The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1859-03-02


lovely child of eleven summers. Her hair
hung in curls. Her eyes particularly lus-
trous, yet mournful in beauty, and on the
young brow seemed TO see something
"a shadow of sadness-an unchildlike qui-
ct, as she greeted my new friend.
Dressed in pure white, she glided in
before us, and to her was left the duty of
entertaining me; while Mr.. c., excusing
himself in the remark that sickness nee
essarily called him away, for half an
hour or so, left the room.
ais your mother unwell~ l asked of
the little girl, who, with those sorrowful
eyes of hers, was regarding me gently
but attentively.
"Yes, sir, mamma has been sick long
time" replied she, dropping her eyes,
while her lips trembled.
add you come from America?" she
asked timidly, after long silence.
eyes my dear Do you know any
thing of that country 2" l returned grow
ing more pleased with her expressive face.
"Only that mamma came from there,
and L think" she added hesitatingly,
"that / did. But Mr.. G. will never let
me talk about it."
Are you then not the little daughter
of Mr.. C.p l asked somewhats aston
ished.
81 am my mothers daughter" answer
ed the child, with grave dignity in one
so young-a minute after she arose and
quietly left the room.
sat watching her white robes fitting
through the long shady walk opposite
my window, and knew that the child
brooded over some dark sorrow, for her
eyes were filled with tears.
Why was it, questioned myself that
painful thought took possession of me as
/ sat there9 1t seemed as if l were so
journing in an enchanted spot, and that
some horror was suddenly to break upon
me.
AT my side, nearly covering beauti-
full table of leiter-wood, were several cost
ly gift books. / took them up carefully,
for have reverence for books, and turn
ing to the fy-leaf of splendid bound
copy of Shakespeare, read
"To Mary Frances F., from her hus-
band Henry E. F."
A thrill of surprise and anguish ran
from vein to vein. My thoughts seemed
paralyzed. The truth had burst upon me
with such suddenness that the blood rush.
ed with shock to my heart.
knew Henry E. F., had known
him intimately for years. He was a
friend towards whom all my sympathies
had been drawn, for he had seen such
sorrow as makes the heart grow cid be-
fore its time.
His wife, whom lie loved, had desert
cd him. She had taken with her his on.
ly child. She had desolated ahousehold; !;
and, forgetting honor, shame, everything
that pertains to virtue and to God, had
fled from the country with the man whose
arts had won her wanton love.
How could | remain under this roof,
that now seemed accursed? How meet
the destroyer of my virtue-the fend
who had reveled in such conquest?
could only think of the evil they had
done-not what they might suffer thro'
the tortues Of remorse. 1t was some
time before the seducer came into the
room where l still sat with the child, de-
termined to meet him once more before |
left the house.
o! how guilty how heart-stricken his
appearance! Remorse sat on his fore
head-looked from his eyes-spoke when
he was silent.
Will you come to dinner9" he asked.
/ hesitated. Should l partake of his
hospitality; the hospitality of one OF
those fiends in human shape whose steps
take hold on helll Why not at once in
burning words upbraid him for his vii
lainy, and flee as from pestilence his
sin-cursed housel The man noticed my
hesitation. eHe could not, of course, in-
terpret its cause. AS he repeated the re-
quest, The look Of DISTRESS upon his face
excited a feeling of pity, which, for the
moment, slightly disarmed my resent
ment, and, under the influence Of this
feeling, almost unconsciously passed in
to the dining-room.
I am sorry little Nellie's mamma
(I was glad he did not dare to use the
sacred name of wife)-"is not able to sit
down with us" he said. at is many
months since we have had her presence al
our meals. She is suffering from the ef
fects of slow fever induced by the climate
he added gravely, rs he motioned me Q
scat before him.