The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-06-11

Miss Cranston, a very accomplished
woman. kept female school near Blanton,
a quiet town in New Jersey. Ihls place
had been selected by Mrs. Blake, the
mother of one of the Rival Sisters, as her
home, on account Of the reputation OF the
school. Mrs. Blake made her advent In
Banton in the character of a widow. who
had recently lost her husband, and she
brought with her daughter ten years Of
age, named Hester, who was placed with
Miss Cranston as pupil. -
Hester Blake was remarkable child.
Miss Cranston found her a curious
study. . :,
ssif she is not tempted, all may go well
with her," thought the old lady; ''but if
she Isl and the ominous shake of the
head expressed more than words.
Mrs. Blake had fifteen hundred dollars a
wear, which she stated was derived from
property in the South; but where it was
situated, and in what place she had lived
before she made her advent in Blanton, was
a matter Of conjecture. No amount of
pumping had been successful in extracting
such information from either mother or
daughter. a.-.#. .r
For a few years the stranger lived
almost alone, for her friendless advent
among them had not inspired her neighbors
with much confidence in her antecedents !;
but as time went on, she won upon the
good opinion Of those around her, and at
the time my story opens, Mrs. Blake was
received as guest by the best families IN
the village. 49,,
People did not trust her, but they adj
mired and pitied her; for they said ''she IS
roodly to look at, and she has evidently
been a sufferer in the battle of life.o All !!
if thew had known how, and under what
circumstances that battle had been wagcd,
| am inclined to think that the reputed
widow would have found few frienos r de-
tenders in that strait-laced neighborhood.
The cottage occupied by Mrs. Blake
stood about mile from the town. 1t was
comfortable house, with a yeranda in
front. over which Towering vines were
trained, and the large yard that surrounded
it was shaded by elm-trees.
She was now dreamily regarding her
daughter, who stood in front of mirror
combing out mass of black glistening hair.
The figure of the girl was modelled after
that of her mother: there was the same
perfection of outline the same sinuous,
elastic movement: but the faces were not
alike. 1r {. srsr Z.
She suddenly turned, and facing her
mother, said:
tThe dull monotony of this place is be-
coming uncomfortable to me. | wish to see
something of the world-t must see it
mother.n w
With sigh, Mrs. Blake said:
"Sit down on that low chair, and try TO
be quiet while speak of things had almost
determined never to reveal to you."
Hester sat down, and prepared to listen
to what she had SO long desired to know.
Mrs. Blake at length spoke:
'sYou ask me how it happened that was
cast off by the man adored why he was
permitted to wrong me so bitterly as to
bring to his home another wife, while yet
lived and suffered?
81 must go back to my early life, and tell
YOU of myself before | became the wife OF
Armand Landry. My father was a dssi.
pated, reckless man, who owned a small
place near LIE Boeage, as the Landry plan
tation was called. 1 was his only child. ]
was educated in convent schoolin France,
till was nearly eighteen years old. Then
my aunt took me home, having already ar
ranged a marriage for me. was not con-
suited, but | did.not rebel against it, fol-
Claude Beltot was young and good looking,
and preferred remaining IN France as his
wife, to returning to the dullness Of planta-
ton life.
.sMy father gave me twenty thousand
francs as my dover, and Beltot expected to
get much more from him. think that pros
pect induced him to marry me, for | soon
found that he was as indifferent to me as
was to him.
indifference soon merged into contempt
~: IL, n ityac
his. We had evidently made a wretched
mistake, and we were glad to separate by
mutual consent. | returned to Louisiana,
and Bet6t went to Algeria. 1t
"When / came back to my early home |
found my father living as reckless as ever.
"Among the young men who came to his
house was Armand Landry. He was two
years younger than l, for he had not com
pleted his twentieth year when first met
him. He soon forsook the gaming table to
linger near me, and I-well-I was mad
enough to give him the heart my husband
had never tried to win. | loved him to that
degree that thought life would be worth
less unless it was shared with him..
"Armand seemed devoted to me, but he
never asked me to marry him. He knew
that his proud old father would look with
scorn on the daughter of such man as my
father was. E
nMy father swore that Armand should
yet be my husband, and for that purpose
he obtained divorce for me from Beltot.
was so infatuated that cared little by
what means Armand was to be ensnared,
provided became his wife. entered into
his plans, shameful as they were, and
allowed myself to be united to a man who
had been lured again to our house, and
when incapable of acting for himself, was
pronounced my husband by missionary
who had been so short time in the conn
try that he knew nothing of the wrong he
was helping to carry into effect, lie was
brought to the house few moments before
the ceremony was performed, and left i'm
mediately afterward.
ga time had been chosen when the elder
Landry was absent from home. / believed
that Armand loved me as truly as | did
him.
sit was several weeks before he recover
ed all the natural energy of his mind, and
began once to fear that he would be per-
manently injured by the drug | had per-
mitted to be administered TO him. But the
time came when he fully understood the
position in which he was placed, and then
such scenes as passed between us cam
not deScrihe lie fiprcelV resented fha mart