Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-06-24

! look ut nm out or the Olue OrpS -Of llic
little girl before him. He bent down
over her, and scanned her features closely.
| Then he asked
"My child, what is your name 2"
"Violet Gray
The man smothered cry of surprise,
and his face grew strangely pale, even in
the red light of sunset. 1t must have
been a strange emotion, indeed, which
could thus stir the hard 'heart of Richard
Steele. Presently he said:-
"And what was your mothers name
before she married 2"
"Eiolet Dale"
".And is dead 2" He spoke the words
in deep whisper, as though fearing to
utter them aloud.
".She is with the angels"
A Silence fell upon the group, broken
only by the suppressed sobs Of the girl
and the heavy breathing of the man.
E.When he agaid addressed her, his voice
had taken softness which none in Milford
mad ever heard in its measured cadence.
"Hhd this boy is your brother o.
Yes, my brother Richard"
Richard g For whom was he chris
tened thus?" Mr. Steele asked the ques-
lion breathessly, with an earnestness very
strange and foreign to, his stony nature.
For a schoolmate OF my mothers"
sand this schoolmate's surname-do
You remember it?"
sit was Richard Steele, SIR"
0 how the cold face lighted up! and
the stern mouth grew almost tender as
this proof of the power Of the old love
was given him.
/ "Did Violet-did your mother ever
mention this Richard Steele to you?'
The boy came forward, and replied ::
His name was the last on her lips when
he died and, two days before she left
US, she gave me "a letter which | was to
put in:o his own hand and we are search
ing for him, my sister and.l, and when
we have foand him, we are going to live
with distant cousin of my fathers, ill
&c You need look no further for Richard
Steele, my boy; he is before you! Come
into the house, and give me the letter."
The children followed him into the
great parlor, aud, calling his astonished
housekeeper, he bade her prepare them
some refreshments; then, receiving the
Jacket from the boy, with reverent awe,
he wentup stairs to his chamber, closed
md locked the door, and sat down in the
armchair by the window. He held the
letter some time in his hand, gazing in
Gently on the superscription, which he
could scarcely discern for the mist that
iimrned his eyes. At length he kissed
he writing and gently broke the seal
which the fingers of the dead had fixed.
The contents of the sheet were as follows :
RlcirARp STEELE: Now that am dy-
ng, it wiilawrong no one to. confess what
1as hitherto been kept q secret in my
,wn bosom. You believed ue false and
'ickle; yon despised all women because.
f me, and have suffered yon togo On
N ignoranee.swhile all the time my heart:
has been slowly.breaking for the want Of.
your love. When you left me to go out
INTO the world in search of fortune, my
.ove for you wronged my Creator! 1.
vas an idolater, and you, Richard, were
my idol. But if my love was strong,
ny pride was stronger, and when lyour
etters, after growing less frequent, ceased
.itogether, | sought no explanation. of
gour silence. Georgia Dale, my step
,inother, was my counsellor, andbecause
listened to her my whole life has been
shipwrecked She it was who first whis--
pered in-my ear the story of your devo-
tedness to fair Southern heiress she it
was who brought me the letter containing
the tidngs of your marriage. Oh, Rich
trd Richard! who, who shall picture to
vou the days Of agony, which succeeded F?
But foc all%iny regnant pride, should
nave lost my reason! Well, after that
Charles Gray sought my favor: my step
mother approved of him, and perjured
myself at Gods holy atari Too late
.Llearned the truth! 1t was all a Vile
plot of Georgia Dale's.; | stood between
syoh andeher;. bnt forsme, she hoped to
win your love! You know The result
her success; wasinot a success, but fail
are; you fled from the country. cursing
me III your heart, and never guessing that
the fair, smiling bride Of Charles Gray
cast ont "a thought after you. Seven
years agony husband died, and during
these seven Intervening years have earn
ed my own and my children's bread by
the labor of my hands. Once only in
all that weary time have looked OH your.
face, and then,lyou thought me hundreds
of miles away; but my love was potent,
and iourneyed, on foot and alone, a
hundred leagues to see you once more.
You were walking in. the garden, and the
woman whom you turned away when
she asked for a draught of water was
Violet Dale. would not reveal myself
to you: it is better as it is. And now
God bless yon, Richard Steele have
loved you long, and you only; and in
the heaven whittier am going there is
neither marrying nor giving in marriage;
meet me there! -, 20 rs
VIOLET GRAY,
He finished the manuscript, and, how
ing his face upon the open sheet, the long
pent sorrow of his. heart burst forth in
tears-tears such as only one like him
ran shed. The closed chamber was open.