Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-03-23
tones ever and anon fell softly upon the en-


and rare flowers were placed with much
taste in advantageous positions, and lent
additional enchantment to the scene; books
such as delight the cultivated mind were
displayed on morocco covered shelves, and
wines of varions descriptions stood Upon
the table, which was surmounted by cloth
of the finest tex ture. e 9ii' ?" Ho.l
''Sit down." said my host, who had all
along treated me with the imperiousness
superior sometimes feels himself justified in
employing toward an inferior. -
'I- He helped me to glass Of wine as sat
down and once more looked about the room
for the purpose of admiring its many beau
ties. f-,i4t
II had omitted to notice particularly a
small barrel which stood on the hearthrug.
al Itimight have been able to contain about
twelve gallons of water had it been used
for the purpose of holding anything fluid.
+ here was nothing aboutit which per Sc
was sufficient to chain my attention, and
had It not been so very out Of place where
it then was, I dare say / should hardly have
looked at itlat all, pAifal if .il1s ~
ad1 was destined subsequently to become
better acquainted with that strange piece
OF furniture, though / was TAR from having
the least inklihg of the fact at that mo-
'tnent. St!l q -.'7liis'. -.it.''.t3 it.s'
io Mr. Burlington sat down upon the barrel,
and placing his elbows on his knees and his
face on his hands, looked up at me as if Gu
rious to watch the fieeting expression OF
my features. ~ - tsf- ~ ,l-s' ''i+i'
i.[ suppose you want to know what am
gong to tell you now you are here?'' he
II pleaded guilty to some slight inquisi-
tiVeness. ~ p e'd7ia ','7 30 . '@s''a
3gA deep gloom came over him, and for
fully five minutes he did not utter word.
q By way OF rousing him from his mental
leJhargy, exclaimed. !''If / may venture
to remind you, sir" -.
"Ehl? what-who's that speaking?" he
l-cried. starting up, i .' i''t ~
/ A glance recalled him. o.
s'Oh! it is you. II am afraid my
thoughts were wandering. Ihave travelled
a great deal. My mind carried me to the
| rose gardens of Persia. I was walking
al N in arm with lovely maiden whom the
angels call Lenore. But will cast away
old recollections, and return to the hard
cold, cruel present. My mind is peopled
with ghastly skeletons of the past" .
He pressed his hand to his forehead, and
then beat against his flushed brow with
his clenehed fist. - 'it-
was gradually coming to the conclu.
sion that'I was not talking to a sane man
or if he was sane, he was the most eceen.
1 trio of mortals. kept my eyes about me
/ and was constantly on my guard lest ht
might, in sudden frenzy, do me some in
jury. ''a!
/ Putting his hand in the breast-pocket o
his coat he took out q letter, and holding i
up, allowed me to notice that it was tht
i"dead" one, which he declared had been hi
ruin. p" - = t4.isali5st - - -..
Removing the epistle from its case he
4 handed it to me, saying:s Take that ant
Tread it. If, when you have read it AM
have heard the result of its contents no
3being attended to by me, you can sal
/ that you have dene me no injury
am sorry for you and your blunted con
1 sciehce." 'ff 'ltI
| with trembling fingers took the lette
1 and opened it. Judge of my surprise whei
II saw that the handwriting was total,
/ different from that on the envelope. 1t wa
Eextremely ladylike, while the other wa
| rather worse than the wretched scrawl &
| a halftaught housemaid. a3a 2 .ii'a
| Hooked suspiciously at Mr.. Darlington
/ who, interpreting my thoughts, exclaimed
- see that you are puzzled. Let me ex
| plain. The envelope was directed by
different person to the one who wrote tn
| letter, and it was SO done for the purpose {
idisguise. Read tha t, my good fellow, an
| the motive will at once become apparent
/ you" ---lif- '' o'...t ti-ts 2. 'A
| Thus urged, at once commenced the pc
| rusal of the letter, which ran as follows:
"My darling, L write in the greatest pos
1 sible haste, and under the most difficult Gil
| ieumstances. am harassed to death.
am watched day aud night, and 'persecute
to the verge of desperation. My fathe
has at length determined that / sha
fmarry Harry PercivaI IN One week. Moth
ling can save me unless you come at once
i the rescue, tor, knowing my fathers iro
will as 1 do, am suIe that his determine
4 ton is irrevOcable. Oh !,my own preciou
one! / cannot fiud words sufficiently ez
tpressive to convey TO you one-tenth pal
of the misery am undergoing, and tn
iabhorrence with which this hated unio
INSPIRES me. My brain reels: my energie
/ are paralyZed, and i fear-nay, / dot fear,
hope-that if this marriage is proceede
with, may fall corpse at the foot of tn
Il altar, which will be desecrated by the ur
4 natural blending of two lives which ough
!! forever to be distinct and separate.
II But one week-one short fleeting week
How briet a time has to elapse, my darling
before am ruthlessly torn from you fol
ever. Say it shall not be. Where-wheI
is your courage?3 You have often in bills;
full moments told me that l am all the worl
to you. VIII you lose your treasure? {? Wi
I you submit tamely and quietly, like cray
en- coward, to this harsh decree? No, n
know you too well, dear Edward, to thin
! that. AS Ewrite the bright f1ame of hoI
)nce more springs up in my breast. Som'
Thing bids me turn my thoughts in a haI
Z pier direction. | will hope. Already
feel happier. The mere fact of my writin
70 you-dream of my youth-has brougI
peace in another land, where there will
/. 10 father so unconscious of the dictates
humanity as to force his daughter into a
i alliance which he knows we'll will bres
i Ter heart. OF one thing rest assured.
| led like lamb to the sacrifice, l will NJ
i survive the misery aud degradation of tn;
Ihotr which makes me Percival's wife. L.
f,,r 10 tO Yhs
cue me. L will freely, gladly, willingly f
with you .toany partof the habitable glob
i and that you know. Now is our time. D
! lay, hesitate, stop, and it will be too late.
/ Now or never, must be our motto. 1t
i for you to make the best use you can of tn
opportunity, which will never return
Come TO me, Edward! Come to me, dea
est l conjure you. This is the last pra
er of your loving but disconsolate
e5 ''EMMELINE.'
When I had read this affecting epist
| which plainly enough told its own tale, al
revealed the history of young and arde
maiden who was driven to madness and di
obedience by parental blindness and foil
l laid the letter down upon the table, al
= looked upon Mr.. Darlington with commi
Grafton.
Presently l caught sight of postscri
which informed Emmeline's corresponds
that the letter would be badly directed
order 10 deceive the vigilance of tho
about her, who would open, and perha
detain, any epistle believed to have be
written by her.
iFMr. Barring gton was absorbed in thou9
as usual; when he became aware of t
fact tnat had finished the reading of
letter, he said, Have you mastered
piteoHs appeals to me, and all the hideo
details of fathers remorseleSs cruelty
! He spoke in a tone of such concentrat
grief, mingled with an unquenchable ful
, that positively shuddered to hear him
"Yes have" repliedI L. 81
: Now it remains for me to add the m
ancholy sequel. Through your negliger
did not receive that letter. Listen to I
: consequences of your carelessness-wl
, do L say! of your crime. +, who wor