The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-10-21

4 1t was the first time she had seen him sine,
the morning before her babe was born. He
heart beat audibly, and her head grew dizzy
as he came and sat near her. In a low, calm
voice, as if determined to restrain himself, ht
reproached her with absolute guilt toward
him. She listened, but for worlds she could
not have answered. Her very heart seemed
dying within her, and she tainted and fell
back upon her cushions. After she revived
he renewed the subject, but the same dead
silence prevailed. No word would she utter.
The ship arrived in Philadelphia. after nearly
half years voyage, detained by various
causes. Marie was still silent Her rhusband
took her to splendid house, and surrounded
her with every comfort; but he was powerless
to break the spell that hung over her. az
His own feelings were indescribable. Per-
haps they were akin to those of some wicked
magician, who sees the fate he has prophecied
for others recoiling upon himself At all
events, he began to believe that, in some in
explicable way, Marie was innocent of what
he deemed was righteousiy charged upon her.
Something of this he intirnated to her and
said she had now a chance to clear herself
from the imputation of guilt, if she wished
He might as well have talked to a stone
She only turned her head wearily aside, as if
tired of the ever-recurring subject to which
she was doomed to listen. M
She never went ont; never read or worked;
took no notice of anything that happened in
the house; seemed neither pleased nor an
noyed when he came in This terrible in
difference worried and distressed her husband.
1t seemed to bar her perpetually from the
good he designed for her. Alas he had not
calculated the depths of that tortured heart.
Before she had been six months in America
'-'s'.''N' ~ --l=- s&g
Meantime, Madame La Tour had continued
to remain, with her little charge, in Marseilles.
Her remittanees came punetually, and through
them she was enabled to bring up her grand
child in way corresponding to that to which
she would have been accustomed had she re-
mained with her parents. She grew up pref
ty and amiable, never knowing that she had
any relatives except her kind grandmother.
whom she dearly loved.
All at once madame's health, which had
been singularly good, began to fail; and then
she felt it WIS imperative in her to acquaint
her with her history. Mariewas now fifteen
almost sixteen. She told her all, from the
commencement, and added that if she should
be taken from her, she wished her to seek her
parents in America There would be abun-
dant supplies of money to enable her to do
this
So, when Madame La Tour at last paid the
dobt of nature, Marie found her way to the
shores of America, and stood one morning
before her father, in his own breakfast-room.
The pale cheek wore crimson flush as she
presented hin, with the last letter that her
grandmother had ever wrote. She waited
modestly until he had read it. He looked
long at the beautiful young girl. A resem-
blonce to darling sister, long since dead,
mingled with that of Marie La Tour as she
was when he last saw her. interested and ag
itated him. Nature asserted her right in his
heart. He clasped the young creature in his
arms, whispered es, I am indeed your
father"
She had not counted upon this. Her grand
mother had warned her to expect nothing
from him but a bare protection against the
world, and it nearly overcame the sensitive
girl =
By an almost imperceptible transition, NJ.
Foyers found himself talking to her with af-
fectionate familiarity, and it was not long be-
fore he mentioned her mothers unhappy
state. .5s..5--
"Yet, who knows" he exclaimed, sudden
ly, "what change your presence may not af-
feet upon her? Come with me, and let us
try this new balm to wounded mind. Oh,
that had dene it before =, -
He led her up stairs, to room filed with
every luxury that art could fashion. Beyond
was the open door of a bed-chamber, with
rich hangings and ornaments On the bed
lay pale, but beautiful woman, whom Ma
RE knew must be her mother. At this sight
she leaned more heavily on the arm of her
father, who felt and acknowledged the act by
a gentle pressure. .ss
The soft, sweet eyes of Madame Foyers
opened upon her child with wonder.
"Who is this, Francoise, whom you have
brought to see me?,' atesa
Whom would you most desire to see?,
he asked. t
'Who? How can you ask? Is it not of
my child that I am perpetually dreaming by
night and thinking by day?'
And wha. if I tell you that is she?''
should not believe you. You would
not separate mother and her child for SO.
many years, and then bring them together"
But indeed this is your little Marie, grown
to womanhoed. Is she not lovely ?' And
unable to speak longer, from emotion, NJ
Foyers left the ROOM E
When he returned, after gaining some
composure, he found the mother and daugh-
ter clasped in each others arms; the invalid |
apparently in full possession of her reason.
She had been gradually recovering for some
months, and the sudden joy seemed to have
completed the cure.
For some time, however, there was still
painful restraint between her parents, that
troubled and perplexed the young girl. With
either of them. when alone, she felt perfectly
free and unembarrassed; but when both were
present, there was a certain something that
c.ouded their intercourse. q.5s
One morning, NJ. Foyes was surprised by