The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-11-05

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persuaded my sister aud 1 to go away to
the home of friend to spend the sum-
mer, thinking that absence would
weaken his power over me-. About a
fortnight after leaving home I received
an anonymous letter Il never discovered
who was the writer unfolding to me
the real character of my betrothed. 1t
stated that the author had known
.Rayner before he came into our neigh
borhood, and told me instances of his
having been guilty Of such immoral
conduct that I blush even now to think
Of it. The letter closed by an appeal to
my love for my father, and begged me,
/ If I did not wish to bring his gray hairs
In sorrow to the grave, to give up all
thought Of marrying Rayner. A
strange thing is woman's heart. Al
though all respect for Ralph vanished
with the reading Of that letter Gor
somehow I did not doubt its truth, yet,
when a few days after received a visit
from him, found that his presence still
had the power to cause my rebellious
heart to puIsate as wildly as ever. l
succeeded, however, in getting up my
courage sufficiently to show him the
letter had received. IF I had any
doubt of its truth before, had none af-
ter watching him read the terrible ac-
cusations against himself, for his face
revealed his guilt too plainly for mis-
construction. OF course he denied
Eeverything in the widest terms, but
my mind was made up-I told him all
was over between US. Poor fellow! ]
believe he really did love me after all,
for when 1 bade him goodbye he burst
into tears, ex claiming: '-'
40, Mollie, this will kill meF
"You must know, girls, it was all ]
could do to hide the real state Of my
feelings from him. But I summoned
all my pride to my aid and lightly told
him he would soon forget me.
cit was dark night, without a star,
yet he and friend that had come with
him resolved to return home. I went
outside the door and stood in the dark
ness, while they mounted their already
tired steeds that were standing tied to
the yard fence. Oh, what bitter curses
I heard him pour forth. With what
dreadful feelings heard him vow to cut
the heart out of the writer of that letter
before, morning flor it seemed he sus-
pected who its author was). 1t is NO
wonder that when my sister came to
look for me I turned to her, buried my
face in my hands, and bursting into
tears, exclaimed, %, what have I done
what have I done?' Is it any wonder
that even now, looking back out of my
happy married life to that dreadful
night, cannot fepress a shudder ~
Mrs. Halstead's eyes and Eva's also
were filed with tears, as she closed, and
Matte was sobbing outright. Presently
she said:
'I never could have done it, Mrs
Halstead-never. If had cared fol
him just the least bit in the world
when he said that at parting, I should
just have put my arms around his neck
and told him that I didn't care how
mean be was, so long as he loved me
1 would go with him to the ends of the
EARTH" e.i-,'.. .aa .4.-..-F.-
"And that too, said astonished Mrs
Halstead, "when all respect for him WA
gone? Take care, Matte, or that i'm
pulsive little heartof yours will get yoI
into trouble YETI --
"And did you never see him again p
inquired Eva.
"Several times; and to save my life
couldn't keep my foolish little hear
from coming right up in my throat a
the sight of him; but that was before
had found a better love. L met hin
once after my marriage, at the house O
a friend; who was relative of his, an,
. then / couldn't help WOndering how
had ever been SO siliyas to seeaBythinI
attractive about him. .i.ojjE III
What became of him, inaliyp W.
g".He married q girl whom he had beel
engaged to before knew him, and 70
! some reason had broken the engage
= ment. When he came back TO her sh
: was so weak as to receive him wit
. open arms. They only lived together
: year or two, VIII en- he left and went oi
, to the mines, or some place else, an
was finally shot in a drunken row., Hi
wife is still knocking about in tn
. world somewhere, with blackene
name, 1 hear, though 1 hope it is nc
: true, for would gladly believe that n
life was wholly wrecked by his evil in
: f1uence."
e Silence fell upon the little group for
. while. twas broken at last by Matte
81 do not wonder now, dear Mrs. Hal
3 stead, that you believed it to be you
y duty to warn us against Mr. Marshal
$ Are you quite sure he is as bad as 20
8 would have US believer
: nQuite sure. In fact, l did not te
J, you half the truth.n a~ .aaJ sls-
l'"Will you get nea piece of note ps
> per, please, and pen and ink ?'''
"What are you going to do, Matte ?
inquired her cousin. 12i-i has1sJ 2s' Z.
ss'Why, you know our Golden queens
2 are ripening fast, and we are going I
n harxa "A,