Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1865-03-31
vi | = C T. LII A v Y.
THE NOBLE RESOLVE.

No, Charlcs.-it cannot Be. As
freed shall rcspcc; and esteem you: but
cannot be your wife. Have compassion
on me. and % not press me hurther.~
MARY Granville stood before me As she
thus sPoke. Nth her hanls elasped. and
beF bead bowed. trembling Ike an aspen;
and fancicd that there were tears in her
eyes. She ~as beautiful girl and hal
thougbt her a. good and pare a. she vas
beautiful and. further than tiis. hal BE-
lieve that 'hs loved me-. She vas an or
Phan. ard had been engaged during the
past year IN teaching one of our village
schools. Of her early life had knoun
nothing. save that she had been wcil cluca-
ted. And bad moved in good society: ard I
bad reason 90 believe tlat. a. some time
her parents had been wealthy; o.; her faith
er had failed in business. and IL hal been
tod % me- that ihe al reverse killed hin.
had Known thar Mary va poor-that she
~as dePcnGent upon her daily labor Tor sop
Pori-and iho thousht that I could offer
Der comfortable hone. Nth tie aivarta-
gcs % moderate veahh. had given increase
10 ny prospective hsppiuess Bot this un-
expected answer dashed al my bright hopes
20 he groand
DO yea mean I cried. vehementiy.
% that you thus dismiss me2 An I cast
Of
' cannot D. your -ife - vas her reply.
Then. 'aid !. Nth more warmth than
! might have betrayed under other circIm-
stances. ! leave you % yourself. ard
wAile ] strive % shake oH he iovc ,hat has
bound me % you. I'll only hopc that ere
you lead another IN your net. you ~ili con-
elude beforehand whether you viii keep
Ain atcr you have caught hin -
Sc cared Up INTO ny f,ce Nth paiufai.
frightened look bst dii rot stop % hear
Der spsak further. While she stood there.
pale and ircabi'ng. turned and Ten the
house
l remarked hat under other circurn-
stances I might have been more cool AMI
collected IN my speech and vhAt 10 YOU
'uPPose. dear reader. The attending circuu-
stances were ill tell yoa candidly. 7
rss litiie heated With vine had drank
just enough 90 ~arm ny blood. AL give o.
the brain an extra impulse and my words
verc not chosen a. would have chosen
them had ths spirit Of the vine been ab-
sent. ~ I walked towards my home I
sought 70 per, uaJo myself hat lad iortu-
na;eiy escaped The snare q coguette. AM
and thai 1 mighi be better enabled thus 10
rsa'ou. ] stopped a. The hotel. where
found ie~ o. ny companions. and helped
dispose q haf doEeu bottles oi sine.
ca lie iolo~ing morning awoke vith
Lea1aehe. and ~hcn called % MAD tie
events oi BE preceding evening "a any-
thing but happy. began % rsalzc LoE
uscL had loved Mary Granville. There
wAs a. aching void IN ny beart. and far
ly ~ePt a. Contemplated my loss. Il as
mY Er'i love. and iis influence Lad perncat-
"a every hbre q nay Icing. The beautiful
girl bad become more dear 90 me than
co1id tell, and groaned in bitter anguish
vhen I thought that she uas lost % me for
ever. Lad resolved ihai ! uo1li feel
very angry and indignant; bat sben that
sve,t iaoe vas called up O. mental view.
'ueh feelings melted away. icasing uo sal
ard Josola,c.
on tie hlosing sabbath attended
church. where sa- Mary once more Sba
b played tlc organ. 80 she bal done f1r one
year pat. AMI a. her fingers nov swept ov-
er iLc k-ys flnci-I ihat couii de.eot
tremui0usne.. vLieh I bal never noticed
before. Wa it only my imagination. or
sas there really riaiaiitcncss-a sadness
in tbs cspression Of Der masi.s 10 me
it seemed ~ iloagh. az t.,ae.. co. organ
n,cancd ard sept li sas ike tlc uai.ing
oi the daughters % 4 Z..n by ths rivers of
B4byion When the services ~ere over.
arl se r,ut out from church. 7 sav Mary's
hco Do vas pale ard wan. a. ti1urh .he
bal been s.k What could % Jes Was
ste sarrurg al I s-fcrcdP TLe h8seit
flashed upoa rc thai some ore might base
ben telling i,r something Or rny tirar-
tace. ] bed enemies i1 che tllIare
u.ics sho cuyiod me bccasss Q hal iuherif-
ed some veaIfh, and. fineisd. eusu.is,
rho hal ensiei ms ,hr iote ~ Mtry Oran-
vide
Anot.er veos passed. anl 7 5c are more
iad tnd iouesome Ny ba-.nes. vas ira
so"s o. me. ani M to,ts sad paper. A.
ilri.i nf no respite. fn f1.f. .o.II not
real. ior af mini -as never ur.on tie usee
hc'ofc me Another sa5tath 81 tbs rbureh.
ansi sa~ Mt-y sgain. it seomeI o. me
iaat sle uas ra.s- than before. and her