The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1866-03-13
THE TWO ANSWERS.

"No Charles, it cannot be. As friend
J shall respect and esteem you; but can
not be your wfe Have compassion on
NE and do not press p1e any further"
Mary GraudyiIe stood before me as she
thus spoke, with her hands clasped and
her head bowed, trembling like an aspen.
and | fancied there we're tears in her eve.
She VS. a beautiful girl and l had thot'
her as 20 ID aud u e as she was beautiful.
and further than this, had believed that
she loved me.
She was an orphan, and had been en-
gagged during the past year in teaching
one of our village schools Of her early
life | knew nothing, save that she was
aeII educated and had moved in good So
ciery; and had reason to believe that,at
some time, her parents had been wealthy:
but her father had failed in business, and
it had boeu told to me that the sad reverse
killed him | had known that Mary was
poor~-that she was dependent upon her
daily labor for supPort-and the thought
that | could offer her a comfortable home.
with the advantage of moderate wealth,
had given increase 10 my prospective hap
piness. BIT this unexpected answer
d4shad all my bright hopes to the ground
"D0 you mean" l cried, yehcmentIy,
"that you thus dismiss me? Am cast
off ?"
II cannot be your wife" was the reply
"Iheu, said with more warmth than
I might have betrayed under other cir
cumstarces, Il leave you to Yourself. and
while | strive TO shake off The love that
has bound NE to Ycu,I viii enly hope that
ere you lead another into your net YOU will
conclude before hand whether YOU will
keep him"
She looked upintomy face witha painful
frightened glance, but | did not stop to
hear her speak further. l turned and left
the house
| remarked that under other circum-
stances | might have been more cool and
in my speech and what do YOU
suppose, dear readers, the attending cir
we're ? Tll tell you candiiIv.
| was little heated with wine ! had
drank just enough to warm my blood and
give my brain an extra impulse, and my
words were not chosen as [ would have
chosen them had the spirit Of wine been
absent. As I walked toward nv home +
sought to persuade myself that | had for
tuuately escaped the snare of a c0quette,
aud that [ might be the better enabled
thus to reason, l stopped at the hotel
where | found a few of my companions
and helped dispose of half a dJzcp bottles
Of wine.
Ga the following morning 7 awoLe
with headache, and when I called 20
mind theeveuts Of the proceeding evening
[ was anything bat happy. l began to
realize how much I had loved Mary Gran
Vile There was an aching void in nv
heart, and | fairly wept as | contemplated
nv loss. It was my first love, and It's
influence had penetrated every fibre Of my
being. Tue beautiful girl had become
more dear TO me than | could tell, and |
yroaned in bitter anguish when thought
hat she was lost forever. had resolved
hat | would feel very angry and indig-
lant, but when the sweet face was called
lp to mental view such feelings melted
.way, leaving me sad and desoIata.
Ga the following Sabbath | attended
church, where | saw Mary once more. e.
She played the organ,as she had done for
.he past year, a0d as her fugers swept
over the keys, | faaoied that I could de
ect a tremulJusuess which l had never
lo;.ccd before. Was it only imagination