Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1860-03-24
o COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, SATURDAY, MARCH "a, 1860.

isabella, can it be possible" he rcjoned,
that you did not receive the letters which
wrote you from Panama"
Never single letter"
"Not one ?"
Edward, never heard from you from the
day we parted until tonight thought you
dead"
"Great God! Great God was al he said,
and then they were silent for long time.
At length he resumed. but now his voice
had lost all the bitterness which It had before.
Now, Isabella, can understand it, can
absolve you from all blame. ! see it all Oh
had but known all this. to what better ac-
count might have turned my life took
up paper one day In San Francisco, and saw
your marriage. 1t nearly killed me. was
sick, dcli-iouS, many weeks. Men sneer at
an affection which can thus shater all OF the
strength and mind Of one Of their own sex
they call il weakness; but when strong,
calm man, Is stricken down with such sor'
row, it is terrible, terrible. No one knew the
cause but all my plans and aims in life seem.
ed hopeless, fruitlcss. | broke up my bu>i
ness and went away. said time and trnvel
will overcome this, and | must recover my
manhood. went to China, to India, to Peru,
! did not court or care for her favOrS, fortune
seemed TO smile upon me. Atlength fate cast
me again up0n my native shore went away
poor, with young heart full Of high aims aud
bright hopes, with the consciousness OF pos
~essiHs the love of a true heart, aud with the
determination to bring back honor, and fame,
and riches, with which tn crown Il forever aS
my own. | came back rich, with heart and
mind tried and chastened by experience which
rarely falls to human kind, with no one 20 love
as great heart can love, and with nothing to
bind me 10 any spot on enrth catne al a
stranger TO my native land. unknown and car
! ing not to be known, glad there were some
few relatives with whom ! might share the
bounty which fortune had given me; and
when that 'waS- done, determined -te -SeO you
once, only once, and then gO away, never to
return. This was my Intention aud now
see more than ever the propricty and necessity
Of fulfilling it. shall always feel. however,
better recnnCicd to my fate, since learn that
you were more worthy Of my years "f devO-
tion than have hitherto thought you.
Edward, this is very sad. lcannot, must
not Sny what would | have duties which |
may not forget and which any regret Of mine
would seem to render mo faithleSsto would
not even ask to see you again. We each
must go our separate ways, and Gods WILDE
done"
"Isnbella, bow to what is inevitable but
60 from you wiser and better man. Our
absence may he remarked; let us enter--tor-
give me--Guod bye" and he leaned over and
imprinted kiss upon her forehead. At this
moment Tighe Macauly and Dick Dashecls
were heard inQuiring for Mrs. StAnly ard both
declaring that they were entitled to her hand
in the German. They reached the cOnserva.
tory as Mr.. Huntington drew aside the curtin
to enter.
Ilallo!" says Dick Dnsheels, ~ didn't
mean to spoil filtration, but am ] not enti-
tied to the German with you. Mrs. StAnleyy"
BY no manner Of means; my dear lady,
did you not agree to lead the German with
mep" broke in Tighe MAcauly.
Really, gentlemen" my lady replied, al
am not equal to the German, and if have
made any engagement cannot tell with whom
| it waS"
=" Ii was with me" shouts Tghc Macauly.
"By no manner Of means had the honor, y
shouts Dick DaSheels.
| noticed that my lady looked very pale,
and was much surprised when she snid:
"Gentlemcn, to settle the difficulty you
must get other partners, and will dance with
my old friend, Mr.. Huntington, if you will
permit me"
"rhat will answer I" "Lcad Of" "lead off -
--'rOom for the German" Groom for the Ger
mani" and the music struck up, and Mr..
Huntington aud my lady led the dance. The
music was electrifying, and with some forty or
fifty couples upon the floor, the dance was by
far the most brilliant Of the evening. Mr..
Stanley came in from the cardroom with the
English banker they stood near the cOnScrva-
tory window.
"Tour wife is a splendid looking woman"
the latter said; "she would grace n court
Who is the gentleman dancing with her ?
They dance WELL"
"Oh, ah |" replied Mr.. Stanly, "my wife is
rather = fine looking woman. That gentle
man hum--let inc see, forgot his name
he is an old flame, believe, ofmy wife's"
AS he uttered these words, noticed my
lady, who was passing him with her partner
that instant in the dance, falter and stop, and
although Mr.. Huntington supported her with
his arm around her waist, she sank gradually
to the floor, pressing both hands upon her
heart and gaSping for breath.
In an instant Mr. Huntington picked her up
! in his arms as he would child and ordering
in quick, determined voice for some one to
summon a physician, he bore her mp stairs
! anu H'AScu ucT upOh ucT Ocu' uuTTleu Oh
before and showed him the way.
| The doctors soon arrived and the room was
cleared, for everybody crowded up stairs, my
lady being very much beloved. Mr.. Hunting
ton had been chatting her hands, and Clotildr
and had been endeavoring to bring the cir
culauon to her feet. felt them growing cold.
er aud colder. and raising my head saw that a
very calm expression, as much as to say there
was no hope, dwelt upon the Doctors face
My lady never spoke again. Mr.. Huntington
stood beside the bed. and only the great veins
swelling upon his forehead. and his clenched
teeth AMI suppressed breathing told Of his
terrible anguish. Otherwise he was singular.
ly calm.
Mr.. Stanly came up and took her hand she
smiled family, and seemed to recognize him.
lie wcpt like 9 child. Then she turned her
eyes towards Mr. Huntington and never took
them away, but gazed steadily into his until
the great curtain was drawn between him and
all the earth to her.
We stood very still many minutes, and then
Mr.. Huntington leaned over very softly and
imprinted kiss upon her forehead, and then
he went down Stairs-we never saw him again
An old woman who had the misfortune tc
he half crazy, once upon . time, in church.
took upon herself the duty Of the minister