Norfolk day book. [volume] (Norfolk and Portsmouth Va.) 1868-1880, 1869-07-31

| WlOuLoAuSSI uO Soou ohAhS iAoAi
those who love him.
Mr.. Wilbourn was spared to
Elsie-but the old homestead
must be sold to square up with
the world, yet there was not a
murmur fell from her pure
lips, for she said, they we're
"both young, and could toll
through the blast. Aunt
Chloe could not stand the
thought of leaving her children,
for the sake of freedom, so she
continued faithful to Ger charge,
until called from earth, to eter-
nifty, which was just before the
sale of "Williamdale" so she
knew nothing of the sorrow
which we had to endure in
leaving the dearly loved home,
| of my childhood, and Elsie of
her welded life.
Mr.. Wilbourn retained the
right Of possession, until fall ;
so that he mightsecur a situa-
ton, with a salary sufficient for
, the support of his family-and
of course [ too remained by
earnest solicitation. The mails
were not re- established through
the country for some time, SO
our news facilities were very
lamentable. The country mail
had all been stopped in Rich
mond, and on application to the
Postmaster, we got a bundle of
letters, and among them was
one from ''Maravatio," which
I hastily opened, and read. It
was from Arthur, and how
often have I wondered to my
self if he ever thought 1 had
overstepped the chalk-marks Of
a woman's allotted space-but
it is all over now, and / will
not withhold the letter which
ran thus
Will "Lola Lee" forgive the
deserted Heart of "Robby
Ross for confessing his crime
of deception, in keeping from
her knowledge the long forgot
ten name of Arthur Dermont.
Long before the Masquerade,
he had known Del Malcomb
was lost in the fictitious name
of Lola Lee, and who could not
have recognized in the ''Maid
of Athens" her playful words
and merry laugh.
Forgive the offense of recog-.
milton, but in all of the charac-
tiers played, the heart was true
to its first, its last, its only
love. He has laid down his
arms, by the command of his
General, and may it be, to rest
forever in peace-and now lays
an unchanging heart at wo-
mans tickle shrine, while he
offers to her keeping, the des-
tiny of his happiness. Surely
Del, you cannot, nor will not,
refuse to seal the felicity Of
Arthur Dermont.
l threw down the letter half
vexed with myself and Arthur
too. Could it be possible that
he had lead me so ingeniously
through this romantic fight,
without my ever once detecting
who was the charmer of ny
soul? What must | do9 Must
l acknowledge to him the truth,
or let the matter die out, as
though | had never heard from
him? What a fool | had made
of myself. AS Arthur 1 had
loved him wildly-but had
tried to keep the secret from
him. AS 'Robby Ross he had
led me through the most en-
chanted field, which the beauty
of mind could trace-and as the
Knight of the Enchanted Heart,
he had won me his captive-all
of which l dashed to the ground
not because l did not admire
him in every character-for l
did most extravagantly- but
| had determined that love
should not conquer my foolish
pride--and so in every act of
our play, but the last, l had
bequeathed to him the we'll
wishes of confirmed old maid.
How many plans were laid in
my own mind to get out of this
scrape, and at last [ concluded
to stop the suspicion, if posi-.
BILE, by sending him the ring,
ard writing him a short note
| which ran as follows:
| Will the three characters
which have all dissolved and
melted into one, be pleased tc
imagine that for once he is mis-,