The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-07-12

polished in his manner and address
consequently, it is not at all surprisin
that Mabel should reciprOcate his al
| fectiOn, and be desirOus of returning
his love and becoming his wife.
| Her dream of matrimonial bliss wa
cut short by the appearance of hi
awful alteration of intellect.
What was his delight, on his restOra
ton to sanity, to find that Miss Fairfa,
was unmarried, and to be told that SIN
still retained favorable recollection O
himself.
Twelve months elapsed, and durin,
| the whole of that time Mr.. Hardy
conduct was most exemplary.
Even those most prejudiced agains
his return to the small community
were compelled, 10y the pressure o
popularopinion, to change their minds
Mr.. Fairfax, however, was one o
an idea to take firm root in thei
minds, can never be induced to thor
oughly eradicate it.
If they chop it down, the roots re
main and germinate afresh.
He openly declared that he woul(
never consent to his daughters uniOr
With Mr.. Hardy.
Mabel endeavOred to combat thi.
decision, but in vain. Her father, be
ing an imperious man, and one of tn,
leading tradesmen in the place, wa,
fond of being obeyed.
eff you do not act as / cOmmanC
you,u he said, "rest assured that I viii
unhesitating disinherit you. Morton
the butcher, has son who loves you
Find better match, and l am con
tented"
II love another" murmured Mabel
"That love should have been con
quered, stamped out, and extinguishet
years ago,o cried her father angriiy
"YOu have no regard for what l say
or you would have forgotten the mad
man when you knew what he was"
"He is no longer mad" Mabel ven
tured to urge.
"How can you tell that?"
"The doctors surely ought to know
about to say something naughty, wher
he checked the Objectionable adjective
that trembled on his lips, and added
'There is no dependence to be placed
on man whose mind has once gone
wrong. Any medical man will tel
you that"
Mabel hung her head and replied
that, of she could not fulfil her an.
cient vows, and marry Mr.. Hardy, she
would remain single.n
''Better that than tie yourself for life
to lunatic," cried Mr.. Fairfax
rudely.
At this Mabel burst into tears.
Softened at this exhibition of grief
her father kissed her tenderly and
said, 81 am acting for the best have
your welfare at heart, my dear"
"Oh, no! You are very, very cruel
she sobbed.
"some day you will speak very
differently"
"Neveru
"But l say yes. You will thank me
in the time to come for the judiciOu>
restraint | am now exercising Ovel
you. Put an end to this matter al
once"
''In what way?n asked Mabel.
"When Mr.. Hardy comes to see
you, tell him plainly that your views
that, in fact, you cannot be his wife
Mabel said nothing in reply to thi-;
and, after few more remarks, hei
father left her to her own reflections.
Poor girl she was much to be pitied
With all the romantic notions of youth
about her, she thought it little less
than a crime to break the troth she
had plighted in the happy years gone
by.
Her fathers determination left hel
no option.
The struggle between love and duty
was severe but brief.
Mr.. Hardy saw her the next day
and she told him, with many tears
that it was useless for him to urge his
suit.
"Uselessw he cried, betraying the
utmost excitement. "Have you ceased
to love me, Mabel?'
"Alas! No." she replied.
"Why, then, the declaration l have
just listened tO?'
'1t is my fathers wish that l should
do so.
"How? Your father is at the bot.
tom of this. | could find it in my
heart to curse him."
"NO, no! you must not do that. He
may be right. He is my father, and !
must not question the wisdom of his
decision"
"This is folly" said Mr.. Hardy.
tunes may have been, am sane now
and can offer you moderate COM
potency. Fly with me, Mabel-brave
your fathers wrathv'
~ cannot" she replied.
"You will consent to give me up al
the dictatiOn Of q parent?'
"Hes," she answered, family.
"Ohw exclaimed Mr.. Hardy, "lhat
| could conquer my unhappy passion
as easily as you seem to have subdned
that which you led me to believe you
entertained for mer'
at is unsubdued," cried Mabel, un.
able to resist this pathetic appeal.
"And yet you will condemn yourself
to misery. Truly has Byron said:
The cold in cline, are cold in blood
Had | been in Italy or Spain, and had
you the blood of those countries, flow.
ing through your veins, we should
have laughed at all obstacles"
1--WE can be friends" suggested
Mabel.
"Bah J" exclaimed Mr.. Hardy. 'tOr
such terms / will not continue my in
tercOurse with you. Either marry me
or let us sever our connection for ever
You shall have all the letters yOu
have written to me; and What shall
l have?"
He laughed Economically.
His manner was so wild and strange
that Mabel looked at him with wonder
not unmixed with terror.
"I will have my revenge!" he sup
plemented.
Suddenly he clasped Mabel in hi.
arms, imprinted a burning kiss urOr
her lips, and then rushed from the
room.
Hooper did not see him till late al
night
He wondered where he had been
and wondered still more when he saw
the excited state in which he was. The
wind had blown his hat off, his hail
was rough, and his eyes bloodshot.
Without speaking to Hooper, ht
flung himself into an arm chair, and
rinaing the bell, called for brandy.
"Where have you been to-day, Mr.
Hardyw asked Hooper.
"That's no business of yours" re-
piled Mr.. Hardy.
The domestic now brought the
brandy and placed it, with some hot
water and glasses, upon the table.
MIR. Hardy rose to help himself
when Hooper again interpOsed.
"Seeing that you are excited, sir
he said, g, think you had better not