The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-02-03

and chide me for leaving her so long, chow
long It seemed to mel while every word, lOOk, I,
and smile, seemed doubly dear to me. be-
cause I knew the precarious tenure BY which
held my right to them, She busted her
self too, while was gone ont, with our
joint baggage, and rummaged ell over her
| trunks to find book which had expressed
desire to see--she mended my gloves, sew
ed the broken band Of my travelling cap, and
found my segar case whenever lost it.,
which was twenty times day, while she
scolded me for the carelessness, which she
declared almost equaled her own. Long ago
she had given over, to my keeping, her ele.
CANT little porte mohnaie, "with all her mo.
Rey in it, which she was sure she should lose,
as she never could keep anything" aBd as
she had ordered me TO take cut what was
wanted for her travelling expenses, opened
it with trembling hands, when | was alone,
, and examined the contents. There we're,
besides all the bank bills with which she
had probably been furnished for her Journey,
and which, with pious care, she had folded
up into the very smallest possible compass,
as much gold as the pretty toy could carry,
tiny pearl ring, too small to fit any fingers
but here-which am afrnid kisscd-a card
with her name on it, and o memorandum in
a pretty hand, "No. - Olive Street, st.
Louis" which, as l rightly conjoctured was
the residence OF the Cousin Jennie whose
husband | was ! u very fortunate discovery
!or me. Indeed, so far, had not found the
way Of the transgressor hard, in external
circumstances at least, and when with her,
forgot everything eEcepthe grace and beau
ty, and my firm resolution to be to her no
more or less than her cousin should be /: but
out oil that charmed presence my conscience
made me miserable.
am afraid | must sometimes have be.
trayed the conflicts of feeling I had, by INV
manners but when l was reserved, and
ceremonious with her, she always resented
it, and begged me SO bewitchingly not to
treat her so, and to call her by her sweet
name, "Flurence," that had dreaded as
much l longed to do it, could not have re.
fused her. But the consciousness that |
wos not what she thought me, but n impos.
ter, Of whom, after our connection had
ceased, ard she had discovered the deception
prncticed upon her, she could think or re.
member nothing that would not cause her
unmerited self-reproach and modification,
vi innocent and trusting as she was, this re-
fection, more than any otner, | confess, and
the knowledge of the estimation in which
she would forever hold me, after my imposi-
tion was discovered, ogonized me, and
would have given oil ! possessed to own it
to her, and leave her sight at once, though
the thought of never seeing her more was
dreadful. But that could not be.
At last we reached St. Louis. Do say
"at last !" When the sight of those spires
and gables warned me that my brief dream
Ut happiness was over, and that the remorse-
fuI reflections had been staving off so long
were now to commence in earnest, the
thought of the cUni'ng punishment from Flo.
renee Was dreadful to me, and the time SEEM
cd to fly on lightning wings as it drew neor.
er. She was oil gayety, and astonished at
my sadness dhd absence of mind when go
near home and Jennie; and when we entered
the carriage that was to convey us to Our
destination, had half mind to take cow
ardly flight, rather than entourtef the sEorn
| and disappointment OF those blue eyes but
mustered courage, and followed her in,
giving the address found in the porte mon.
naie, which fortunately was the right one,
to the driver.
"Almost home - said she, turning her
bright face towards me-we were rattling
up the street, and my time was short--"how
can you be so cool and quiet -
"Because, Miss Florence" answered,
"the time has come in which must confess
to tou that have no more right in the home
to which we are Fastening, than to the name
by which you address me, and that my only
claim to either, is that of an imposter and
dect iyer.'
She turned her lsvely face, wondering and
puzzled, towards me.
THINK Heaven did not get read fear and
aversion in it.
"No right ! no claim :" she repeated
"what can you mean o.
I told her, frankly and fully, the whole
truth, neurly as have set it down here, de-
nying nothing, and concealing nothing. not
even the useless secret Of my love for her.
When the brief recital was ended, we both
remained silent, but although she had hidden
her face, could see that she trembled vic.
len,ly with shame and repulsien. The sight
of her distress was agony to me, and tried
to say few last words Of apology
"You cannot blame or hate me, Miss Dun.
dard, more than blame and hate myself"
I said, "for the distress have so unwilingly
caused you. Heaven Knows thatif accept
ed the chsrge OF so much innocence and
beauty too lightly, Rave heavily atoned
since, in having occasioned this suffering to
you, and my own punishment is greater than
I can boar"
The coach stopped 40 / spoke, she turned