The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1871-02-23

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Edith raised herself upon her elbow.
The distracted mother stretched forth
her hand to awaken her daughter, aud
prevent her rising
But MS she leaned forward, the ur.
tains on the opposite side of the bed
parted. Within the lace, famed 1by a
misty vapor, stood Granville Dunbar,
the pallor Of marble upon his face, the
big, sad eyes fixed upon Edith-in
garment that looked to her startling
vision like the habit of the grave.
Slowly he passed his hand over her
sleeping daughters head aud laid it on
her heart.
The girl fell from her half risen pos.
ture back upon her pillow. And
Clarice Spencer tainted with horror
beside her. An hour after the faithful
Mrs. Elliott had restored the poor
woman to her senses, and had won from
her, in her excited aud half frantic
condition, full confession of her guilty
device to seperate her daughter from
Granville Dunbar.
''Oh be sure, Mad1me," said that
person, "Nliss Edith will die, and YOU
will never know peace unless this wrong
is righted Miss Edith has seen in
dreams the whole thing, for she goes on
piteous to hear about her mother and
the awful guilt which is to be avenged
by her death only. think this Mr.
Dunbar ain't dead, but he's the same
way as Edith. | do believe they are
both dying"
"And all this in consequence Of my
SIM" sobbed the miserable mother.
Mrs. Elliott, ask DR.. Crary to sec me
Immediately" Aud totiering to her
room, Madame Spencer, utterly broken
down by the events ofthe last ten DAYS,
covered her aching eyes with her trem
bling hands, and waited the doctors
coming.
The result of this interview was
speedily known, for the first returning
steamer bore with it Madame Spencer,
Edith aud the nurse, Mrs. Elliott. 1t
was strange to watch this woman's
imPatience when the journey was near
its end. She paced the decks contiu.
uously. The faded gray hair, the
grcenish hued spectacles, the restless
figure, came to be types Of anxiety and
unrest to the passengers. But Madame
Spencer was too much pre- occupied
with her invalid daughter and her own
thoughts to notice much that passed
around her. And after they reached
New York no time was Lost in seeki ,g
her lawyer Long and serious consul
tations ensued between the officers Of
the bank aud those OF justice. A full
confession of the whole transaction was
drawn up, signed aud sealed by the
repcutant and broken woman. Oh the
modification aud humiliation that that
proud woman suffered, as she read in
the faces Of all around her the scorn
they felt for her discovered sin.
The day of Granyille's release, he
was conveyed directly to the bedside Of
his faithful Edith, whose joy can be
scarcely imagined, and the nurse, Mrs.
Elliott how she clang about Granville's
meek aud wept tears Of such heartfelt
happiness as seldom wet the eyes Of
mortals.
sand Edith is not half as i'll as was
made out, dear boy" said that heroic
woman. "And you will go to Paris,
away from all that can remind you Of
the last sad two months. Oh, am
hardly able to realize that this is not
a dream" and the good woman stole
fearful smile from Edith's pale face, as
she deliberately marched to a, glass.
pulled her cap and the gray front of
her head, wrapped up her spectacles 10
them, and throwing them out Of the
window, stood confessed in all her beau
ty, the loving. faithful Nelly, who, by
her wonderful resemblance, had person
ated her brotbrr's spectre, till the gull
ty heart Of Ciarice Spencer could hold
its secret no longer.
And could the party have seen the
look of CONSERVATION that crept over
the face Of a person concealed in the
next room, as she saw the whilom Mrs
Elliotts metamorphosis, they would
have felt that, cunning as her wicked
ingenuity had proved her to be, in
simple girl she had met her match, who,
opposing plot to plot, had beat her.
And now once more upon an outward
bound vessel, behold Edith and her hus
band, who, in the happiness of the
present, is fast forgetting the trials
through which he lately passed; and
beautiful Nelly deems her cup of earthly
bliss is full that the sun Is brighter
for the storm just over, and that minis
tering TO Granville and the new sister,
she will be forever happy SO they
sail away to their home in beautiful
Paris, where Granville has very ine
business prospects, which, however they
may fall, cannot bring poverty to the
loving trio, for Madame Clarice has
added many thousands TO the sum Of
that fatal check, striving to buy Of
those she has so deeply injured, the for
giveness she feels she has no right to
expect.