The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1869-10-29
FRIDAY. OCTOBER 80. 1869.

I1NNN ~ SANNN N1O N4IIAlGoN OAu Ala j.
For a momen: there was a pause.
No, not pause for what shall We
call that silence which is so elo-
quent-a vacant interval7 What
speech could have rendered the mean
ing of those looks? What woman's
ftOngLe could have spoken like those
sad, stealthy glances; like that
palpitating bosom, as the penitent
head fell over it in its weight of
grief?
The boquet had fallen to the ground
but nobody thought Of it. Joy new
er stays in company with the cloudy
passions.
| Monsieur Marcel stroVe to speak
several times, but each time . timid
apprehension restrained him, as if he
felt he was on the brink of some fear
ful revelation, At length he Opeesd
his arms, exclaiming:
"My poor Alice -
The orphan fell upon the old mans
bosom, clingiug to his neck with
her hands, and atempestuous food Of
tears mingled with sobs, burst from
her ver-burdened heart.
Madame Marcel was weeping audi
bly, at the same time
Alfred looked on the scene before
him more in shame than sorrow.
at length, after an inward conLeR-
ton that lasted several moments, and
during which the baser motives of
the heart had been at Hork-for the
best of men have some of the native
clay in them, that likens them to the
other sons of earth.
Monsieur Marcel stood up.
"AlfIed," said he.
eyes, father" replied the youth,
shyly.
"Alfred," repeated old Marcel, !
"What have you done ?" But the sui |
len boy returned no answer, unless
his retreatiDg eye and flushing cheek
could be interpreted as one.
"Son," repeated the venerable maa
again, 'bast thou forgotten the re-
pect due to thy fathers house? Hast
thou destroyed the benefit he sought
to do the poor orphan, when he open
ed his house to receive her, and plae
ed her innocence under thy mothers
guardianship She is our child by |
adoption as thou art by the ties of
blood. Nay, she is nearer 10 Us than
thou canst be for charity, when it
understands its mission, is the most
exalted of all human feelings, and !
is to love what religion is to duty. L
an her father as we'll as thine, and l |
am bound to remember what thou
forgetest, and to repair the evil thou
hast committed. Speak, then, and |
remember that thy honor here, thy |
salvation hereafter, depend upon thy |
answer. Alfred, wilt thou marry the |
injured Alice ?"
The eyes Of three witnesses were
turned upon the youth his color
went and came by turns his voice |
would not come, and he shifted about
his legs and arms in perplexIty.
"Alfred," said his mother, "relent
1 beseech thee. Thou hast sought and |
obtained the poor girls affections.
She can love no other. Thou art
everything to her, is she to be moth
ing to tbee2"
Poor Alice could restrain her
self emo longer; she went up
slowly to the still sulky youth,
and, kneeling to him, took his
hand and held it; and, looking up
into his eyes, as only a woman can
look, she said, sobbing stevery word:
"Oh let me he thy slave, thy Wor-
shipper. Put me anywhere thou viii,
SO that it be in the house wherein |
thou art, so that 1 may see thy faoe
but once dag and bless it. Do not
cast me off for loving the too we'll
Art thou not the son Of my loving
bensfactor the child Of thO house
in-yhrBUf knere thou Grst spokest
to me of love was the work Of his
hands. l know 1 am poor. l bring |
with me no fortune to reoOmpenss thy |
goodness to the poor orphan "
Alfred went, picked up the boquet
that had fallen to the ground, and
gave it to AlicS with a smile that she !
would not have bartered for kingdoms. |
He led the trembling beauty to his
father.
"Father," said he, 81 see my error
forgive me and bless thy children"
Alice and Alfred were married the !
next day. They are still living, aud |
q happier pair do not exist.