The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1866-04-19
worthy men. ! ought not to Keep

IL - s-.. ~ -a'' .a.
He held out to me the iron sro.s,
and his arm trembled as he did 90.
l cOul1 not take it; knew that /
was not worthy TO wear it, and l
would have died at his feet before /
would have received it from him.
Keep it, l gasped; keep it, for
you are worthy to wear it. 1 dare
not take it, Ny heart seemed
bursting, and cried madly, 20 Wal.
ter; pity me! my heart is breakingl'
He sprang forward and clasped
me III his arms. He held mo so
close that l could not move, and
could feel his heart beating fiercely
against mine. lay passive for
moment, for it was so sweet to be
clasped in those dear arms, where
1 knew 1 could never be held again.
/ felt his tears falling fast on my
cheek. ~
90, Nellie, Nellie he sobbed, you
can not do this. You love mel
know you love me, as truly as l
love you; and yet you would doom
both Of US to lifelong misery. l
implore you, do not marry that
man.
l felt that l could not long resist
him, if he held me thus. called
up all my fortitude to sustain me-
Release me, Walter Gwynn,' /
exc aimed co!dly; OIL have no right
to act so.'
'By heavenp he shouted, fierce
ly, 4 will not part with you! Look
at those waves. What is to hinder
me from hurling you into them, and
saving You from a life of infamys
You do not love that old man, and
you marry him for his gold. By
heaven you shall not! / will plunge
you beneath those waves and fol.
low you there, before you shall bs
his wife,
a quick, hrri 10otstep was heard
behind US, and voice exclaimed
in angry astonishment. 'Mr. Gwynn,
what does this meanP
Walter released me and we both
looked around abruptly. Mr.. Grey
was standing within a few feet of
us. Walter looked st him for, q
moment, hesitated, and than qprens
down the rocks, and was out Of
sight.
what does it meanp Mr.. Grey
asked, hesitatingly.
Poor boy said, calmly. 'He
has just made me an offer of his
hand, and his disappointment made
him forget what was due to me. l
hope you will pay no attention to
him, for l am sure he will be asha.
mel of himself when he grows
calmer.'
1t cost me much to utter these
words, but 1 did it 80 calmly and
with such composure, that Mr.. Grey
was deceived. ..I
4 am sorry for him, Nellie he
said simply. '1fhe toves you as l
do, can we'll imagine how much
suffering his loss has cost him.
We went home in silence. 1 did
did not seq Walter again. In the
morning received a note with on
ly two words-'Forgive me;' and
in the evening l heard that he had
gone away from the village.
In month after this l was mar.
ried. l had learned by that time
to rule my heart, and did not fal.
ter as 1 repeated the awful words
in which vowed to love my hus.
band. A few weeks after my mar
riage, l learned that Walter had
fallen heir to animmense fortune,
lett him by distant relative. This
was the beginning Of my punish.
ment. Iwauted wealth. and had l heen
true to my own heart might have had it,
and with the love lcraved.
Mr.. Grey was kind and tender. All that
wealth and affection could do to make me
happy, he ldvished upon me but each fresh
proof of his love and confidence only in
creased my misery and self-contempt. +
was living lie. hated myself, and pray-
ed for death, but could not lind it. -
At last child was born 10 me-a darling
little blue-eyed girl My whole soul wa3
bound up in her, and just as l was looking
forward to happiness in her, God took her
from me. l know the punishment wasjust,
yet it was hard to think 80 them % -
After my baJy died became reckless. I
cared for nothing. My husbands love was
torture to me, and every day found 1t more
difficult to bear. AT last there came one
who,though nominally my husbands friend
sought both his ruin and my own. He
read my secret fully. and humbled me with
it. Twas mad-I was desperate. Even.
open shame was preferable to the life OF
tire cherry md falsehood was leading. Ny
husbands false fritnd watched me closely,
attended me like my shadow, AID at last
asked me to with him. In my wretch
cdness conseoted. Heaven knows ] was
innocent Of sinful mtenr, but IN my misery
clutched tue first cnance of escape.