Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1871-03-31
THE GAZETTE
CEDAR FALLS, MARCH 81, 1871.
Changed GroOms.

should be supreme law; she allowed
no questioning she would listen to nj
reasoning, no matter how sound.
Husband, children and servant:
fared alike in this respect. They
were all made to act after her fnsh.
ion. She would almost have them
think and feel as she desi ed, until
poor John Morton was forced tc
leave his own home aud seek fol
peace in the distant west; SO the
neighbors said.
The Mortons had several children,
among them IA daughter about seven.
teen years of age. sweet and dutifuI
as any child could be, with bright
golden hair that shaded like crown
her beautiful, queenly face; cheeks
that would rival the lily in color,
touched with Il delicate shade oil
crimson, and eyes of deep blue, with
just enough of the star~b beam i'm them
TO make them sparkle.
Libbie Morton was loved by every
one who knew her-her mother, de-
spite her stern nature, foremost
among the number; but her love was
such as the bear feels for its young
oLes-pride in her beauty in the one
case, pride in their strength in the
other.
One day shortly after John Nor
tons disappearance LibEie was called
to her mothers room to receive, as
she thought, a customary lecture
Her mothers manner was slightly
gentlcr than usual, and she was un-
able to fathom the reason of the
change.
Mrs. Morton. after n short prelude
in which she gave Libbie to under
stand that the property she possessed
now that the revenue from Mr.. Nor
toms business had ceased, would not
be sufficient to maintain them in
their customary mode of living. told
her that she must be the means o
rescuing them from misfortune mo-
indeed by assisting them with hel
labor, but by marrying a rich hus'
band.
Poor Libbie had never thought Sc
riously Of getting married; true
there was Captain Halton, who came
to see her very often, and whom she
bad been accused by her young
friends of looking upon with very
favorable eyes; but he was poor, anC
had only his pay TO support him.
Poor Harry" thought she, wher
her mother had finished speaking
and then the little heart 1iuttered
for she had never thought of leaving
him-never thought that "A day woul,
come when she would be 10 longe
free to admire him in his handsom,
uniform, or promenade on the parade
ground by his side. And then sh,
conscious of deeper feeling, sh'
could not lose him. She felt the ho
blood mounting TO her face; sh,
loved him; and, oh, so dearly, nov
that the thought came of parting
from him forever.
Mrs. Morton had noticed her agita
tion, and, by way of calming her
told her that it was part of a girl'l
duty to marry, and to aid her family
by marrying we'll.
"As for Harry Halton," said she
"he Is we'll enough to flirt with, bu
he will never do for husband"
The first cloud had lowered on the
bright morning of Libbie Morton'G
life.
The week after the interview be
tween mother and daughter the gos
sips Of the little town were busy
with the arrival of young stranger
He was fine looking courteous and
immensely wealthy, and, what was
best, he had bought the handsomes
house in the place, and intended tc
settle there.
lie bad made an engagement tc
call on the Mortons, when the newt
came of John Morton's death in Col
orado.
The house, of course was shut uI
for a while; but after time tho
ladies received company again, ant
Vydral Williams, the new conner
was among the visitors. Libbie had
shrunk instinctively from him the
first time she saw him. He was wei
looking enough, indeed, thought she
but there was shadow that crossed
his face that made her feel like fly,
ing from bis presence. 1t was the
antipathy which pure soul feels In
the society OF depraved one.
At first he came seldom, then of,
ten, then every night. Mrs Morton
had found the husband for Libbie
and SO she told her.
Libbie, poor girl, was horrified.- -
She could never live with or love
that man; there was something re-
pulsiYe in his presence she could
never overcome. Mrs. Morton, In
her own way, tried to soothe her
She said that little intimacy with
him would wear off this feeling o.
dislike; that often those who loved
least when they married were the
happiest afterward; but all was of nc
avail. Poor Libbie only Nept. And
then the tyrant came out, aud Mrs
Morton ordered her to accept when
he proposed. She said he had al.
ready spoken to Ler, and she had
given her consent, and il was now
the duty of a good daughter 10 obey
Libbie was alone in the parlor that
evening with Vydral Williams
Her mother had just left the room,
as prudent mothers often do when
they think the critical moment near,
and Williams had commenced what
poor, frightened Libble thought was
to be a declaration Of love, when in
walked Cart. Halton.
o, what devlish look came from
the eyes of Williams. Libbie shud
dered with fear. Was he an enemy
of Capt. Haiton? No; they spoke
very politely; ani ., what sad
look was i'm the eyes of Harry Hal
ton, when he turned toward her.
He had thought she loved him,
and knew that he loved her, though
they had never spoken of love; and