The Portland daily press., 1864-05-14
SELECTIONS.
From Godey's Lady's Book for May.
Edna Fairleigh's Temptation.

BY CLARA AUGUSTA.
Eyes. it is hard, very hard, my child; but
God ruleth."
Mrs. Fairleigh kissed the pale face of her
daughter Edna, as she stopped to al range the
shawl about her shoulders, and half sup
pressed sigh stirred the folds of her mourning
wrapper rm
cult to realize it. Heaven, and its sweet glory,
seems 50 very far away But will hope always
for the best If the worst does come, | think
can manage TO keep us comfortable. You know
Mr. jameson gives me little more for my
work, and could have some shoes to bind from
Barley's."
MY poor Edna"
NAY, mother, am not happy in toiling for
your 1t is well to have something for which TO
labor And now good morning III not be
gone long, it is so very pleasant can go across
the fields. 1t lessons the distance full half
mile
Edna Fairleigh put on her faded shawl, and
the meagre ribbons of her hat with n rebelling
heart She could not remember when she had
felt SO hard and stubborn. There was no spirit
of resignation, no steady faith, no hopeful
trust, in the tense lines of the white face that
looked at her out of the glass. She scarcely
recognized herself
Life had not been beautiful to her for many
years. Do you know what it is to be filled with
fervid appreciation of all the rich, rare lowell
ness of earths fair things, To hear continually
within the dumb cry of the hungry soul for the
tender beauty we know life sometimes holds
to worship all the perfect gorgeousness of the
sunset skies, yet never dare to reye in their
splendor to shrink from the melting touch of
the south wind, because to drink in its ripe
breath might hinder the toll that is necessary TO
keep life in the pulses of one you love more than
your own happinessg
Four years Edna had spent in this way. A
daily struggle with the world for bread-bread
for herself and her feeble mother. Early and
late she teiled at the coarse garments given her
to make from the great clothing establishment
at the yillage-poorly recompensed, sometimes
scolded for mistakes and errors with which she
had nothing to do. But this morning she felt
more keenly than usual. And why? The twen-
ty-fonrth Of June would see the Fairleighs
homeless, and that fatefal day was only distant
another sun. A few words will explain whatever
Of their little history the reader will care to
learn.
Arthur Fairleigh, Edna's father now four
years dead-had been gardener the estate
Of Ralph wilmot, the misery master at the hall.
Fairleigh had once been wealthy himself, but by
series of misfortunes he was reduced to penu-
ry, and was glad to accept the toleraby lucra-
tive situation offered him by Mr.. Wilmot Oak
Cottage, the present residence of his widow
and daughter, was then vacant; and there Mr..
Fairleigh took up his abode, with the under
standing that it should be his when he had paid
the proprietor a certain sum of money agreed
upon,
Failing TO show receipts for the full amount
$50 ran the bond of agreement-the estate of
sgreement-the estate of Oak Cottage should,
on the Path of June, 1854, belong to Ralph VIII
mot, provided he still survived; but IN the event
OF his death before the said Gath, the whole
property should revert to Arthur Fairleigh and
his heirs forever. Mr.. Fairleigh had been to
make his last payment, when he was seized with
paralysis while yet in the presence of Mr. VIII
mot; and three days afterward he expired at the
hall, remaining speechless and motionless to the
last.
After the funeral obseques were oyer, Mns.
farleigh, searching among her late husbands
papers, found Mr.. Wilmot's receipts up TO the
time of the last payment The final receipt in
full was not among them. She applied for it to
Mr.. Wilmot, but the misery man disclaimed all
knowledge of the reception of the money, and
coolly told her that he should abide by his
agreement. She need expect nothing more Mt
his hands.
Four years longer, Oak Cottage was hers. and
the only chance of her getting justice Law in
the very uncertain prospect of Mr.. Wilmot's
death before the expiration of the time men
toned in the bond. These years had passed now
and. with each succeeding week, Mrs. Farleigh
had grown feebler Upon Edna's labor the ex-
istence of the family depended.
As the time drew nigh which was to turn
them out into the world sheterless, Edna went
TO plead with Mr.. Wiimot for little extension
of the time, that she might look about for
lodgings; but was harshy refused. Oak Cot
tage, he said, was already rented, and the new
tenant would arrive on the 18th of June He
did not keep houses to shelter people who could
not pay for them.
Edna turned away from his presence full of
fierce rebellion. II all looked SO cruelty unjust
to her. The rich, childiess old man refusing
them 40 little out of his plenitude. refusing
them the heritage her father had labored for 80
faithfully, and for which she knew the last dol
Tar had been paid. Ii is little wonder that
thinking over their wrongs she should cry Sc
cretly,. "Oh that Gods judgment might fall
upon him.
little afterward, when she had prayed ear
nestly for strength she asked for Ralph Wilmot
mercy instead of Judgment; but for all that,
though she forgaye him, she could not forget
And this fair June morning she took her way
across the poisoning clover fields, to the viii
lage, with bitterness in her heart. Her pale
cheek flushed hectic crimson with the violent
haste OF her step. and her dark eve burned
bright with the smouldering passion within.
She could not stop to smell the sweet clover. or
listen TO the tender voices of the robins in the
tall old trees; ii would be so much time taken
from her work, and she must improve every
moment now.-1he murmur of running water
broke on her ear. She must cross Stony Brook
avid little stream that divided the meadow
land from the high hills ON which the village
was situated
Absorbed in her own painful reflections she
did not look up until she was close upon the
-f"t .iuSc SpauhiHS streatn this point.
two old rotten planks only, and recent heavy
rains hal swelled the brook to the proportions Of
river IL flowed on over the rocks, snow white
and broke into thousand spray wreaths, max
ing the fragile bridge trembe and shake like n
reed. She looked up just as she was setting
foot on the panks, and simultaneously. a fren-
lied cry for help rang out on the air
Edna saw it all-understood il all at A olonce
she saw the swift rush of that human figure
DOWNWARD; saw the agonized expression of the
wrinkled face, framed in the masses of long
white hair, and pleading for salvation with its
himy eyes. And looking down 10 see where
the waters had covered it all up from her sight
Edna Fairleigh knew that Ralph Wilmot's life
was at her mercy Her heart stood still Every
faculty was swallowed up in the one fearful
thought that swept through her mind Ii was
the twenty-third day of June If he died thot Dan
Oak Cottage 1as theirs
An old man, unloying, unloyed miserly
cruel, and curse to the world There Womb
b none to weep for him. none to sink down
stricken at his death. The temptation assaiIaJ
her with mighty force-her brain whirled she
tottered, and would have fallen, but for the
frantic clutch she made ON the stunted willow
by her side.
moment only, aud then, with~a eiean-
TIC effort, she east out the foul impulse. =
She would do what she could. God helping
her.
The bank was steep and rough, but Edna
had been brought up in the country
where agility is fostered She ran aeetly
down, and stepped into the water The strong
purpose within hardened her woman nerves 10
steel; she put fear away from her, and thought
only OF saving the man who had SO oppressed
q anil