Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1872-02-21

did for could ask ham to save me,
then, No. 1t is just that | detest-
loaths-tbis man ?"
She spoke quietly now, as if the clamax
of passionate feeling was past, aud sOthe-
thing very like apathy was stealing over
her. Mr.. Blouut looked with anxiety
ofapprehension at her pale face aud droOp-
ing form.
my daughter" said he abruptly,
" you think the sactifice which your own
conduct has imposed upon hard one.
Listen to me, aud l will tell you Of a
much harder sacrifice which l once made
to sense of honor. Did it ever occur TO
you to wonder, Emily, why l married
your mother ?"
81 have always wondered at it," she
answered, listlessly.
'She was handsome when first saw
her, and much admired; and, from the
first moment of our acquaintance, she ex-
erted every effort to attract me. l don't
think that, intrinsically considered, |
should have given her a single thought, or
that it would have been possible for her
to obtain my most transient attention.
But was young and vain, and, hattered
by the favor voluntarily bestowed on me
"a favor which | saw so many around
me coveting-I was unhappily drawn on,
until, despite my better judgement, and
almost before | knew what was about, |
was engaged to her.
1t was at watering-placc that we
met, Just at the end of the season. On
the very day after | offered myself, and
been accepted, we parted to return to
our respective homes. | was startled to
find that, as l journeyed homeward, |
dragged heightened chain, not Of regre'
at parting from her, hut of repentance
that had been SO weak as to yield to a
momentary infatuation, thus binding my.
self in honor to marry a woman for whom
l entertained not the slightest genuine re
gard. And, if felt this at the time, how
much more did feel it afterward, wher
accident threw across my path woman
whom | could have really loved, whom
did love, Notwithstanding my struggle:
against what my own folly rendered {
hopeless passion But did not hesitate
my daughter, as to what | should do
The real passion which had taken posses
sion of my heart filled it with DISCUS
for the woman to whom | had engaged
myself, equal, at least, to that which you
entertained for this man you are about tc
marry" The girl shivered at his las
words, Butt was bound in honor
and l kept my faith. Now, do you no
see that my case was harder than you
own? | loved another woman. Yol
have Just assured me that sting i
not added to you sufferings. | was per
fectly aware that it was only for IN,
wealth, and my reputation as an ambi
tious and rising man, that the coquett
who had netted me wished to become m
wife; while you must acknowledge tha
Madison is really attached to you TO
yourself alone. | do not admire him a
man; he certainly would not have bee
my choice as a son-in-law but | mus
do him the justice to admit that his lov
for you is thoroughly honest and disinter
ested. | never was mistaken IN m
Judgment of mans character, and | al
certain of this"
+ What does it matter? l hate him
| abhor him-I loathe him ! Father" (sh
5 caught his arm with both her hands, an
looked despairingly in his face), " do 20
] mean to tell me that there is no escape
. that | mast marry him y
q "My daughter cannot act hishonorably
and it would be dishonorable to dra
, back now"
Then, God help me, since 20
won't p she cried, burying her face
d her hand, After a minute, she slowl
/, withdrew them, and looked up. 81 al
r sorry have distressed you in this wa,
papa, since it has done no good. SUI
!. pose you are right-that every thir
: ought to be sacrificed to honor. | wi
: try to be resigned, since it must be so."
She rose to go, and her father, risir
a also, bent his head and pressed his lips
e her brow.
f "My poor child" he said
: That was all; but she saw that his eye
: we're full of tears.
J, t" Are you sorry for me as that?' 81
t said, with sad, faint smile. And the
she repeated her last words "I wi
try to be resigned, since it must be So"
CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK.
O AS to the value of conversions &C
alone can Judge. God alone can kno
how wide are the steps which the soul b
u to take before it can approach to a COT