The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-05-31

arms his betrothed wife. begged and i'm
plored his forbearance, but he was inexora
ble." 81 - I
"Oh! my brother, my brother, how have
you fallen and her hands were raised
in passionate despair, "but it shall not be
1 win turn heaven and earth, but that will
succor that old man."
She raised herself from the seat into which
she had fallen on the first intelligence of this
terrible news, and moving to the side Of hel
friend, bent low and kissed her.
81 am going to see my father, Laura-he
must know of this-I will return very soon,
but do not seek to detain me now )" and
snatching her hat, she was out of the room
before her friend could frame reply to her.
Down the street she ran, and crossing into
Vine, hurried on towards her fathers place of
business on Main. She reached it at last.
Out of breath and flushed with rapid walk
! ing, she entered the counting room. where
her father was enjoying quietly his afternoon
siesta. He raised his head as his daughter
| entered
"Why, Milly, bless my soul what's the
this hour of the day." and the anxious father
| moved uneasily in his chair, as he motioned
his daughter to a seat.
Father, / must speak with you" she re-
piled, "and you must nerve your heart to
hear that which will bow your head with
inconceivable shame.
"Now heaven help me, what is it Ply
child?"
Father, Warren had Colonel Taylor ar
restedl"
"Child, you are dreaming; be lad but just
heard of it when met him last evening.
"No, father, it is trpS; and what is more,
he visited Laura tbs morning showed her a
letter writer by the colonel to Gen. Price,
and upca which the charge against him is
based, and announced his memorable deter
mination to push proceedings against him
to the utmost extremity, unless she would
consent to purchase his forbearance by be-
coming his wife,"
"My God my God, what have ] DONE that
Thou should'st curse me with such son 7"
exclaimed the old man, giving way in his dis
tress to the most passionate excess OF sor-
row.
"Father, this is terrible, know, for it
has almost broken my heart. On you,
know it has fallen more heavily still but
there is no time to be lost-you must be up
and doing, and this most inconceivable wick
edness must not be suffered to proceed. 1t
will wiring our hearts with humiliation
to make the exposure, but that old
man must not be permitted to rot in
prison, because q son of our house
has forgotten his honor, and trampled his
manhood under his feet"
"You are right, my child you are right.
But OH my son, my son. You of whom 1
was once so proud Who thought, when
was gone, would be the stay and prop Of the
old house, in whose annals coward or a
scoundrel never stained the page of our
storyl Now, alasl my trust is gone-my
pride is broken; and !, who held my head so
high, must shun mems glances-evade my
neighbours looks, and go down to the grave
Droken-hearted And the old soldier, who
had looked upon battle-felds and met the
but with cleaning eye and a lofty courage,
now bowed his head upon his hands and
wept.
s'Talk not of sorrow til thou hast seen
the tears of warlike mem
To Mildred there was something awful in
seeing her father thus affected. She flung
her arms around his neck and kissed him,
with passionate entreaties to be calm. He
raised his head at last-the old stately head
and said, with wan smile:
"You are all that is left me now, Milly. 1
have no son-he who called himself so, shall
be so no longer; but, stripped of everything
but his name, shall go forth into the world
with fathers curse upon his head"
"Ohl father, don't say that-don't, en-
treatl He is bad, 1 know; but he may
reform, and be better man, and then we
shall all be so happy" And the fair young
girl chung around his neck with tears and en-
braces. To her pure, guiltless heart, there
was something SO terrible in fathers curse,
that she would not have been surprised to see
the earth open to receive the unfortunate
recipient of that dire Madison.
alt is long," said the embittered father,
"since saw he was selfish and revengeful;
but to be a perjured informer, worse than
common stabber / never thought that such
blot would have fallen on my race But he
shall correct the evil he has done. He shall
take back his accusation and surrender the
scroll he has forged or purloined. He shall
do it, or 1 will take the life gave him."
And the grand old man raised his head and
dashed the gushing tear from his eye.
"Oh father, be calm, entreat"
81 am, my child; but have duty to per-
form, and that right speedily. So return you
to the hapless girl, who weeps her fathers
imprisonment Poor child Hers, as well
as ours, is hard lot. l will join you there
in few hours" And the old man took his
hat and strobe away in search of his son.
Long and anxiously he searched, but without