M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1859-02-03

hand, "No. - Olive Street St. Lon
is, (which, as | rightly coniccturcd,
was the residence Of the Cousin Jen.
ME whose husband | was; very for
tunate discovery for me. Indeed 50
far, had not found the way of the
transgressor hard, in external circnm-
stances at least and with her, | forgot
every thing except her grace and
beauty, and my firm resolution to be
to herno more or less than her cou-
sin should be: but ont OF that charm.
ed presence my conscience made me
miserable,
am afraid | must sometimes have
betrayed the conflicts Of feeling had,
by my manner; Lut when | was re,
served, and cermouious with her, sho
always resented it, and begged me so
bewitchrgIy not to treat her SO. and
to call her by her sweet name, "Flor-
ence, that had dreaded as much |
longcd to do it, could not have re.
fused her. But the consciousness that
| was not what she thought me, but
an impostor, Of whom, after our con
.uection had ceased, and she had dis.
covered the deception practiced upon
her, she could think or remember
nothing that would not cause her nm.
mcritod self-reproach and mortilicl.
ton, all innocent and trusting as she
was, this reflection, more than any
other, confess, and the knowledge OF
the estimation in which she would for.
ever hold me, after my imposition
was discovered, agonizcd me, and
would have given all | possessed to
own it to her, and loavo her sight at
once, though the thought Of never sec.
ing her more was dreadful. Bat that
could not be,
At last we reached st. Louis. Do
| say "at iast!" When the sight OF
those spires and gables warned me
that my brief dream Of happiness was
over; and that the remorselul rcllcc.
tions | had been slayiug or 50 long
we're now to commence in earnest, the
thought of tho coming banishmcnt
from Florence was dreadful to me,
and the time seemed. 10 fly on light
ming wings as Il drew nearer She
was all gayety, and astonished at my
sadness and absence of mind when so
near home and Jennie, and when we
entered the carriage that was to con.
yey Us to cur d estimation, had halt
u mindto take Il cowardIy flight,
rather than encounter the scorn and
disappointment OF those blue eyes: but
| mustered courage, and followed her
in, giving the address found in the
porte monnie, which fortunately. was
the right one to the driver.
"Almo5t home!' said she, turning
her bright face toward me-wo were
rattling UP the street, and my time was
short-'how can you be so cool and
quict!'
Because, Miss Florence" I an
swered, "the time has come in which
| must confess to you that | have no
more right in the home to which we
are hastoning, than to the name by
which you adress me, and that my only
clai m to either, is that Of an impos.
tor and deceivcr."
She turned her lovely face, wonder.
inc and puzzled, towards me.
Thank Heaven didnot yet read
fear and aversion in it.
No right! no cIaim!' she repeated;
"what can you mean!"
| tod her, frankly anil fully, the
whole truth, nearly as have set it
down here, denying nothing and con-
cealing nothing, not even the useless
secret otmy love for her. When the
brief recital was ended, we both re.
mained silent, but although she had
hidden her face, | could see that she
trembled violently with shame and re-.
pulsion. The sight OF her distress
vas agony to me, and Itried to say a
few last words OF apology
"You cannot blame or hate me,
Miss Dund ard, more than | blame
and hate myself" said, "ior the dis,
trcss | have so unwiIingIy caused you.
Heaven knows that i'll accepted the
charge ofso much innocence and
beauty too lightly, | have heavily a.
toned since in having occasioned
this suffering to you, and my own
punishment is greater than | can
bear"
The coach stopped as | spoke, she
turned toward me eagerly, her face
bearing traces oftears, and sa id, in a
low voice.
DO not misunderstood me, if | was
SO silent"
The coachman threw open the door,
and stood waiting. | was obliged to
descend, and to assist her out. hard
" dared touch that little hand, though
it was for the last time. but watched
her graceful figure with sad distress.
She was already recognized, for the
door of the handsome house before
which we stODDpd was thrown omen.