The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-03-01

'Should die, Charles, / ask you to re-
member me, and with my whole soul en-
treat your protection for my two poor or
phans, two innocent girls who will then be
motherless. #
"The successive sale of my jewels, and all
that possessed, has enabled me to pay their
board at their boarding school up to the pre-.
sent time. viii you, Charles, succor them if
they are left at last without resources, with
out protector? Become the tutor, the
father, the benefactor of my children, and
heaven will bless you. Think how 1 have
loved you, for you must know that NOW, and
remember that the wishes of the dead are sa-
cred to those who believe in God.
Farewell, Charles; fear we shall never
meet again. shall not invoke in vain the
remembrance of a love which now confess,
but which the love of the world has rendered
useless either for your happiness or mine
You will forgive me. Repentance is wo-
mans last strength.
CECILIA LENNON"
Captain Keller was several times obliged
to interrupt his reading to wipe away his
tears. When it was finished he tore the let.
ter in pieces, exclaiming: $50 it is thus that
you welcome me backl But truce to re-
proaches," resumed he. with emotion, "a
truce to all talk of forgiveness. Cecilia, I
have come again, after six months of re-
Fiction, to offer you my hand and fortune"
"Dear Captain" answered Mrs. Lennox.
'the same obstacles exist that previously ex-
isted You are too rich, as l told you be
fore"
"You are rich, too, now, replied the Cap
tain. placing in Cecilias hands contract
which put her again in possession of her
husbands property, 'if that is the only rea-
son you have for rejecting me, it is null and
void"
"Ah, my friend" answered Cecilia, throw
ing herself into the arms of Charles, who
pressed her passonately to his heart, 81
yield to the weight of your benefits and your
delicate kindness. l accept the hand you
offer so determinately, bat on condition that
| spend every dav in repaying you with my
gratitude and love"
"GRArITUpE l will not receive Cecilia"
replied the enraptured Charles, GLOVE will
suffice; in that word you express what will
make my life a heaven" ......
The marriage of Captain Charles Keller
with the widow Lennox took place with great
magnifcence at the domain which he had re-
stored to Cecilia; but what was the surprise
of the bride in recognizing in every apart
furniture, and all the little articles of luxu.
ry, so important to n woman, which she had
sold to the Jew merchant for her daily bread.
Madame" said Jonas, whom she did not
recognize in the semi-miitary costume which
he had adopted again, and who was minus
whiskers and long locks, sfit was who help
ed you TO get rid of all those gimcracks
more or less snspensable to the fair SEX
You see, Madame, that, Jew as was, I had
some conscience, for sold the whole parcel
to my Cap'an at first cost. Isn't it true,
Cap'an % said the old soldier to Charles, re-
spectfully raising the hack of his hand to
his forehead. A smile was the Captains re-
ply, but the fair widow obliged Jonas to re-
late, from beginning to end all the rarticu-
lars of the trick of which she had been the
victim, and was greatly entertained by his
characteristic account.
"My good Jonas" said she, lyon shall not
have an opportunity of forgetting me; for
settle on you, from to-day, an allowance OF
eight hundred dollars a year, to be paid
monthly ..
Those who heard the story of Charles Kel-
Ter and the gentle Cecilia have insisted that
the Captains conduct was like that of the
Spanish knight who set fire to his lady loves
house in order to save her from the flames at
the peril Of his own life. His action, and
that of Charles, the one ingenious and the
other heroic, could only have been conceived
by generous heart and noble mind.