Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-05-27


meditation, ''your heart hides secret from
me.' ILiI N 800 J.HhiN'E,,H HlHuI- ID
Marie looked up as when waking from a
dream, and encountered her fathers gaze Of
tenderness and pity ; she arose, and throw
ing herself in his arms burstinto tears.
"Oh, father" she exclaimed, 1.-THE secret
which is killing me would kill YOU" ~T
"Your silent sorrow, to feel that you have
something unconfided from your father, is
killing me-" .. .. .I ,... 10 ''.t
''Then hear me further, ,"exclaimed Marie,
throwing herself at her fathers feet; ~ do
not love M. de st. Leu. AS the time of my
marriage approaches shuddering dread
comes over me; ;and feel would rather
die than become the wife of Leon de st.
Leu. up I' Of
"Marie," said M. de Kerven, "for your sake
to save your life-I will do what would
not have done to save my own life in tile
brightest days of my youth; may my an
cestors forgive my want of faith; but for
your sake will break my word-prove false
to promise made to one who died with his
hand clasped In mine. M. de st. Leu shall
know that this marriage cannot take place."
Father, why should you make the sacri-
fice?"
"My life is ended, yours is bright before
you, But hark ! surely heard the gallop
OF a horse in the avenue; yes, and now a
footstep approaches" a.n .-nar.. .g-.I
At this moment the door opened and NJ.
de st. Leu stood before them.
Scarcely did he take time for the usual
greeting of courtesy, before turning to the
count and his daughter, lie said in grave,
quiet tone: ..'
~ am glad to find you thus together, for
come to speak to both of you, and to both
of you declare that the marriage contract
that bound us is dissolved"
Wounded pride brought blush to the
brow of the count; whilst Marie, bending
her head, inwardly thanked God for her
freedom. ~ ' .'. rWH
"Do not interrupt me-" continued NJ. de
st. Leu, ''liear what / have to say: NJ. de
Kerven, the alliance with your family was
the highest ambition of my life-Marie the
only love-for her alone have lived and
toiled. Noble as yourself, had not been
so fortunate; for, whilst your estates were
restored to you, came back to utter power
ty; yet had rospered-realiZed a fortune;
one of those accidents that attend on spec
ulation has suddenly fallen on me. am a
ruined man, and as a ruined man come to
give up all claim to the hand of Mile. Marie
de Kerven." I
NJ. de Kerven rushed forward and grasp
ed Icons hand, then he turned and looked
at his daughter.
Marie, too, had risen, and now with digni-
ty advanced towards NJ. de st. Leu.
"LeOn," said she, ''your fortune was moth
ing to us, we are rich; this roof is your
home as well as ours; it was never in wo-
mans nature to turn away from misfort-
une; the hand that was pledged to you by
our fathers is yours; take it if it will con-
sole you for one single pang or sorrow.
Now, father, to you leave the task of fix
ing our marriage day." ".lr'
Nj. de kerven clasped his daughter to his
heart where beat for her asmuch pride as
love. . ''
"Well DONE" said he, in whisper to her,
swell done; noble daughter of Kerven, you
are worthy of your race"
Leon made no opposition; had he not
right to think that Marie loved him ?--that
this marriage brought as much happiness
to her as him? -
But Marie had told but half her secret to
her father; she had fallen in love with her
cousin Octave; they had exchanged VOWS
they had promised eternal constancy.
Once the excitement of the heroic sacrifice
she had made passed, her love for
Octave returned, and she looked with
dread and horror on her approaching
marriage. iT ". - .. q
Yet the day came at last, and in the midst
Of rejoicing friends, with her fathers bless
ing on her, she became the wife of Leon
st. Leu! 'I.f'f1' G 01iu 4
The day wore away and night came |
The count enters his wife's chamber, and
she, pale, whittier than her white dress, falls
on her knees before him. '.'
"kill me-" she cries, lit Is your right for
have deceived you l have given you my
hand, but my heart was another's." e'F
sand you sacrificed your love for me
Your generosity overcame your Judgment.
All, why is it too lateg" rr. ..t J..
''Then you pardon me?" ...~.....
"Yes; pity you l will make life now to |
you as happy as l can !; | will be to you but |
as brother; l will infict but as much of
my presence on you as will suffice to make |
your father happy. Heaven have mercy |
on you, Marie; pray to Heaven; | leave you |
now to its cOnsOlations" H.
Then, as soon as she was alone, on her !
knees Marie wrote to her cousin Octave
wrote to tell him of the sacrifice circum-
stances had eXacted of her. Again she re- |
peated her vows of eternal love, swearing |
that she would die pure and unsullied, faith |
full to the VOWS she had pronounced. ,i,.
At early dawn Marie crept from the |
house, and herself deposited in the post the |
impassioned missive. uHG-ua E.er 4
Then, worn out by all these struggles and
emotions, Marie returned home, and, by a |
last effort gaining her chamber, sunk on |
her bed ina dead swoon. f!. lr,} .I
Long was the illness which followed, but |
all through it faithfully and tenderly |
watched her husband. Her first return to |
consciousness showed her Leon by her side,
and as her fathersbent over her, joyous and
hopeful, he told her how to Icons care she |
owed her life. .,.,..,....,..
"Noble and generous" said she, pressing
her husbands hand to her lips and looking
at him significantly. Then, as she lay in
the quiet listlessness of conyalescepoe, the
past came before her. and Leon, In, all his
greatness and goodness, seemed to tower
above the pale memory of her cousin Octave.
The first day she was deemed strong
enough to go down on the terrace, Leon, as
they sat alone in the balmy sunlight, gave
her a letter.
"This came for rey6u weeks ago. L have
keptit for you it may contain secret; it
may bring you consolation '0a1a ,1f'd1ll
Marie, with d deep blush, took the letter;
it was from Octave. NJ de st. Leu, seeing
she did not open it, turned away: then
Marie tore open the letter. trembling to
think of the agony and bitter reproaches
she was to encounter; but the letter ran
thus: ri al--5Hbl1Nl) .'l.GInAah '00l
''Reccive my congratulations, cousin
mine; long years of joy and happiness to
you In your old chateau. l have, not for
gotten our moonlight walks nor the poetry
of those three months; but I did not, think
you would attach so much importance to
them. BY this time no doubt you have for
gotten them, at least i hope so, for L have
been married for these last six months, and
am as happy as it is given to mortals to be