The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1864-03-30
BERTHA's NEW YEAH.
BY MRS, s. L. WILSON.
CHAP FER I.

CHAP TER /. .t,..
Oh! il be would only come! Won't 70,
look once more, BerthaF There was
faiBt touch Of hope III the woman's voice.
The young girl left the bedside and cross
ed the room to the deep bay window. push
iug back with hand the heavy damask cur
tains and pressing her face close against the
pane, looking out through the shrubber,
down the long avenue; but there was NJ
sound oil carriage wheels, no one in sight
all she heard was the moaning of the Octo,
Der wind sighing plaintlvey through the
pines. Is. |g
With sigh she returned to the bedside
Of Der foster mother.
"lIe is not coming Bertha! Oh, dear!
shall die and not see him!' ..-.
81 thiuk he will surely come yet m)th
er" .......
II he would-if he only would! But Ber
ths, il die, and he does not come, you will
give him my message. won't you, concerning
Ada Vane?" s-.4 :
The young girl did not answer, but sat
notionless, with her face buried in he
hands.
"You will tell him that she is false, and
nnworthy Of his love; tell him that she wo'd
marry him only for his wealth. You will
tell him this for me, won't you, Bertha"
4 cannot; indeed cannot, dear mothsrp
The young girls voice was full Of pain.
"But be must know, and who will tell
him If not you? You are his sister, and
should act sisters part"
"But he is not really my brother You
must remember that mother. And to speak
to him of so delicate matter would seem
bold and unmaidenly. never could bring
myself to do it,
Bertha's voice trembled, but the twilight
shadows hid from Mrs. Clough the flushed
chseks and brow, else she surely must have
guessed the secret that Bertha would rather
have died than betrayed namely, that she
loved Lionel Clough. -
Then it must be written Mrs. Clough
said; for he must not marry that girl
SO the message was written the message
that was to tell Lionel Clough that the one
whom Mrs Cleugh truly believed he had
chosen to be bis wife, and the one whom he
loved was false and utterly unworthy.
thought OF this kind passed through Mrs.
Coughs miRd, for she said to Bertha, still in
faint, weary voice:
DO you think he leves her very much?-
Do you think it will bs hard for him to give
her up?'
II he loves as love, it would be- trem
bied On tho girls lips, but she only answer.
ed, that it wss impossible for her to tell ;
perhaps it would not be; he had been absent
90 long,
Yes, three years was was long, long
time Lionel! Lionel!' The words ended
IN broken moan, and she soon sank off in
g quiet slumbsr.
Bertha watched by her through tie long
night, till the gray dawn came-watchsl by
her till the weary eyes opened. and the life
went out OF her forever.
And still Lionel had not come Poor
Bertha wept and moaned all through the
long, weary day that followed She mourn.
cd her fostermether Is though she had been
her swn; in fact. shs had never known any
other; for she was but three years old when
Nrs. Clough took her to her heart and home
she being an orphan thus early, with nc
home but the rude asylum.
Bertha was almost bowed down with sor
row and grief at Mrs. Clough's death; and
there was none to whom she could look lor
com fort But the worst had not come. Mrs
Clough was sn English woman, with but one
relative, sister, Mrs. Grant.
She came down to attend the funeral, and
found Bertha bending over the remains OF
Mrs. Clough, weeping as though her heart
would break.
You should not give way SO, Bertha; it is
childish
Mrs. Grant was cold and stately-an ici.
ole--a marble statute; nothing could move
her-not even the dead face OF her sister
she only bsnt down and pressed her thin lips
to the cold brow in stately, dgnified way
She may have grievsd all the same; perhaps
q shade of sadness might have been detected
on her face when she raised it again.
The funeral was over, and dark, cheer
less night set ia. The wind shrieke1 aad
moaned around Clough Hall, sending thrill
ofiear through the heart OF Bertha, and she
sank back further in tn, arm chair by the Ii
brary fire. and nestled her pale face closer
to the crimson cushins.
80 Lionel is 10 Europe YETI" Mrs. Grant
said laying down her book, q translation oi
Humbolts Cosmos she had been read.
ing.
1t must be- Bertha said, in thin, fain t
voice. but we have been looking for him ey
Yy day for the past month
lb 10 sbfhuSo-nhauke no uUos hut CoiHo.
Mrs. Grant arose and drew her chair close
up. to the grate.
- Il suppose you have made no arrangements
yet Tor the iuturs?'
Bertha started.
4shAd no arrangements to maks, Mrs.
Grant; do not know what you mean" she
said in q timid voice.
Why you do not expect Cloush Hall will
DO your home now, do you, child? | mean
after Lionel comes"
Bertha sank back, pale and trembling; tho
truth dawned upon and cams hsr like o
thundsrbolt, almost crushing her. For four
teen years that had been her home; in fact
she never knew any other. But now her
fostsfmother was dead; shs was no longer q
child, and Lionel was not her brother, 90
shs must leave the dear place and go
whers2 -, TX s,t,s
She sobbsd and moansd bitterly, even
With The cold eyes Of Mrs. T.. gazing on her.
There was dreadful pain i'd her head, and q
terrible pain in her hsart.
Mrs. Grant loft in the gay dawn OF the
morning hllowing--lcii before Bertha was
up.