Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-04-20
NORA,S LESSON.
BY ALICE ROBINS.

own him again, never"
So said Nora Werians to a school friend
as they talked over some dreadful misdeed
that had just come to light.
HNor l, either. 1 should think Garry
Simpson would never hold up her head
again. Do you suppose she viii come to
SCHOOL, Of course not; / am sure she will
not. She is the proudest girl know, and
don't feel half so sorry for her on that ac-
count. Suppose it was my brother Ned, or
your brother Harry"
"Oh, don't suppose such thing, shud-
dered Nora. "My brother Harry! Why,
he is just my idol! Does he look as If he
could be mean or wicked?o
'tNo, indeed" was the enthusiastic re-
ply, with heightened color, Everybody
likes your brother Harry, and our Ned is
something of a fayorite. But Tim Simpson
was always getting into trouble-always
forward, and presuming, and disagreeable.
never liked his face, and he never seemed
so happy as when he was teasing us girls.
l just looked for something of this kind. l
don't think anybody liked him. 1t must be
pretty hard, though, for Garry; he was her
brother, and supposed she liked him, after
fashion,"
The girls had now arrived at Morals
house, and parted, after many lingering last
words. Nora tripped merrily up the mar
bic steps, and entered the handsome vesti-
bule. Some way her brothers presence
seemed strangely beside her. At one time,
as she took off her hat in her own room, it
seemed to her that he was calling her. "But
how fOolishl" she said to herself, as she
stood by the mirror, smoothing her hair.
"Harry is away in New York, and must
be nervous. It is that terrible matter
about Tim Simpson that has made me feel
so. Dear Harry, he will be home for the
holidays in week, and wonder what he
will bring me.'
Still, wherever she went, she was con-
scious of that haunting presence. All the
evening she could talk of nothing but Harry,
and when she retired that night her
thoughts were fall of him.
"How strange" she said to herself, eff l
should go into his room, suddenly, and find
him therew
Acting upon the impulse of the moment,
she opened the door, slowly, as if half fear
full of some unexpected vision. Little by
little the light crept in, showing her all the
familiar furniture-Harry's desk, his cabi-
net of curiosities, bis portrait, painted by
an artist friend, his Indian collection of
bows and arrows on the old-fashioned stand
in the corner-all were there, but no Harry.
elbow foolish amp she said, standing
before the picture, which seemed, somehow,
to have taken on an expression of profound
grief. The contemplation of his handsome
brow, large eyes, expressive mouth, and the
beautiful, curling hair, filed her with sad,
restless wistfulness as she looked.
"It's all that terrible thing we were talk
ing about, she said to herself, again and
again. 81 am sure Harry is incapable of
doing any such evil thing!' and so she tried
to comfort herself.
1t must have been midnight, when, sud-
denly rousing from some painful dream,
she seemed to hear footsteps, cautious and
slow, near her room door, as of one walking
stealthily. Leaning upon her elbow to
listen, the sounds appeared to pass on to
her brothers room. What could it mean?
Still listening, she heard a match struck
against some sharp surface, and then she
became aware of faint light streaming
through her brothers key-hOle, and from
under his door.
What did it mean? Her heart began
beating violently; it seemed to shake her as
she sat there, covering and shivering in her
bed.
at may not be late" she said to herself,
"but have walked up too soon, and papa
has gone to Harry's room for something
At that moment clock in the hall struck
tweve. Nora shuddered as she heard it.
Her father always retired ten, and all the
household was still save this mysterious
noise. She crept carefully on ped afraiu
of thieves and ye not sufficiently cour
ageOus to give the aarm.
Presently something fell and then in
deed. the girls heart sank, for sh distinctly
heard the low, impatieu isOund her brother
Always made when anything wen wrong.
Quietly she dressed herself, trembling in
every limb. If it should be Harry, why had
he returned and at that hour? She thought
of all her previous trouble, of her vague m
pressiODs that he needed her, called her;
and when she was dressed, it was with ter
rible misgiving that she neared the door,
and placed her hand upon the ivory knob.
If she opened it what should she see? If
he was there, what would he say? 1t was
useless for her to stop to reason and all at
once she turned the knob, and she door
opened.
There she stood with wild look in her
eyes, and there, indeed, stood Harry, her
brother, carpet-bag at his feet his manner
and appearance totally unlike anything she
had ever seen before. His eyes were blood
shot, his hair neglected, his mouth white
and drawn, his whole face changed from its
once serene and smiling beauty.
'HarTyl" escaped her trembling lips, as
her hands came together; "Oh, Harryr'
And still he did not speak, only stood and
looked at her vacantly.
"What does it mean?" she cried, in a low,
frightened voice. "What are you here for
so late? What are you doing? Where are
you going? Oh, Harry, darling, you are as
pale as death. Something has happened.
Tell me what it isl
$50 back, Node," was all he said.
81 won't go back. l know something
dreadful has happened. won't go back"
She came forward, and fell, half fainting,
into chair. "No matter what you have
done, Harry''-and her voice grew hysteri-
cal-"I'll love you all the same; only tell
me-tell me-"
"I'm ruined, Nora, that's ALL" said the
young man, in harsh tone, and fell on his
knees, bending almost to the floor, with
covered face, and heavy sobs.
Nora was at his side in moment; her
arms were about him.
"Oh, Harry, darling! l said to-day you
were my idol, 1 said-did 1 say that what
ever you did, you would be the same to
me? No; but say it now; nothing shall
lesson my love for you, dear Harry-dear-
est Harry! Only tell me-tell me- l am
your sister. Twill stand by you-only tell
me-"
"Nora go away. You will go fast enough
when you hear. have committed crime.
l have done terrible deed. l have killed
a man, Nora, what do you think of that?
They will call it manslaughter, for L struck
him in passion, and he died the day after;
but oh, Nora, did not mean to do it. He
insulted me, and you know my quick tenn
per. Now, l am in hiding. l must dis
guise myself, and become a fugitive and a ]
wanderer. 1t viii kill mother; but think
what it would be to so to prison, to live in
prison, year after year; why, you would
hate and despise me; you would never
speak to me again."
Nora drew back for a moment. A
deathly sickness made her CHASTITY. A ter
tribe tremor seized every nerve of her ten
der frame; but she had only to look at him,
worn and white, as with months Of sickness,
her beloved brother, her counsellor, her
dearest friend, her noble, beautiful, Harry,
now utterly PROSTATE, stricken to the earth