Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1871-09-16
Written Expressly for the Argus
SELF ACCUSATION.
BY W. KY. BURDETT.
toN & ~ DED.
CHAPTER ".

CHAPTER ".
ii did not know tnst loved her so mucn,
end when she taxed me with my iiGtls hirls-
hou-ths one you remem per that caused
sucn Amusement, 10 US, behind tho see aes--
when she taxed me wlsh It, indeed | uon I
know how she could have got the Informs
ton No matter; what she did tax NE with
traS that, shown IN Its worst light, aud Ul.u
every eXaggerAtion. ! could not have beiiey-
ed II of her. Gentle Nellie, TO me she-5ne
hAughtily, demanded an explanation. /, a.
hAuRhtily refused. And We parted, there
and then. IL was IN the green avenue, and
quiet dark. left her, and walked slo Wiy
and moodIly towards home. Presently
heard ner sob, and then try to smother It
Then she called after me, so gently, Harold
~ has often hsunIed me ike Ap.rIt, -"JOe
then pause that wSs oppressive, Tor i
did not turn my hesI "Dssr Joe On.
do not leave me, JoeW | walked sioNIs
on, aud nevsr Turned mr. mead whilst tha,
sweet gIrl vas hun ohng herself IN her va
slght, and m,ne, tor ne by torgl9lnE M
for what | b al dOue, aud yeI as y0u KNOW,
and none batter, for BnAG 1 vas quite luao-
cent o. For that which wounds woman
in her tenderest place Then she walked up
10 ms, aud loJSed .ovinziy, aud forgiviuply
IN ms eyes. know not what possessed me,
bat looked straight before ns ySeRntly, as
she put her liiils hand sofsIy within my arm.
- Oe, dear Joe ~ she again said, moat
softly bu: | needed II not Eas dreaming
and Supplied, AL 81 once she drew herself
up to her full height, and said, in a voice
thas Gus through a.! my bunted feelings, to
the quick, you are 81 least 9 man Mr..
Agar and will, | trust, have the good breed
ing not TO leave me in this desolAted place.
Give me your arm, sir, and see me homel"
I looked at her, then, ssernly; for | was cut
to the quick felt mad, like a stag at bay,
for could not clear myself from her accuse
tlonS, which we're truth ste ned 40 deeply,
yet so cunningly, with untruth, that could
say nothing II reply. Then again, as q u an
o. honor ough: never TO address her again.
Aud nst as this lsst determination was
melting away under that "Joe, dear Joe, "
and | had begun to persuade myself that
she Was only coquetting with me, then came
that last sentence, and 1t i0ds tne last,
Though when had taken her home, msrch-
ing 10 all the dignity Of wounded pride, and
like fool, she turned her eyes upon me, as
she went in at the door, but said nothing.
Oh the dignity and mildness of that look
The very attribute Of the beauty OF the for
giveness Of angels was surely like that, but
there it stopped, and was gone away from
her. "You know the rest, Harold !"
Yes" sAid sAdly,"I know the rest
and great deal mOre," | added to myself
Joe caught my eye. "HOw pale you are r
he said, land thin too. Why you are only
the skeleton OF what you we're when | left
you"
SORROW / ADS wered, "sorroW and care,
Joe those are the things to make man
thin"
But you don't look as if you had had
much sorrow or cars Harold. -Ab. j know
rHSi II IL. You've been falling in love r
NO , nave uot" ! re;or!sd, clamiy, bu
s"iuJ' ~ had been Disposed, could |
NOT nave Gone ~ for the mind has had no |
hos', "Hi'e tue oooy, alas, has done nothing
az AL oihce you went away, Joe. I have
known no peace Of mind" "Hov o. -, |
demanded he quickly, aud almost savaoelss
now saw how tender be was upon the one
subject ofhis life, and guessed pretty near
~ what be conld bear. So continued the |
suoJec' but evidently in very ditferen.
STRAIN from that he had expected, for al
1eelousI or suspicion Of any kind, vanished
iIo" ni9 ace, giving place to look of sin
gore y nPS'ny. pursued, as if wrspt nm
in my own train OF thought alone. SYs ~
IL is wearing thing, a Law su;, Ies'
Autisipatiou." " "a" suit Is, even 10
"A law suit2''
+" Yes, since you went await, i
money left to me, the which sdd. rave GAd
1 had before, would nave ensbI eJeu 70 What
very handsomely. II seems S sbsl. me to I've
thing wrong in the will, aud ws. e 10 eone-
osry. That's all" Joe siahaS S'e 40 Chan
the Subject must be a sore one why ne felt
he only sighed, and pressed my hama me- as 80
iona.eiy. Feeling my present advAuta"a"o' I
said entrsatiDgly, Joe, you will stay ba,a
with me all night will you not? And We
will go back home in the morning"
ayes, If you wish it. Now / am come
back, l scarcely know what to do. At one
moment / am for setting Of immediately
and the next feel as II wanted 70 put i
off. So will stay" 5sr s.er.
D.. "And I shall say you kept me" said
AughinRly. He stayed with me all night
MI would not trust him out Of my sight
md We talked long about the wreck of the
Venture" which however has no plact