New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-04-07

N~AAN WV - /
''Mr Montray is this my answergn
"Well, MOnitta, 1t is a far more pleasant
one than the one you seem determined to
force from me.n
"Mr. Montray will please remember that
Monitta is my child, and that l. her mother.
demand straightforward answer to her
questions
We'll really, madam, it does appear tot
that your own good sense would have
spared me this. You are certainly aware
that | can not marry an Indian however
captivating she may be-
"'Say rather that it should have saved my
pure lovely child from your base sel1shness.
As for sparing you can see no call for it.
Monltta, we will retire as the presence of
MI. Montray can no longer be agreeable to
either of u.s.
But as Mrs. Bedford cast her eyes around
Monitta was already gone, and she arose
and followed.
She looked into her room, but her child
had not entered there. Quickly she stepped
upon the balcony, and saw her flying
wildly down the garden walk as if those
words were pursuing her, and she would
escape them. Mrs. Bedford followed rap
idly.
mother who loves you so deVOtedly; stop,
child, stop
The arms were cast wildly up, and
'Mother, oh mother ~ fell in broken wall
upon the heart of Mrs. Bedford, who caught
her in her arms and clasped her convul-
sively to her heart, with sobs which seemed
bursting up from a breaking heart She
prayed God to deal mercifully with her
stricken child; then caressed and soothed
her with mothers tender love until
quieted and STILL she allowed her mother to
lead her back to her room. No servant
must pry into the grief of her child, so ten.
derby and lovingly she prepared her for bed.
Then quietly folding her arms about her
| she lay all night watching the open glazed
eyes, fearing to move lest she should startle
her into consciousness which would
awaken passionate grief, For days Mrs.
Bedford dared not sleep lest on
waking something dreadful should
have occurred. As days passed slow
ly by no tears ever dimmed the
eyes of Monitta, which were growing
fearfully brilliant, while a bright scarlet
spot flushed up on either cheek and the rich
olive complexion paled each day. Not a
sigh, not complaint ever escaped her pal.
lid lips; but she chung closer and closer to
her mother each hour.
Chapter III.
Six short months ago Monitta was beauti-
full, strangely, wildly beautiful in the full.
ness of life; now she was very thin, and her
beautiful as an angel in the sweet spiritual
ity which was daily stealing over her. She
had grown cheerful, and but for her rapidly
increasing love of God and the angels her
mother would have believed that her great
love had stayed the hand of death and that
the child of her heart would be spared to
her.
And Edward Montray. Had her brilliant
| image faded from his heart? Far from
1t. In every hour of loneliness she was
before him. In the crowded room of fash
ion and fair-faced beauty his heart longed
for the old hours with this child of nature
in all the witchery of her impassioned love.
| And tonight, of all the nights, her great
| liquid black eyes haunted him; for tonight
another was to become his bride, and he
could not silence the cry of his heart for the
| only woman he ever loved. And in the
| hushed agony of his soul he almost cursed
himself for the choice he had made. But
now another was involved; that other
would soon be his wife. She, too, must not
| fall g victim to his selfshness. She must
never suspect the wandering of his heart
| from her. So he wore a smiling face, and
| all thought him happy groom.
The guests had assembled in the spacious
halls OF Norwood home. The scene
was brilliant one. The bride was a
queenly woman. All eyes were bent
upon the bridal group as they arranged
was pronouncing the first words of the Ger,
emory Stir was in the hall, the group
parted, the minister paused, and an Indian,
| beautiful as a vision, entered, cast an an
pealing look upon the group, tottered for.
ward, uttered faint ejaculation, and fell
at the very feet of Montray with the dark
blood gurgling slowly through the pallid
lips.
The bride drew back, but her white slip.
pered feet were dabbled with the blood OF
the dying girl, and a slow horror crept
| throughout her heart as Montray sank be
| side the dying Indian, raised her in his
arms, pressed passionate kisses upon her
brow and face, and called on her for love OF
him to come back to life, and that he would
make her his bride in that very hour.
As he swore that his heart was hers alone
and that death should not part them Ellen
Norwood felt that even should the beautiful
Monitta die, Edward Montray could never
be more to her. From that room she
turned to pray, to struggle, and to conquer.
Monitta never spoke, but rs she felt the
passionate kisses of Montray and heard him
swear that 1t was her alone whom he loved,
glad smile broke over her face, her trem.
bling hand pointed heavenward, dropped by
her side, and the pure spirit haG taken its
| flight.
Edward Montray waved off every helping
hand, raised the lifeless form of her whom
he now knew to be aearer to him than all
the world beside, stepped into the carriage
| and babe the man drive rapidly to Mrs
| Bedford's. As he raised the now stiff
fleming form in his arms he stag
gered under the weight, but nc
| other hand save his own and her
mothers should touch the form SC
hallowed by his love. His soul
seemed burning with Indignation against
the world, whose fiat had induced him to
break the heart of the only woman he ever
loved.
As he stood by the dead, hard lines Of
grief settled in his face, and his wretched.
ness was too deep to admit of word of re.
proach, even from the mother whose heart
seemed breaking in her woe. Mrs. Bedford
raised one raven lock, severed it, and
dropped it in the hand of the stricken, re.
pentant mourner.
Edward, from tonight we are friends.
Our. griefs unite us. God gave, and
he hath taken. Her pure spirit is in
heaven. know that che awaits us there;
your spirit bride and my spirit child. Let
it5be SO. 1t is Well.r
No word gave back response, but the
mouth twitched, and the hard lines quiv-
cred. ai IS
Edward Montray left the state the day
after the burial, and never from that night
saw Ellen Norwood; indeed no Thought of
her seemed to enter his mind. but wears
afterward when he heard of her as happy
wife, heavy weight seemed raised from his
heart, and he became almost cheerful.
Thus 1t was that the talented, wealthy
and noble-looking Edward Montray came TO
live and die bachelor.
General Grant
we copy the following from the New
General Grant has been accused of in