The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-04-15

and penitence, have mercy. But to meet him
again, meet him under the very eyes of the
man who is my husband-meet him in the
presence of my children-nO. l cannot Yet
he would not dare, even by look. to remind
me Of the terrible guilty past. He will not
force me to blush now, after long atOnement.
Ny mother carried my secret to the grave
none on earth knew it but Monbary and my
self. Oh 4! am mad to think that he will dare
to betray me. No, no; for twenty years have
had the respect ofall; Heaven be mercif9l to
me, let me carry my husbands esteem and my
children's love to my grave. I will fear no
thing, and will 60 tonight"
That evening, if there was not prettier girl
at the ball than Mathilde Chenneviere, there
was certainly not q woman more admired than
Nine. de Chenneviere in her classical and ma
jestic beauty even her very pallor gave addi-
tiOnal refinement to her appearance
AS leaning on her husbands arm Nine. de
Chenneviere passed along, gentleman laying
his hand on Gen. NOnbarys arm. addressed
him in half whisper:
Monbary." said he, ''dO you know that
LADY,
That Ia y--the lovelicst in the room, who
has jus: passed along?
say, very beautiful still Do you not remem-
ber when she was more lovely-gc back some
wears and think.
"WhO is she!'
She is Madam Chenneviere, she was Made
moselle Nanteuil"
Elise" exclaimed Monbary, :. Elise"
There. | always thought you were that
girls lover. though you denied it; saw you
come out of her house over twenty years ago
now. twice late at night with great caution"
Silence. behaved like scoundrel then, it
has been a life's remorse: do not let me be q
scowndrcl now: she shall not see me my pres
encc is an insult to her."
only to think" continued his friend, that
SO much dignity can conceal so much frailty.'
Whatis Elises name now!"
Mime de Chenneviere."
Scarcely was the name pronounced before n
hand seized the speakers collar and an angry
voice exclaimed, ''whO dares utter that name p
Loose your hold, young man." said De
MOnbary, there was no insult intended and
the only responsible person for what was said
ismyself''
"Do YOU know Nine. Chenneviere
'' In former days did,"
Then why not speak to her now?'
- Because it might be awkward for her :"
said Monbarv's friend.
Say that this man tells Il lie!"
= | receive orders from NO One," said Mon
barry.
Then take chat: yen are coward to in
suit woman, and that woman is my mother. :"
As he spoke, Paul with his glove struck de
MOnbary across the face
BY this time all was confusion NJ. d'Origny
hurried the gentleman from the room, whilst
CONSERVATION prevailed in the ballroom
1t was impossible for Nine. dc Chenneviere
to remain in ignorance of what had happened;
she knew the danger of her son, but none
could tell her the cause of the. quarrel, that
none but the parties themselves knew but at
the first sound of NJ. de MOnbary's name
Mme tie Chenneviere tainted dead away in her
daughters arms. She had OWNED all the
conjunction of the two names was to her q
whole history: wildly, when she recovered
did she look around she was in her own
room she sought for her daughter, she saw
her not.
Paul, Paul. she exclaimed and started
from the bed on which she had been laid che
had not gone but a few steps before the strong
arm of her husband arrested her.
Where are you going, Madam 2" said he.
Paul. Paul-my son"
You were not going to your son. Madam,
you were going to your lover"
ITO my lOver!"
"Yes. to your lover, to tell him that I am
not the father of your son."
''Oh, God. he knew ALL
"Yes all, Madam, even that you were going
to pervert this horrible duel too horrible to
think Of-a duel between q father and son"
YES" exclaimed Nine. de Chenneviere,
''yes too horrible to think Of: oh, let me 60.
agony to great to endure"
Kill you now! Did / Kill you seventeen
years ago? Have l during all these years,
once visited ON you the bitter grief that has
filled my heart?"
No! no. you have been very good to me. y
1--WE had been married four years, Elise,
four years of happiness had passed when dis
covered your secret It was on the death-bed
of your mother that this mystery was revealed
to me. You were watching by her side; L,
in the room near you. strOye to rest but could
not. l heard your mothers last advice to you.
and that told me all the past"
"YOu would have known the truth before l
became YOUR wife, but for my mothers CON-
mands."
-'Who could have suspected yOu-yO SO
devoted to me, to your children, to your home?
Oh! half my fortune would l have given to
have been forever ignorant of this terrible Sc
cret. Paul, the child so lOved-Paul, the
child whose premature birth welcomed as a
blessing-thank heaven that l, poor pupe,
loved this stranger to my home and my blood.
All Elsie loved you, and that love made a
coward of me, or would have rushed for
ward and even in her dying moments have
cursed your mother"
'You were good and generous"
Because loved you, because I could not
resolve to lose you forever. The world knew
not my disgrace / shut the secret close to my
ssaA~A WI UAOnCh AAOAs Ous OIL
idol STILL"
''Oh! you were good and generous"
You were the mother of one child who at
least was ours; my child, my Matilda, my
daughter for her sake, too, was silent"
"Oh! was not guilty but for my mother
have told you all was young, SO very
young my very fault paralyzed me. You can.
not know how was deceived, to what prom
ises yielded"
.Do not speak of him. of the man who
must die by the hand of tho being who has in
iured me most in the world"
"Oh! no, that would be too cruel"
have waited seventeen years for my re-
It shall be fatal, overwhelming as my sorrow."
sOh! no, you cannot be so cruel; was go
inc to Monsieur de Monbary's-Monsieur de
Monbary, from whom swear to You shrink;
but must save my son, even though die oi
shame at his feet"