The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1861-01-30

to see him at No I, at his earliest con-
venience, his purpose was quite the
opposite of that which had brought
him to Beech Grove. An hour had
elapsed after the delivery of the mes
sage, when servant announced
Monsieur Leclerk." "Mr. Monta-
que, l suppose" said the handsome
young foreigner, advancing with an
easy grace as far as the middle of the
apartment, when he was met by the
gentleman named.
+" At yonr service" was the polite
reply.
~ am happy, sir, to make your
acquaintance Your daught68 Miss
Blanche, is one of the most promising
members of my class, she is really and
impartially an honor to it," Jerome
added with the easy nonchalence of a
Frenchman, determined to introduce
the subject nearest his heart at once
cit is concerning my daughter I
would speak, Monsieur, / am told you
wish to become an applicant for her
hand"
"If | may presume SO far" said the
young lover. /" have met with many
misfortunes, and have nothing at pre-
sent to offer her but the first and
fondest alteration Of my heart, but at
some future day hope to be able to
give her not my heart alone, but a
home which will leave her no cause to
regret the one she will leave"
You allude to misfortunes, Mon
sieur, to whom do you attribute
them ?"
at will III become a son to speak
in terms of censure of pa;ent, much
less to reproach the dead, but since
you ask, sir, I can only ascribe the
misfortunes which have darkened my
life to the misconduct of my father"
"Do you not then blame the william
whose hand stole the babe from your
mothers pillow, and in SO doing plant
ed thorns there that aung her, that
she died 2"
Has dear Blanche then made you
acquainted with my sad history ?"
1t matters not, now, how | be-
came possessed of my information, I
know that your father did the inno-
cent wife Of a fellow gamester griev-
GUS wrong, tina in revenge the injured
husband stole the angel of your house
hold, and has so safely concealed her,
that at the lapse of fourteen years. you
have not the remotest knowledge of
her fate. Answer me truly, do you
not hate the memory of Mark Row.
neau ?'
Alas, sir, my father was the first
transgressor. Perhaps if I had been
wronged as he was I should have done
the same. But | do regret the heavi
est part of the punishment fell on the
innocent and nnoffending~"
!" Young man, you have answered
we'll Would it give you pleasure to
meet this mau To learn from his
own lips of the welfare of the child
sister whom you have never ceased to
remember all these long years To
hear from his own confession that he
regrets the means he took of crafty
ing his desire for revenge, inasmuch as
it injured the innocent instead of the
guilty To learn that the little babe
stolen to crafty hatred has proved
messenger of love, and year by year,
has entwined herself closer and closer
about the bad mans heart, till he is
ready to forgive the father for the
daughters sake ?"
If you would see him, look, for
verify am he."
As he finished speaking, Rovinean
rose and stood opposite the young
man with his arms folded and his dark
eye fixed mournfully upon the agitated
countenance before him. ~ Yeea
After moments struggle he held
out his hand and saidsimply--
jerome Leclarck, we have both
been injured, can we be reconciled 2"
"We have both been injured, but
we have both suffered" was Jerome's
answer; and rising, he clasped the
outstretched hand and shook it hearth
| ly.
But Blanche?" he asked hurriedly,
as new fear took possession of him.
Blanche is my daughter Lau-
rette is hardly so old yet. Go to
Blanche now, Mrs Henderson viii adj
nit you, if you tell her it is Mr.. Mon
tague's desire, and after tea I viii see
you again and make arrangements to
introduce you to your sister,"
Ire BE coNrISuED.]
PRENTIcE indulges in the following
fable and moral: Aa7