Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1860-01-05


quite warm when she spoke of bis neglec
with Paul and Jessie, her two children al
most agreeing that Paul. poor ehild-who
by the way, was Internationally, destine
for the church but preferring the army, ant
so making a compromise by studying for tn
bar--that Paul should go to Italy in searcl
of his Uncle Jacob. But the Jesuits ant
the Signoras frightened her. And while thei
deliberations went on, letter came to Mrs
HILBERT sealed with black and written Will
copper-colored ink which letter was from
Betty Thorne, telling her "that her honoret
master had gone to rest the seventh of thi
September last past, and the letter woult
tell her gracious madam all about it."
The letter enclosed was from Jacob Ever
EFT himself, revealing the mystery of his life
Oh Anna Fay with your Thrown hail
and quaker eyes, and dove-like ways, who
would have believed that you, so good and
so demure, with Jacob the best man of Greer
Grove, would have given such hostage as
that round, red, laughing, loving little being
that flower plucked in forbidden forest
that unauthorized, unsanctioned, unlawful
little liege-Estella, star of your mourning |!
God forgive you both. You snned, and you
suffered you fell and you repented per
haps your burning tears and your prayers Of
lpenitence and grief may have effaced the
dark record in the Great Book above. You
are both cold in your tombs now-Heaven's
mercy rest on you, and Heavens angels re.
store you ! There are enough in this hard
world to cast stones at you both for US, we
will but water the flowers on your graves,
and pluck up the weeds, and place head
stone where ye lie, with '"rhere is joy among
the angels of God over the sinner that re-
penteth,' engraven thereupon.
In this letter to his sister, Jacob made a
full confession telling her that, shocked and
terrified at his crime, he had sent away Anna
Fay, who refused to marry him as he wish
ed, and how she had lived in Italy ever
since-he, Jacob, feeling that entire separa-
tion, though they loved each other we'll, was
the only reparation they could make to
Heaven and how, five years ago, she had
died, leaving their child without a friend Or
protector in the world. How he had then
gone over with Betty Thorne, to whom he
had confided his secret, to guard and edu-
cate his girl which he had done carefully.
He then ended by appointing Tabitha guar
dian and sole trustee of his daughter, now
seventeen years Of age for, to his child, he
left all his property, excepting a generous
donation to Betty Thorne. He further said
that bequest made 50 solemnly as this of
his orphan child on his death-bed, would, he
was sure, be regarded as sacred and that
Estella would be nurtured carefully for his
sake. All his usual subscriptions, and a
certain yearly allowance of which we shall
have to speak presently, were to be conti1-
ued until Estella would be of age, when she
would consult her fathers memory and her
own feelings only.
1t took but little time for Mrs. Hilbert
to reflect on her course of action. Paul and
Jessie, impusive as all young people are,
pleaded instant adoption of the child, and of
Betty Thorne. too but Tabitha HILBERT,
wounded in her family pride, in her religious
conscience, and in her worldly ambition,
turned coldly to her children, saying, "The
girl who has robbed you and your cousins of
your rightful inheritance, who is a stain on
an unspotted name, aud who damages our
religious character forever, shall never dark
en- my threshold. refuse to act as guardi-
an Or trustee. Entreaty is useless, Jessie
| am Christian woman and o mother, and
l understand my duties"
So Betty Thorne was written to, and "all
recognition of that unhappy grip distinctly
declined ; coupled with severe warning
which sounded very like threat, to "sell
the Hall when she came of age, and never
dare to intrude herself among the members
of family which owned her as disgrace"
After Mrs. Hilbert had written this let
ter she read, as was her daily won't, the
lessons of tie day. 1t Glanced to be
the history of the Magdalcne, her sins, and
her pardon. But she made no comment,
though Paul and Jessie looked at each other
the girls pale eyes full of tears, and the
youths cheek crimson.
Months and years rolled by and Jacobs
name was never mentioned, neither was his
sin neither was his good works. The beau
tiful old Hall was still shut up, until Estelia
should be of age, and the donations and sub
scriptions We're punctually RENTED; Betty
Thorne writing all the letters in the name oil
Masters Heiress.
There was certain yearly allowance made
by Jacob to certain widow with five chill
dren-a Mrs. Malahide, relict of Captain,
Malahide of the Fourth Engineers. She was
an Everett-Miss Grace Everett-who had
eloped one day with scampish young officer
with nothing but his pay, and who had sub
sequently been disinherited by her father
She was the youngest, and had been the dar
ling; but she had lost herself now, they said
and so, though not wholly dead to, she wa:
partially accommodate by, tue family. ia
cob, as head of the house after his fathers
death, had always given Mrs. Malahide al
allowance, with the consent of Mrs. Herbert
and the archdeacon to whom it was mat
ter of pride rather than of love that an Ever
EFT should not starve. But for themselves
Grace had married poor man and an uncon
: verified one, and what claim had she, there
} fore, on them ? So, the archdeacon drove
his prancing bays, and Mrs Herbert bought
her Lyons velvets, and they both said thai
: Mrs. Malahide was only too fortunate in ha
wing such devoted brother as Jacob, ant
) that her sins had merited her sufferings. Thi
} was the allowance which Jacob had desired
in his will should be continued until Estell;
: was Of age, but which then she was free t,
discontinue or keep up as she liked.
Mrs. Herbert had not remembered thi
clause when she refused to accept the trus
confded to her. Perhaps if she had, sh
wonld h0 w acted III ffarantlv from, fa,o;lu in