The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1864-01-07
NO99

5o55ss' ls''5 '''reF sF you ! please" ease she
Nat rose, went into the adjoining
room, and gave an order to Ben.
| An hour ,1atcr aud Esther was his
wife. al W.atsf7''. ". |n@n
!, Meanwhile, Mary snuydor. had been
tGgretting herprecipitaton in discarding
Mr.. Werner, especially as Mr.. Lyon,
notwithstanding all the love he had
managed to express by man Lr and look
had departed without proposing pAand
She could have pin'hcd herself with
vexation when she heard of the luxury
with which the Squircs new house was
furnished ;and when she learued Of the
5piano she fairly cried. Her father and
mother scolded her for letting such a
good chance 90 her sister tauutod her.
and her brother ended with the agreea-
BE prediction that "Mary would be an
old maid, after all.p Pc. -'I. '.-
90 Mtry was weak, and silly, and vicilla-
ting but she could make resolution,
and she did. ola w ITO ."6 -,'
The minister had departed. Esther,
IN her new and strange position, was
hesitating whether to vanish to the
kitchen or remgin feeling that the first
was scarcely fitting, yet 1devining that
her presence was not agreeable to her
silent husband and between the two,
she stood in the shadow of the room, pre-
tending to put to rights some books and
ornaments 1i ..e .I.I .t'
1.-The door opened. Something glited
in, threw off some wraprings, aud knolt
at Mats feet imall the splendor Of beauty
and excitement. p..rJ19y.- 5Ig !-''
40 NatrI it sobbea 81 have done
wrong but oh, / have suffered y -
Mats strong frame shook with sur,
prise and agitation. .5rn.T j,
f"Nlary W,u.,G e~ctiHofr ~
' Heattempted to raiscoher; but she
clung to his knees. e.. 1uo- lyr r,e
'No, Nat . let me benat your feet.
This is fitting place. II, who have
wronged you SO cruelty but o Nat!. L
love you; I have loved you all the time.
Forgive me :"
His face was luninous with rapture
and tenderness. y a.
"Not there, my Mary. Come to my
heart" and he raised her ,forc,ibly and
clasped her passionately to him., 30
God what am / saying! what have I
done"! And he thrust her from him.
40 Nat are you so handhoarted ? /
thought but a minute ago you had for
given me. Can't you forgive me 2"
And she raised her beautiful face bathed
in tears, to him, and folded her fair
white arms in deep grief and humility,
"No, Nat; I don't deserve to be iorgiv-
,cn but love you" .... ..
He was in terrible cxcitement--the
veins in his forehead swollen out like
cords. d.
"Fool fool that I have been Mary,
stop Hear me- My own cursed fol
ly has put a bar between US forever.
Mary, I am married"
"Married " she shrieked To whom?"
"Esther Arden" .r., IT,.
"Esther Arden the girl your mother
brought up? She, your domestic, to be
mistress of all these beautiful things :?
Oh, say it isn't 50, Nat~
''Yes, yes it is true! Wretch that
I am I" he said, almost beside himself.
Pale, quiet, seemingly turned to stone,
Esther had remained amid all this OK
element
The worm will turn, Every feeling
of womanhood outraged, she came for
ward, her usually shy downcast eyes
bent large, and dark, and steadily on
the excited Mary.
"Yes / am mistress What do you
wish here z" .r.4g g a...I . ..
"AIiytress =, Mary shriekod scorn-
fully; "you claim him for your hus
band"
Esther saw Mats shudder ofloathing,
heard his words of authority, "G-o iuto
the otherTi oUra, -Uons.a 2 " ) Int, strong
in her Indignation, quailed not, r-,
"Notwhiles she remains" she answered,
steadily. 10 Hss a"l .a ..' $500 q
He took nofurther notice of her He
raised the now almost insensible Mary,
called her by every endearing name--ro-
preaching himself in every other breath
for his mad tolly. When she revived
and wanted togo home, he teuderlyput
on her wrqppipgs and supported her
| from the room, r4. r.. ...-.,,...r...... .
| Esther stood whore they had left her,
1 gazing mechanically at piece Of white
psser on the floor near where Mary had
! knelt; but she did moi pick it up. She
raised her hand to her head, as if be-
wldered. She felt score of years older
! than when the evening shadows had be-
gun to fall--a lscoIe of years older
through suffering She had known she
had not Mr.. qYerner's love but she had
looked for honor in him, for considem
ton for herself.
| lPooR Esther unlovedLIoathed, even
4 --Syet bound and Keeping him bound
a She had,beep stung and tortured into
aging what she had ;but the fash O
passion bad passed, and she reproaehet
\ ierself for her words. One thing only
q | T. ~