St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-11-17
NUMBER 46,

ter trlumphed, and l rose from my
sick bed ready for the sacrifice. But
few days passed until it was required
of me.
One evening, sitting by my side,
while llildrcd had gone to the shon
for work, Wolfang told me that ho
loved me. I do not wish to write
down his words, because they are the
one great blessed memory Of my life
my earthly foretastG of Heaven /
heard him through for wanted all
ms assurances to support me through
the fiery ordeal which awaited me, and
when he had finished, told him calm
ly that could not be his. dared
not confess to him that loved him,
lest it should make him unsatisfied in
the path which had wiled he should
walk. When his first wild outburst
of grief and disappointment had sub
sided, told him that my sister had
given her affection TO him, and that it
would make me very happy to see him
her husband | was bold in this, be-
cause knew that he would not mis-,
construe my motives.
tie went away in great mental per-
liberation, but the next day he re-
turned and said:
Faith, you are the only woman
whom can love with nv whole soul,
and you have refused me Still, if
anything that can do will please
you 1t will be my greatest bliss to do
1t! If you wish il, will ask Hildred
to share my lifc-shc is your sister,
and can love her next to YOU"
" And so may God in Heaven bless
you !" | cried, from out the depths
Of my spirit, and for an instant nv
head rested upon his shoulder, and his
lips pressed my forehead. 1t was my
first wcakness-it was likewise my
last
Two months aftcrward IIildred was
made happy ; and from the grand old
church in LOnsdalo, she went forth the
welded wife Of Wolfang Walsing-
ham.
For years subsequent to this event
my life flowed on unintcrruptcdly. l
remained at my lodgings, still earning
my living by my needle, and refusing
the many and urgent invitations of
tojling existence and live with them.
knew that could not bear it, and so
lived on in the old way.
Wolfang and my sister were very
happy, and | rcjoiccd in the knowl,
= edge. One child, noble boy blest
their union, and to this child my lone
y heart c'ung with all the tenacity Of
woman's love.
had two offers Of marriage from
worthy men, bat did not accept eth
: cr because 4 simple heart, like mine,
can know but one love.
Ten years after his marriage VOL
e fang was seized with a fatal illness.
stood 10y his bedside through it all
and when he died his head rested upon
my breast. His last word was spoken
to mc-his last sigh alone listened
to.
Hildrcd was almost frantic at her
loss and from that time forth she f;.-
dcd, until with the coming of winter
we folded her pale hands away and
left hCr to sleep by the side of the
husband she SO well loved
took Hugh, her child, home with
me and in his care found some solace
for my loneliness. \ year passed
thus, and one day there came news Of
Paul Ravenwood's death.
The very same day, letter was
brought me by the mail-boy, marked
with foreign postmark. opened
it and read
Miss FAITH MnBURN-Many years
ago loved a pure and guileless girl
she was taken from me by death on
the very evening set apart for our
marriage. thought | could love no
more ; but when saw your sister,
llildred, | thought my lost Inez re,
stored to me. The faces seemed to
me one and the same. | loved again
i sought to make the second love
minc-~l was disappointed. But that
love never died in my breast it burnt
ticrccr and ticrcer even to the last,
which is almost here ! l treated you
with cruclty--l would now, as | feel
my life ending, make an atonement.
have no living relative in the whole
wide world to whom can bequcath
my extensive possessions. | have
made will giving all to you--hsr SIS,
ter When you have done with it be.
stow it upon ter chiid.
PAUL RAvENwoop.
The letter had told the truth. A
few days afterward, was called upon
10y the executor OF Mr. Ravenwood,
who read me the will, which, after be.
ing proved and accepted at the Pro-
, bate Courts, put me in possession OF
the vast estate Of Paul Ravenwood
: removed with hugh TO Gyve Cot,
f tage-fOr the place was very dear to
me, from the association clingng
around it and here have lived ever
since am wealthy but | make no
use of my income for myself-other
than that for our necessities--it all
goes to the poor seamstrcsses whom
| can seek out from the neighboring
villages.
! am an old woman now, and it will
not be long ere my noble Hugh enters
into the ownership OF the patrimony
bequeathed to him by his mothers
lover.
And this is all my little history.
Reader, adieu.
r,;orl N,l,hy- I On, pipo cod that