The weekly Butte record., 1863-10-17

4 greater duty :. CharieS lnterrup.
ted. "What greater duty can have
than TO the man you love. and who loves
you, and whose wife YOU have promised
to be?"
"But, Charley. # l were Your wife,
should then have, indeed, no greater
duty than your happiness AS it is,
have more sacred ties; though none
dearer,' she added in her gentleSt voice.
Il also have superior duties, Isabel =
She started; bat after moments
pause she said:
"Certainly.' The Young man watch
ing her face intently.
And how viii YOU feel, Isabel, when
Iplace those ties far above Your love,
and all l owe to you, and all We have
vowed together p
Nothing unkind toward You Charles,
Isabel answered, her heart failing her
at the accusing tone of her lovers voice.
But, Isabel, YOU will not let me go
alone :" he cried passionately. You
cannot have the heart to separate from
me. perhaps forever.
He threw his arms around her.
Go alone-separate-who do You
mean! fire You going anywhere, or
are YOU only trying me =
Trying YOU my dear Isabel No,
am too sadly in earnest"
"WLat do YOU mean. then !" tears
filling her eyes.
You know that my fathers affairs
have been rather embarrassed lately ~
No She said, speaking very rapid
y.
"Ycs: his West India property is a.
most wreck. He has just lost his
agent Of yellow fever, and must send
some one to manage lis estate. 1t is
all he has to live on, unless he has say
ed >omcthing-and | don't think he has,
when he can no longer practice at the
bar. 1t is too important to be lost
"Well, Charles 2
II must GO
There was deep pause. Isabel's
slight fingers closed neryou>ly on the
hand in hers; she made a movement as
if She would have he'd him nearer to
her.
And now what Will You do, my Is
abel! VIII You suffer me TO go alone?
Will You let me leave you, perhaps for
certainly for years-without the
chance Of meeting YOU again, and with
many chances of death! Will You viz
tually break your engagement, worn,
and dead and broken! Or will you
brave the world with me, become my
wife and share my fortunes ?"
Charles how can leave my mother
when every day may be her last; yet
when by proper care and management
sle may live years longer. What can
l do p
Come with me. Listen to the voice
Of your own heart, and become my
wife,
Isabel sunk back in deep thought.
"No," she whispered, my mother
first Of all-before YOU
He let her hand fall from his. "Choose
them" he said, coldly.
She clung to him weeping now and
broken. He pressed her to his heart.
He believed that he had conquered.
Choose" he again whispered, ''if
You have not chosen already" and he
kissed her tcnderly.
"Oh, Charles, You know not how
dearly love you
At that moment her mothers cough
struck upon her car. The windows
were open, and it sounded fe.rfully dis
tinct in the still summer air. Isabel
shuddered, and hid her face on her low
ers shoulder, resting it there for many
minutes.
Il have chosen" she then said, after
long pause.
She lifted her head and looked him in
the eyes. Although pale as marble
statue, but quiet and resolved, she new
er looked so lovely, never so loye-wor-
thy. There was something about her
very beauty that awcd her lover, and
something in the very holiness Of her
nature that humbled and subdued him
only for a moment. That passed,
and all his mans eagerness and strength
of will returned, and he would have
given his life to destroy the very virtues
he revercnced.
He besought her by every tender
word love ever framed to listen 10 him
and to follow him. He painted scenes
of such abicct misery without her, that
Isabel wept. He spoke Of his death as
certain, and asked how she would feel
when she heard of his dying of a brok-
en- heart in jamaica, and how could she
be happy again when she had that on
her conscience ? And although she be-
sought him to spare her, and once was
nearly fainting in his arms from exces-
siye emotion, yet he would not; heap
inr nm her nile of woes hirh and still