then Paul is poor, and had no home
to offer me. But he meant to before he re-
turned, and thcn-oh! how happy we might
have bccn!"
Great sobs were shaking the poor girls
frame now, for a few years up the future she
saw little white cottage, with green vines
ovcr-wrNpping it, and the great stone house
of the millionaire, with its Gothic front and
Grccian statutes, seemed like prison as it
loomcd up before her.
At that moment a quick emphatic call of
the old house knockcr reused Matte, and with
an exclamation, alt will wakcn mamma, she
hurried to the dOo", careless of her tear stained
face.
"lIcre's letter for you, ma'am," said the
post.boy, as he held it up, cycling the wet
check c0riously.
1t was mailed from New York, and Matte
could not recognize the delicate but disguised
chrogrnphy Of the address. She hurried back
to the half dnrkcned sitting.room and opened
her letter by the light of the window. Sew.
eral bills fell at her feet. There were only
these words on sheet of note paper:
:" Use these, and do not marry Squire Al
Im"
Half believing it was all dream, she gath
cred up the bills. There were five hundred
dollars. Slowly, slowly rose tho conviction
Of tho blessed truth into the soul Of Matte
English.
Oh if Rowena Strong could only have
looked into that old room, with the night
shadows choking up tho corners, and seen
Matte English, as, faint with that overwhClm-
ing joy, she sank down ON her knees, MUIR
muring.-Savcd; saved! Father in Heaven,
how shall thank Thcel"
Two years had passed. It was in the late
May and one Of those days that are the
Springs inspirations. The fresh fragrant
wind came up from the far of fields, and cir.
Oulated through the great heart Of the city,
and the sunshine lay in golden folds over Il.
BY the open chamber window Of = hand.
some brick dwelling, in one Of the plcasantest
StreNtS fVrA voIInU IWrirc vpcro cfftinCp GuA tho