The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-09-28

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money. Aunt Margaret was much troubled,
and Notwithstanding q most rigid search
the thief was not discovered.
I, like oil meddlesome children, had to
have say in the matter, and still having
spite IN my heart against poor nurse, With
ated that she was the guilty party. Poor
woman, how remember her looks che !
almost turned white from indignation and |
shame.
Being questioned on the subject, the |
moro she denied it the more declared her |
guilt, and thus told at least dozen lies to |
conceal the original one. No moro light !
being thrown on the subject, Mr.. Lame, |
after delay Of several days babe us adieu |
and started for home.
About four weeks afterwards my parents
returned, when affairs began to settle down
for the winter, it was agreed that was too
old to be allowed any longer to run wild,
and in order to tame me q little, I was
placed at a Convent not far from New Or
leans, under the charge of the good Nuns.
I! remained there six years. Oh, how often
during that time did my conscience re-
proach me, aad how often did wish to ex-
onerate poor nurse of what had accused
her. How could I ever have courage to
tell the truth However, made mp my
mind, whatever it cost, the truth must be
spoken. I had not been in the Convent a
year when the frst gun from Fort Sumpter
declared open war, and my father was one
of the first to offer his services to defend
his native State, and had formed q company
at his own expense.
How clearly remember the day be came
to bid me goodbye. With q forced smile
| he told me Of all the wonderful feats he pro-
posed to perform and full of hope he gave
me Anal embrace. Little did either of us
think it was our last parting, but SO God
had ordained. ..
| Well, to make my story short when
left the Convent it was to End every thing
and every one changed. My once heauti-
full home had been destroyed and from
afiaence we were reduced to comparative
poverty mother and had both to strug
gle on as best we could.
As soon as an opportunity occurred re-
vealed in full how had belied Nurse
| Sylvia, and expressed my deep regret. 1t
| was then ascertained that nurse had been
go mortified by the blemish thrown on her
character, that it quite impaired her health
and she even begged to be sold out OF
our family, in which che had lived from In :
fancy. The breaking out Of the war had
changed her plans, her natural goodness
of heart overcame her own personal feel
ings, and she declared she would never
leave "Missus, whilst Massa was away"
Towards the end of the war when Lin
coins proclamation of freedom was an
nounced, my mother told nurse she was
then her own mistress, and could 60 where
she wished to earn money for her own sup
Dot. for she was not able to pay her wages.
So nurse. after making her mistress az
comfortable as passible, started of for un
known quarters. Tue only message she
left was to tell I" Miss HELEN she torgaVe
her and would always pray for her"
, All this quite surprised me-but to my
, story. Some three years later we were
| surprised by visit from the son OF oul
; old friend, Mr.. Lane, who stayed Ions
while with us, and on the eve OF his DC
, parture asked my mothers PERMISSION y
marry me ; saying he had come purposei!
to see if his former little sweetheart hae
been satisfied with the result of his visit
/ and now was anxious to realize his fathers
wishes.
l OF course my mothers consent was read
3 lily given and he referred to mo-. Whel
informed of his intentions, l told him can
3 didly I could never marry him without frs
revealing not only to him bnt also to hi
/ father O very dark etain on nay cheracte
' which would probably impress him with
: very different opinion of one whom he hat
D held in such high esteem. 1870
i. Then I rehearsed as near as could re
f member, poor old Sylvia's tale, and, it
1 needless to cay, lover-like, he fully forgav'
y me, saying, time might afford me an op
d portunity to repair the evil done. Fo
: several years after my marriage RENAME
: at my mothers but my husbands busi
Q uess bringing him frequently North no de
d termined to live there.
We had scarcely gpt fixed in Philadel
= phia When, one day, being out, an old ne
Q gress passed me, and the next moment
d heard familiar voice say, sob, dat youn
q lady's got Miss Hellen's eyes," Turnin
= around, who was gazing after me but dea
u good old Sylvia. Forgetting where W
b were, we almost rushed into each other
arms. All thought of social distinctto
20 was forgotten, and had she been my siste
d could not have been more delighted; ho'
at glad was to have the opportunity of 81
c. pressing my remorse for my revenge
as years past. She was then on her way
re secure place as a seamtress, and aske
J. if would give her a line as refeTent
le which would enable her to obtain q qui
home. SCI will do all can for You but
~ I should offer you as good a situate
Id would you accept it Z Her reply was il:
CO "The very sight of you, my honey, Won
i" make me happy, and it would cheer my o
I'd heart to be with you"
be "But, Sylvia" I asked, "can you ev
n fully forgive me the wrong have dor
g. you 2"
SO any dear, forgave that folly years al
~ and as anxious as am to go with 20