The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1865-09-02
A Quarter of an hour brought her to John

lodgings. Nothing daunted by the sneers
the boarding house keeper, she walk
straight up to Johns room, and look
around her before she advanced.
Such room poverty and neglect {
every side. and there, seated in a miserabl
half broken rocking chair, was John Yate
p his head bert down, his hands clasped in o
attitude of sublime resignation
t Carrie advanced towards him and placin
her hands on his shoulders, called him
name.
Caroline ?" said he.
Yes, John, we are DID friends, and yo
, are alone"
D "Oh yes. why did not die?"
God willed it otherwise: aud do you thin
none would weep if ynu diedY'
None. nome"
Yes, John, one that has loved You a
your life. Oh John, may speak now, fo' yo
have none other to love yon ], too, an
alone; none to care for me, and come, John
as sister to brother, and never more will
l leave YOU"
John Yates, who had endured life ane
solitude with stolid courage, under this frs
word of kindness gave way, and leaning OF
| Caroline's shoulder, he wept like child
Then, with delberaton aud determination
feeling conscious of what she was about, Car,
/ olIne did what Nellie would have done from
thoughtlessness. She took up her abode In
the house with John. and set to work to nurs
him as his sister; to bring him back to life
! to hope in the future
But the world, the little world in which
they lived, being incapa ble Of noble actions
or thou ghts, could pot b lieve in them; and
/ so the boardiug house began TO get scandal
| lied, and Mrs. SprigcinS, the lady of the
! houre. signifedto Mr. Yates that he or that
( well. she wouldn't say whai-had to leave
! Then for the frs. time John Yates felt the
false position in which she had placed Caro-
line. and the sacrifice he had made; and with
the quick impulse of gratitude, he turn-d to
Mrs. Spriggins-
Madame" said he 'we will leave, but
before we leave we will ask yor. to our wed
ding. Caroline is my ailiauced WIFE
"Oh, indeed, said the laId.ady, changing
her tone and rushir out, she com Il unica-
ted the news to the whole h, use.
Caroline was The last TO hear it. Gently
and humby John broke it to her, iinporing
her par Ion for what she had brought on her
self. 'Bu., Caroline, it is the only thing to
retrieve Your reputation. One sacrifice more
but | may learn not to be useless: | can
dictate to you, and for YOU 4 living.
Oh! Caroline, why did you sacrifice your lie
to me?'
BECAUSE sail Caroline, :" i love You :;
loved yor with womans deep, earnest love-
and 10 be your wife. John, dearest John.
YOUR Eight in the darkness OF yonr life j.
higher happiness than ever on earth spir
ed to-
Johns heart as filed with a holy love
TOR Caroline; and all that had gone before
this epoch Of his lie seemed to haye van
ished.
Caroline planned their lives so that poverty
should be kept from their door. : e found
work, amd found work for John. Then seek
ing Il small house in one OF the small streets
of Philadelphia that are The hayrns of the
poor and fined, she Get about putting their
home in order.
john had saved two thousand dollars, so
that they had 10 difficulties at first to coa-
tend with. And the day was fix d Mrs.
Spriggins had hoped the wedding would tax
pla in her parlur; and out of regard to
Caroline, that those who had assaied her
this arrangement.
The evening ofthe wedding day came, and
Caroline. absent for some hours. was hasten
ing to John, wher, a, sh gently turned the
handle OF the door, she leIrd a voice she well
knew. speaking earnestly to i'm. She paus-
cd and listened.
"Oh! John. dear. never loved but YOU,
was young ami fch.c; vanity miS'ed me, but
when | heara of your terrible afilicti,n. then
my heart was revealed to me. | knew |
loved you only. and am now come back to
vou-gour true and faithful wife-ves to be
your guide through lie Oh! John, you for
give nae. you love me stlll?"
.--"NeIlie,'' said John. Il lave nothing to
forgive Why di' you come back now?''
john, what do you aa?-;oo late-too
late ~
Yes, Nellie my IN sweet Nellie, ,es; l
am pledged to another"
"Another p
"Yes. listen" Then John told her all
Caroline's goodness and devotion, an Nellie,
laying her head on his shoulder, sobbed and
cried as he spoke.
=. So. Nellie. you see.' said John, as he
finished his recital, 1t is 10 late; am bound
in honor TO Caroline
Yes, bound" said Nellie mid her sobs.
" Oh. John, it is indeed too late =
NO." said Caroline, advancing, "no not
too late. Nellie, you are in TO resume your
place. He was pledged to you; you love
him be has not forgotten his loye; it is YOU
who must be hs WIFE
4" Never" i'd john. '.Caroline. ! remem
bcr all and my hear. ov .riiows with gratitude
to YOU
Gratitude --tna: is all you felt for me
and pity, join was all that induced me to
marry you she, yoGr Irst aud on'y love, has
returned. Your life will be all brightness
now; all is we'll
a. But your reputation"
"What is the world to me? Then / shall
still be Nellie's friend that will justify me-
Nellie folded Caroline TO her heart; and
SO Caroline had siren .th to hide her agony.
On the wedding day. as john and Nellie
stood side by side, taking the VOWS that bound
them Tor lie TO each otle-, Carrie LEANED her
head o., her hand and breathed iervent
PRAYER to Heaven.
Thank God" said she, that the happi'
ress of lis lif;. comes from me that thought
leaves me not wholly colniortless.
Caroline kept her secret i'll her heart; like
all TIE sublime sacrifices i'll this world, hers
was known only tv Heaven.