Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-11-02

husband of this woman, who, for
his sake, had perjured her soul.
June was already upon US before
the family had made any definite ar
rangements for their summer trip.
l had regained my usual health, and
had resumed my work. My uncle
and aunt had invited me to accom-
lpany them on their route, which had
been decided to be Saratoga, New
port, and the White Noun tains. My
heart quickened at the very posi-
bility of such a pleasure, but put
ting the temptation far from MEL
attended more closely than ever to
my duties.
l had not met DR.. Clifford but
once since my recovery, and the cold
indifference with which he greeted
me,sseeIhed to crush my very soul.
noticed his attention to Mabel, but
was not aware of their engage
ment till the evening before their
departure for Saratoga. was sit
ting in my room, wondering what
had produced the change in DR..
Clifford, when Mabel entered softly,
and drawing chair up close to
mine, said gaily.
{" / am come for your congratula-
tions, Alice. J am engaged for mar
riage to Harvey Clifford" holding
up her fore-fnger, upon which rested
a diamond ring, which glowed and
spa~k'ed in the twilight with won
drous brilliancy.
l listened like one in trance.
My heH seemed to stand still, and
my tongue refused to move. She
noticed my silence, and added:
81 presume you are surprised,
and must confess was little my
self. 1 had thought, all along, that
he fancied YOU And through the
gathering darkness ner eyes glenn
ed triumphantly, and malicious
laugh rang out upon the air.
1t grated horsbly upon my ear,
and for moment 1 hated the girl
WHO had supplanted me in Harvey
Clifford's affection, and 1 said, bit
tcrly:
"Your observation must be re
markably keen to detect such slight
Difference. Whatever DR.. Clifford
may have been to me, he is nothing
now, and you have my hearty wishes
for your happiness"
81 accept them with due appre-
citation of their sincerity" And
carelessly humming an opera air, she
depal Ged, leaving me with my misery
and wounded love, which, alas! /
could not conquer.
The next morning they started.
! was to retain the servants, and
have charge of the house until their
return in October. / went as usual
to my work, for the servants were
trusty, and L was not afraid to leave
them.
August came with its sultry heat.
l had not heard from the family for
some time, and was wondering at
their silence. for my uncle wrote me
every week-klnd, affectionate let
ters.. they were, too, which gave me
a greater insight into his character
than I ever had before.
One evening, as l was sitting in
the parlor reading, the bell rang vi
olently, and a servant soon entered
with a telegram addressed to me. A
sense Of coming evil oppressed me,
anu my hand shook so l could
scarcely read it. Mabel Gray was
lying i'll at Newport, very i'll, and l
m list come to her Immediately. 1
went at once, and found her much
worse than 1 feared-indced ,e
physician had already given her up.
1t was a singular coincidence, that
it was the same fever which l nearly
died with the year before, and the
same physician attending her. She
knew me at once as l entered, and
grasping my hand, said eagerly.
al knew you would come to me,
Alice The doctors say l may not
live, and / cannot die without ma
king confession to you-you and
Harvey" and following the direc-
ton of her eyes, 1 perceived DR..
Clifford. The others silently left
the room, and then and there l
learned the cruel wrong which had
suffered, and for moment think
it was like the bitterness of death
to forgive it.
"Let me remedy the evil l have
caused" and joining iny hand in his,
she added, "I want to hear you both
say you forgive me-"
1 could not resist that pleading
look, and forgetting my resentment,
1 said, solemnly.
GAS ] tt lst my sins will be for
given, and remembered no more, so
now in ike manner do l forgive you,
Mabel Gray"
May God, in His great mercy,
forgive me as fully and freely as /
now do you, Mabel" said Harvey
Clifford, earnestly, and at signal
from Mabel, we left the room.
The days brought but little change
to the invalid for some time, but
suddenly, and to the surprise Of al
she rallied, and soon regained a toll
cradle degree of health. She was a
different woman after her recovery.
No one could be more gentle or low
able than she, and when / heard a
minister ha1 wooed and won her, l
was not surprised.
And so, rec Ter, bring you to the
close of this naI lative. DR.. Clifford
finished the confe sion Mabel began,
and without any hesitancy 1 accept
ed hill, and we were to be married
in Cctonar. Tie rich ~harvest-
month soon smiled serenely upon
us, and standing there, in the SOL
emn hush of receding day, we spoke
our ma riage VOWS, and took up the
old so which has been chanted
and sung through so many genera
tions of Gods people.
My uncle was remarkably joyous
on the occasion, and my cheeks
burned, as lie 7 lated, and magniti"d,
l think, my sacrifices and persel YER
ances IN discharg.ng the debt,
(Which by closer investigation, was
found to be much smaller than we
at first supposedly, which had so