The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-07-23

ana looked at the matter as calmly
and coOlly as 1 could. I determined to
leave the scene of this bitter disappoint-
ment and seek "surcease of sorrow" in
the excitement and change of travel.
Arranging my affairs did not take me
long, and drawing my funds from the
bank, where they were deposited, I
bade adieu to nv frierds and started for
New York. My sudden resolution was
a surprise to all who were intimate with
me, but my explanation was that / had
long meditated trip to the old world,
and more OppOrtune period than the
present to gratify this desire would
probably never occur. I Ehad been
entirely reticent about my rel htions with
Jennie, and although some of my boon
companions rallied me- about leaving
such an attraction when, to all appear
ances, was the favorite suitor, passed
| the matter off as though it was q cap
| ital joke while suffering unspeakable
| torture at my heart. -
In a few days a gallant steamer bore
me across the ocean. It is unnecessary
| to name the route pursued, or speak of
my rambles in England and on the
continent.
A year passed then came a longing
for my native land, and homeward I
turned my footsteps. Upon arriving at
! New York / went straight to Washing
| ton, where / had friends, through
whose influence obtained a position in
| the postal department of the govern
| ment. My duties were in the bureau
devoted to "dead letters" Here an
other year was spent. Time passes
very swiftly when one is busy, even if
| the heart is heavy. My duty was
chiefly opening dead letters, and many
| a curious and quaint epistle passed
through my hands.
One day while the room in which
several clerks beside myself were en-
gagged was undergoing repairs, several
old letters dropped from a desk being
removed from the wall. The carp9n-
ter picked them up and handed them to
one of the employees in the Office.
"Why," said he, Harry here is a
letter directed to you"
As received it from his hand | re-
cognized the handwriting at a glance.
1t was from Jennie, and had been writ
ten nearly year previously. By some
means it had rot reached me while
was waiting for the place 1 subsequently,
obt'ined, and had preceded me a few
days in the dead Letter office"
There 1t had lain almost a whole year
through an accident, but for which |
should never have received it, and
probably never know the revelation it
brought.
With a nervous tremOr l opened it
and devoured it's contents, which were
these:
DEAR HARRY To-day was surprised and
pleased to ascertain that you had returned |
from your wandeTings and are in Washington. |
| write at once because we have both been |
gnevOuslv panied know by a cruel forgery.
When heard that you had left N could |
not believe it, but soon was compelled to do |
so. Believing that | knew your heart, 1t was |
impossible to understand the motive or reason |
for your sudden and strange departure. Fate |
solved the mystery. You remember the party |
on my eighteenth birthday, and will rec
Ollect that Richard Price dOgged our foot
steps wherever we went. He overheard our |
conversation in the garden, and thus learned |
of our engagement. year previously he
had proposed to me and was rejected, and in
revenge he determined to blast my happiness !
at all hazards. He was expert at initiating
the hand writing OF others, and having at
tended the same school that l did for several
years, lie was easily enabled to produce a
fac stn1tiE OF my chirOgraphy. few weeks
after your departure he was thrown from a
buggy and fatally injured. Before he died he
seut for me, and l received from his tongue
which my name WAS signed and had caused
your sudden and strange flight.
In whatever light you have come to look
upon me, it is but right for you to know the
truth. For myself my heart has never
changed. JENNIE.
The first thing 1 did ; fter reading
this letter was to obtain leave of absence
for a few weeks the next was to hasten
to my lodgings, pack my trunk and take
the first train for N.
The train vas the Fast Express"
but to me it seemed a "slow coach"
Close connections were made, and at six
o'clock that evening stepped upon the
platform at N. 1t had been two
years since my feet had touched IL. A
crowd of recollectIOns rushed through
my mind, but nothing stayed me. At
once l set out for Fisk mansion. 1t
was summer, and as followed the walk
from the gate to the door every object
seemed as familiar as if had seen them
only the day before.
My desire was to find Jennie alone,
and my wish was gratifed. The old
hall door was open, and l stepped in
l turned into the psrlor
softly and saw her sitting at a west win
dow gaziEg at the glowing sunset sky,
but oh how changed. There were Jen-
nie's eyes and hair, but the rounded
form and glowing cheeks were wanting
in their place were wan features and an
emaCiated fOTm-a wreck of her former
self. Thehand of the destroyer was upon
her, and evident that her sufferings
were fearful. My heart sank within me,
and again my dream of happiness van
ished.
She uttered o cry of delight as I
fastened to her side, and, half-rising,
extended both hands toward me. l
caught her in my arms and pressed her
to my heart; then she sank exhausted
into her chair. In a few moments she
revived, and look of angelic sweetness
Overspread her features as | told her the
history of the dead Letter, for then
she saw that it had remained unan-
swered from accident and not from
design.
We went over the bitter past, only to
provo how oruolly had been de-
frauded of happiness by untOward ac-
cidents following the malice which had
first directed our paths apart.
Supper was announced, and attended
Jennie to the dining-room. The family
were not aware who their visitor was,
for Jennie had purposely kept them in
ignorance thereof, to iurprise them as
had surprised her. They greeted me
and were soon made ac-
cuainted with the facts Although a
shade of sadness pervaded the house
hold and tinged the conversation, still
the evening passed very pleasantly.
Several weeks l remained at N,
and passed most of the time with Jen-
nie. She seemed to rally, and one and
all began to entertain hopes of her re
eovery. How I longed and prayed that
her life might be spared. She was
cheerful and hopeful, and as my leave
of absence approached it's limit made
up my mind to resign, so that I might
be constantly near her. With this view
[ bade her good by for short time, my
intended absence being only for the
period necessary to close my affairs at
the capital.
Scarcely had l arrived in Washington
when telegram reached me that Jen-
MES condition was exceedingly critical.
It was the recoil from the temporary