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

fstood by the fireplace, where lately she
his idol, had knelt IL all her beauty
and humility = but OIL how vainly
The tumult of his feelings words cannot
express'd llIe had forgiven Mary all.
o blessed words! She loved him-had
loved him through all, The letter was
only a moments caprice ora moments
i3misgiVings. . his thoughts came back
! to the present obstacle to their happi.
| ness. lie scorned himself for it j; out
he knew that he hated poor innecent
Esther; but he hated himself most OF
hall. Where Esther ?7r He cared not /:
he wished he was never to seeher again.
He saw the folded paper lying on tho
floor. He picked it up, opened it.
recognized the handwriting with a thrill,
and read: .I ar.. .1a 500
"DEAREsr,. SWEETEST JULIA Are
not your poor Mary . sorrows as romantic
as any you ever read ofin novels? Oh,
ifyou were only here to comfort and ad.
| wise me To think that, after all, Mr.
Lyon has gone of without proposing ;
and it has most Killed your poor friend,
for she gave up SO much in expectation
oft; and he was such love, and had
such dear little hands and feet. Don't
you think tvery queer, when he seemed
to idolizc inc so--always complimonting
my eyes aud complcSion, and telling me
that such beauty ought not to be wasted
on a country-farmer! am sure
thought he was sincere.
dearest Julia, / am afraid was not
quite wise to reject Mr. Werner before
| was sure of the other; and I uuGcr.
stand that he Mr.. Werner has furnished
the new house beautifully, and bought
for me splendid piano,
"Suce / heard that though / never
liked any one SO we'll as Mr Lyon, but
as / cannot have him Il have made up
my mind to make mp with Mr.. Werner
I am sure on would advise it, Julia,
dear. They say he has taken my rejec.
ton terribly hard but he loves me to
distraction, ard | know lie viii forgive
me at the irst word, -'-'' ol1
'' "I Shall tease him to live in the city
after we are married, Mr.. Lyon lives
in the city, aud |, hope we shall always
be friendly Z must close. Will tell
You all tho particulars in my next.
'' "Yo1r loving MARY"
lie folded this precious document
slowly. .He seemed destined to go
through different phases of suffering this
evening but let him bear this last un-
noticed, sr.I. =, ...., I'M, ,s,.,...
o. The next morning it was discovered
that Esther had disappeared, Search
was made for heE but in vain. She left
no TRACES. .''
u The village was astonished at the news
ofSquire Mats marriage, and the i'm
mediate disappearance Of the bride.
Mary's visit, too, to the master of tho
house, some way baked out They had
not recovered from the intense excite
ment this caused, when the. report came
that the new house was shut up and
Squire Nat had entered the army.
Three years passed. Nat, now
Colonel Nat Werner, was with his" regi
ment in North Carolina He had been
in several battles, and was already con-
spieuous' for his bravery. q
He was one Of a group of officers
standing near the fort in conversation.
Que Of them was saying to a new,
conner. I.'.
$50 you don't believe that negro
can be made to be honest, can improve
in short, that he has soul Well,
proof is better than argument. I will
convince you ofpart by taking you into
some of the schools established for
negroes. Yes, yes; | know you think
that is another quixotic scheme of the
Government, but wait and see, you
captious critic You'll be a convert
yet" o"I 't" .5Ti-4 i...
Laughing gayly, he led the way TO the
nearest schoolhouse-a rude building,
only a temporary affair,
Aafair, stately girl was giving out
words in spelling to sable class, rang
ing in years all the way from Eve to ffty.
She turned as they entered. -.n
o"Please eXcnse our intrusion, Miss
Arnold, but | wished to convince a
skeptic Of our party of one or-two fact
that this visit will prove to him."
She bowed with dignifedy grace ana
motioned them to seats. AS she did so,
her glance fell Colonel Vernon. She
stood like a statue for an instant, and
her face became Rshy pale, but, recollect-
ing herself turned to her class.
Apparently the fair teacher was en-
tirely absorbed in showing off the
knowledge Of her class and Hercules,
Alexander, and Scipio. Cleopatra, Joan,
and Dorothoa did credit to themselves
and ne, ; but had they lost their way
from English into Greek, she would not
have noticed it. ... s.r.r .r ...gs
~ "Shoot me if l look at niggers when
there's such blamed pretty girl to look
at ]" whispered a gay captain to Colonel
Werner. .t"What' S. the matter, Colouel9
You look fierce enough to eat me. Do
80, Luour bar 3 r. che aDvthiup IN