The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1860-02-01

dream. But alas too quickly came the
rude awakening.
One day Edgar, my brother, said Il
me Gertrude, am sorry to see young
Ellsworth paving his addresses to YOU
and should he propose, | hope that YOU
VIII discard him at once, for he is unwor.
thy Of you. Only last night, at convi.
val party, heard him boosting to some
OF his associates, of how completely the
naughty Gertrude Archer was in his pow
er-- that she loved him SO deyotedly As
TO be completely his slave. I should
have resented the insult, but lie was not
aware Of my presence, and did not wish
10 bring You thus before the public
How all the pride Of my Young nature
rose N arms a. these wortls-fOr did
not doubt their truth, as my brother could
have no Objection in deceivng me. lie
sought only my good, | thought, in thus
destroying my fairest, brightest hopes O!
earthly happiness.
'Oh the agony Of that love-evcn
now, on the confines of eternity, cannot
reca'I 1t without "a thrill Of pain-when |
discovered that he, upon whom had Law
Ished all the wealth of a loving heart was
undc>crving Immediately wrote him
a bret, cold note, in which informed
him that all must he at an end between
us, tut gave no explanation whatever. |
also tod him that it would be useless TO
endcavor to obtain AN interview, for |
would not sec him. lie did call, howev
or, and when | heard bis love tones en-
treating to See ne, my heart almos, failed
me, and | WAS upon the point Of rushing
into his arms and confessing all. Well
for me wodd it have been had done so.
but rride, that curse Of angels held me
back
The next | heard OF him, he had gone
to Mississippi, where he had An uncle and
other relations residing. Though my
heart wa> well nigh breaking, hid my
grlrt under gay aud careless demeanor,
ana plunged into every kind Of dissips
ton and excitement that would serve to
Danish Thought.
'Elg,r had friend, Alfred Mortimer,
dear I" hum a~ his own hearts blood, for
they h''! been close friends at college, had
travelled over thousands OF miles toreih,
cr, aud Alfred had once saved Edgar's
lIic at thc immluewt hazard uf his own.
\ few m"mth> after Charles departure
this Young man whom loved as "A bro
lher, offered him>c: To- me IL is needless
10 say thai lie WAS rejected, though Ell
gar prayed and eLtreaIed me to wal, a
while ere | decided. | answered tha, no
second love could ever MI my heart, and
that | Tcver expected TO marry.
'Eignr WAS highly exaspera,ed, and
Tor weeks would scarcely speak 10 me-
One night he came home, com planning
OF a severe head ache, and Ire mex, NOR
ulng four d him confined TO his bcl hv a
fever 9! very malignant type. Our
fanny rhNsictn@ Was al ur,e called in.
and graveIy shock his head, pronouncing
his PATIENTS situation to be very critical.
For days Edgar lay balancing between
life aud death, hut the AlIwise Providence
saw III /" spare his life. But during his
illness, when he thought that the grim
KING at terrors Was about 10 claim him
AS ms own, he confessed to me that he
had deceived me with regard TO Charles
Ehw"rih. lie told me, that he had
deceived me with regard to Charles Ellis
worth. lie told me, lhat hs had never
liked nay hr'rolhed, why. he could not
tell, AMI tia, he had 50 set his heart on
seeing me united 10 Alfred Mortimer, AS
I" stain his soul with risehoCd in order
to accomplish h.s object.
with Fighter heart then had known
for months, has ened to my room after
this interview, determined to put aside all
false deIcacy and write TO Charles, giving
han the fsOl. Of the whole case, and tel.
ing him that | sill remained true TO him.
The letter was dispatched and for ten
days waited, finding suspense most df
hcult TO bear, and then came an answer
crushing out all hope and JOY from my
'uture and leaving me gropIng in worse
than Egyptian darkness-tho darkness Of
"a soul whose only feeling was TO curse its
God and die; for ho whom had set up
for the idol OF my life was no longer free.
ile had only week previous TO the re
ception Of my letter been united TO vour
moIherZ-a sweet gentle girl, he described
'N'i "''' "hN'i'i N'''AH'l Nht idi! not sue
ceeded in calling forth such ardent aud
passionate love rs he had felt for me, he
hoped to pass his future years peacefully
and happily.
My child, may YOU never suffer such
anguish AS racked Imy heart throughout
the live long night after read that letter.
On bended knees prayed for death, bu,
God refused to hear the hIasphemous cry g.
As soon as had somewhat recovered
from the shock, | came to this convent
where had been educated, res, living to
abjurs the world and ad its ,anilies and
dedicate my lie hencciorlh to Heaven
All how little had ] dreamed, when two
short years before had gone forth from
This peaceful retreat, full Of impatieroe 10
launch my fral bark upon the ueachcr
Gus tide OF fashionable life, that so short
time would elapse before | should re-.
turn broken spirited and earth weary, cry.
ing peace, peace, give me peace
sI.an0 md aFlun,t. al