Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-12-01
nth then. She had LEFT him. Bat how

:
d NJ ring and = letter.
A "Be ore YOU T, al this''-so the letter ran--o,I
shall have placed myself beyond the po~vr OF
repentance. Blame yOUT coward a.t Tor tho.
me. How | loved nv COUSIN, even when Il
married you, and sacrificed msself tor M ola
fathers sake, you know. How Z would have
crushed that love in my heart. ant lea NON ne
there but duty, matters not now. Nou chose %
think me guilty when I was innocent before
Heaven. He had written 10 me many times. Z
had only read the hrSt, the last DESTROYED an
opened. The one on which YOU founded yonr
charge was intercepted before u reached me-
had never even spoken O. him since 4 ACCEPT a
your hand. never would have done -, but
Ter the iuciguity Yen put ufpn m AMI ssy
again, blame your own coward act Tor the
shame and ruin that have blsltcd both our
live -"
The shock was terrible one 20 John Port
man; his name diShoT ored, ~ one fen blow.
Had he been a man Of les comm aud OF ssif. 81
lees power of will, u would have msddened him.
As Il vas, he refOlded the lUtter, tisi n up to-
Z, Their with some 9th, r.. ard PLACID them. aud
The other trihing re- les m the hiddsn drawer ct
the cabinet aud locked up the secret In his on n
ht ait Tor ten long year,.
From that moment he become the cold,
stern. si!tn man We have des-rii,Jd him. I. n
al these ycars any :, n'rnrut or PITY OF forgive
ness LOT Ills Host ~ lie Ettw up in his heart he
nsy'r showed " In his daily tfe; Tor ali the cv-
Ut nee bs outward being gave. shc M q a never
have existed. Living ~ nraH she y A. u,f.ir.,
10 hiu-she could be nothing .n tina @, come.
II Wa late IN NuNcurrf. Ih- suoU had fallen
a. q AZ year, and tAul Is covered the house
ops i'd uu'rcddcu PIsc.> viii fts pure white
mantle. IN thr street and rvsuwass Vas>eu-
GER, horses ami Nehlylg~ hsd trauYlr,l aud
ciuSb,d 10 into a brown. half-meItud s,udrs.
- ming like condensation Of the murky i0E
that hung over the great city.
II WAS barely four O'Clock, but Go vas auitA
dark, What Little light the season istt at th1t
hour had been blottri cut By the foc. The
lamps in the street, made thetil~tf Eea-ut lftt,,
ti-e-yiSihle. Vehicles 81 al descriptions sgTra
rafting through the streets, the drivers shout
ing eguivOcsl compliment, ~ Ihcy mirsy ul0u-ly
avoided collision With each other. Wsll-,lrtsss,f
aud Well-fed rcSpcctahiIty shOullsred its
way along the pavement a. if engaged ia a race
against time; while shiy'ring, hungry poverty
sunk along or cruuChrd va slclterug door
Ways, having no part iu the busy life around
them the WithoIing, sapiUsS OF shoots OF Tie
parent Stem-Ciyilig alton.
Among The Josuiug, eager crowd Mr.. John
POItman made his way. cold ami upoi..rva,.
OF the scene around hum. Btggars held out
their hands and put NJ their appeal Tor charity.
They might as well have addressed them.tIv.F
TO the granite pillar az the corner OF the street
where the solicitor halted for a moment % look
al his watch by the light VI the gas light.
A. be put his watcn back into his pocket
there fitted by him-so clos, IN almost as -
touch him-a female figure, shabbIly and poorly
clad. Although its head was bent toward tho
ground, be caught gimtsc OF the features,
and IN an instant recognized tbem.
For a mOmtut his heart ceased % seat. ans
then the blood c0uTsed thTough his veins a. al
had not done for many year. lie Staggered
back as u heavy blow had struck him. but.
recovering directly, looked after the figure re-
coding in the darkness, aud followed rsiiJly In
its track.
He soon neared her. for although she walked
quickly, her step iaiJsrrd irrquentI,5 aud every
Low and then she paused, With her haua % her
SIDE. as If TO take BREATH bur always before
John Portman could satisfy himself whether he
had not made terrible mistake, she passed or
again.
What a whirl OF conflicting. tumultuoug
thoughts made his brain giddv a. De followed
that silent uguIe, bis footsteps nyi-eic-S lu -be
snow! Could IL be that she VINO al been dead
10 him for ten years yet lived" or Was b. only
spectre risenirom the grave of memory t0 haunt
him on the night? lie could not then compose
his thoughts TO any course ct acton bat % fol-
low her TO the end, aud that was near.
She lad now reached a row OF mean dilapi-
dated houses, branching uum street fun IL
gaTmgly lighted up shops OF the lowest class.
One OF these houses she entered without knock
ing, for the door stood open, and John PortnEu
followed uOisclessly INTO the dark entrance and
NJ the Tickety stairofse.
He paused on the Landing, looking with tvsI
intent into the gloomy chamber she had en-
tered. She al not closed tue door, aad he
striking OF a match; then tue feeble iyut uf q
tallow candle showed her 60 him plainly. There
was no doubt now, ID was ui> vile.
But how chaugCd-hOw terribly thaugsIt
The features 50 round and radiant with hearth
were worn and pAll.d, the bright ewes nUs dim
and sunken, the rosy lifs nov 50 riHohed AMI
drawn. He could not bear IL, a-l a low m3au
burst from his very heart.
She heard it-turnUd and saw him. AMI I'm
that instant, fell upon her knees, hau's ont
stretched, a. IL 10 keep hIm from her. lie stool
il tie doorway looking Al the knee in HEu-e.
his heart stirring with new emotions, strange
and dead to him foT 80 many years.
After a little while she spoke la a low brbkau
voice, but stlll stern,y aud distinctly. ami Es
listened 70 the words As 10 he were hen dream.
" a heaven hears me- she said. u EaEs
prayed Tor this, although ] dreamed ia part
Of my just punishment. Ny expiration coal
lot have been complete unless you HAD seen -
what my fault has brcu :ht me and here GA my
knees, thank Heaven Tor 10. What degrade
ton have ieIt-what want ana misery I have
uIdergOne-weTe uojliug % what experiences
here" She ciasped one haui upon nar psJr
wasted side; and then went ON: " When I Iett
you. my angry, wounded pride prompted me ID
DO YOU shameful wrong; iu al my su.igrinL 10
has been consolation 20 me % know thar
spared myself and yOn the shame; for 1 aIa iu-
uOcent-bef0re Heaven
She slowly raised her wasted hands, ne II i1 z
solemn appeal for The truth OF wha- She said,
thea claspCd them ult her knees, and continued.
Even when left you forever, a. I wei
knew, the wickedress OF what l bad tn my
heart, terrified me, and 1 would have returned
10 ask your forgiveness. and q yield my own,
but Tor my pride. that hluiored me; lgJ wrote
q lie TO yoq-as Heaven judges me, 4 was-iur
left England alone"
The figure in the doorway stirred Is il L
would have towards her; but she extended her
hands again 10 keep il of.
Hear me OUT she said family; .'therc r.
not much more TO tell. VIII not speak oil
what I suffered thinking OF you, or how my re-
lcntauce struggle NaillE WIN my PRIDE
changed my name when LETT England, aud in
Italy obtained an engagement - gOyrrness %
the daughter OF a Spanish n0bleman. 81 Il
lived awhile dTearily and quietly enough, until
he found me out-my cousin and were forced
10 fly from a danger 1 feared worse than dtsth.
From that time the misery L 70 well deserved
fell heavily upon me. ] was very well Tor a
long time but the death for which I prayed 30
earnestly would not come 20 me, and Tgc0y-
cred. was forced TO labor with my hands iur
the life 1 loathed; but On all that weary tmo
there was no bitterness iu my heart iJr yoI-
Can YOU forgive mc-dyiHg-brGkcn hcarted.'
Her wasted figure dropped as the last w0Tls
left her lips, and she would have fallen hgt Tor
him; he was kneeling by her eide IN an instant,
holding her in hls arms, speaking Go her br0k-
enly-his GOODNESS and reserve all swept away
by the bent-up emotions Of ten long years, bat
now let loose.
" Not dying, Mary! Look M. and speak -
me! Heaven knows have need Of forgiveness
more than you! Live for my sake, Mary, aul
let the years TO come atone FOR the wretcAli
past"
The look upon hsg face-the awful change OF
coming death he 81" there - he pil0wed the
weary head upon his shOuIder-gas too plain 70
be mistaken, and low cry Of agony bg0ke from
him.
&" 1t is better as il Is" she said again, in Z
voice 80 low that he could scarcely hear It.
Won fGrqiVp IN dear. hug 1 Igg..