Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1860-11-16

estly, as if about to say something: but her
lips began to tremble, and as she motioned
me away, I saw two tears roll quietly down
with her then-I could have broken my
heart for her.
! I do not know how long this lasted but
[ know when q change came. We were
sitting with my mother after breakfast,
Totty and I, as she lay, white and wan, on
the sofa, hearing my lessons, when my
father entered the room. How she started
as the door opened, and then began trembl-
ing all over as like one in fit. Surely
desperate spirit possessed my father that
morning. Cenching in one hand something
which looked like letter, he stamped up
to the sofa and stood before us.
"Children, be gone off with you, drivel-
ing little hypocrite"- Totty had begun
to cry-"otf with you this moment, and
don't show your faces here again"
could not stop to quiet the little one,"
but ran off to find Nurse and tell her. She
bade me go to the nursery and keep Totty
good | obeyed All day long we staid
there. Once or twice Nurse came to US,
looking anxious and troubled Mamma
had gone to bed, she told US, not very we'll;
Totty must be good and make no noise.
So told him long dreary tales, till at
last his head dropped on my lap, and he
slept there, helpless and happy. Then I
felt, for the first time, tears were running
down my cheeks
When suppcr-time came could hardly
arouse Totty to take any; and, to spare
Nurse, put him into bed myself, and then
! got into my own
[ had been asleep, dreaming strange
dreams about Cousin Charles, the Monks
Tower, and mamma. When [ awoke,
there was a candle blinking over it's long
wick on the table, and Nurse was pacing
up and down, with her hands clasped be-
fore her.
''He is hard man, a.hard man" heard
her mutter quietly I watched till she stoop-
ed down over Totty, to kiss him, and took
up the light to go away. Then 1 called
after her:
Nurse, Nurse, come here; cannot
bear it y
Bear what %
"Oh! don't know don't know I
cannot bear it-you must not go.''
She looked at me gravely
..-....lNdss Nelly, you have been good enough
tn now; y Dat ais you =--z=s z -
'l5 is so miserable"
''We have all got something to bear
yours doesn't seem much; take it quietly
I must 60 down-stairs-God alone knows
what to do; but you must not keep me
here"
suffered her to go; but as she reached
the door, horrible dread Of being left alone
in the dark, to my own thoughts and imagin-
| ings, seized me. In moment was out
ofbed, following the retreating light. |
dared not speak, for fear Of being scolded
and sent back. AS quietly as possible
followed, until Nurse turned towards the
door of my fathers dressing room. Iwould
have retreated now, from very dread of what
might be going to happen but a look back
into the dark passage made me shudder and
press on.
AS she opened the door noiselessly, I
squeezed myself into corner of the passage,
that might not be discovered And inside
saw my father, sitting with hisar spread
out on the table, and his head upon them
Beside him lay the crumpled paper, which
he had evidently been trying to smooth
out. For moment Nurse hesitated, then
advancing, she looked over it. I know
now, though I did not then, that it con-
tanned, in what seemed to be my mothers
hand:
>, @'To-night-whcn Venus shines over the Monks
Tower. HELENi,,
As the paper rustled, my father looked up.
L trembled for Nurse; but she was an old
friend, and knew her privileges Staring
at her moment, he seized her arm sudden |
ly, and hiding the candle behind a curtain,
he took her to the window opposite which |
stood, shivering ghost in night-dress
he raised the blind, and pointed out where
a star was shining brightly over the Monks
Tower
Then, as if nothing more remained to
do Or say, be came back to his seat and
settled himself as before. But Nurse
stood there grayely, with her hand on the
paper.
''This is forgery"
He raised his head, but did not answer.
''lt must go on now, if you kill he for
lt-as you may, for you are cruel enough.
My darling-my mistress mean-neyer de-
ceived you or any one. If you had spoken
to her before, instead Of numbering her 81
lently. you would have known, as l know,
that this is a villains revenge for her pure
duty to you
He pointed to the letter, and waved her
away impatiently.
GA forgery she repeated, her voice
growing little louder. Il will swear it,
so that you shall not dare to disbeieve long
er. By all my hopes of happiness-by all
hold sacred-by the cross on the back of
that holy book swear it. Come, and
hear her speak for herself"
| staid for no more. Flying along the
passage, up stairs, trembling and sobbing,
[ hid myself under the bed-clothes, quiv-
ering mass of terror.
And now, lastly, l remember night but
a short time after, when Nurse came to rouse
US from sleep, suddenly, and in haste when
| heard her sob heavily hnt saw M to,rs .