Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-05-07

! time, with the preparation for Paris yet un-
finished. Mary took her aunbs abuse like
one walking In dream, and took u with a
condensed bitterness which | cannot de-
srcibc.
When Mary and her aunt had departed
walked TO the bankers for my letters. |
found one from Baron Hammcrstcin, saying
that Ainslle had proposed for the hand Of
Bertha, and asking me If he were q suitable
match for his sister
Here was a complication: TO recommend
or TO disable Ainslc rs q suitOr for high
born German maiden; To- expose or shield
poor old H0ndyside Marbury. These two
questions presented themselves to my con
sciOusncss.
walked TO the bridge and leaned over,
looking into the blue waters of Lake Leman.
How much," said / TO a contcmplativc
swan who came to my call, expecting that ]
was 10 throw pellets of bread instead of pei
lets of perplexity into his open mouth
how much of what we know shall we tcllY
] know Ainsley now TO be a false-hcarted
villain, breaking the heart Of that poor girl
at home, and proceeding to break that of
this trustful Bcrtha--all that he may amuse
himself for few days. Or, IL he marrics
Bertha, what happiness can she expect from
n man who leaves broken VOWS at home
Then old Handyside Marbury."
AT this the swan gave loud, unmusical
screech, and on looking up ! saw the last
object Of my mcditations standing near me,
and feeding the swan to a large slice of
bread. Handyside looked twenty years
younger and as bright as the morning.
"Congratulate me, my young friend" y"
said the opponent Of Cyril. Z" have come
into my fortune. relative who has lived
altogether too long has died at last and |
am now Il rich man. | got the letter last
night. large credit at Barings enables
me, my young friend, to repay those sums
which you so kindly advanced to me; and
have another confidence to make TO you.
Mr. ChHrlcton, am the unworthy father Of
Mary Jcssaminel The late lamcntcd and
ever to be pitied Peter Jcssamine and myself
married sisters. My wife died, leaving one
daughter. My misfortuncs, Mr.. Charleton,
began early, and then Mrs. Jcssamine adopt
cd my daughter.
" Mrs. Jcssamine, Nh CharletOn, has
treated me with odious contempt and cruel
ty. She would have prevented my daugh-
ter's loving and aiding me If she could. |
have never been permitted even to see her
openly; but my daughters love has con
quered all things.
" | have also TO confess that the ring which
you so kindly redeemed in a jewelers. shop
here about week ago had been sent to me
by my daughter when | lay here very i'll.
Mrs Jessaminc as you are aware, Is not
lavish to my daughter in the matter Of
money"
SO the mystery was cleared up, and Mary's
conduct shone out pure and lustrous. Be-
tween such an aunt and such II father she
was indeed entitled to her secrets.
Handyside Marbury was shabby old
father-in-law, and TO man less in love this
relationship might have dashed Il very con-
siderable ardor. But It only made me love
Mary better, and hurried on to Paris by the
night train, anxious to console, and defend,
and protect her. When she heard of the ac-
cession of fortune Mrs. Jessamine forgave
Handysidc Marbury, and even treated Mary
little better; but the habits of Il lifetime
are not so easily mended.
There seemed to be no reason now why
our engagement should not be announced;
no reason why should not take Mary and
the ring with two lions" to myself forever;
but Mrs. Jessaminc became for once an un-
willing obstacle, The poor woman had
been ailing for a long time, and she was now
ir,forrsAeJ ny the doytUrs tlIuU she had an in
durable disease. She took her passage for
America in the Albatross for the 10Th of De-
cember, and Mary would go with her.
i cannot leave her, Louis" said she;
she has taken care of me since / was
seven years old, and she has meant to
be kind. Her faults are the faults of
nature; she cannot help them. And
now have another care-my poor father!
You have seen what grown-up child he is!
| must teach him to bear his two thousand a
year, for which he has been so long waiting
1t seems to him now an immense fortune.
Next month he will be poor. Have patience,
Louis! Your love and constancy shall he
rewarded some timer
So | saw them all off from Brest for Mary
would not let me go with them. 1t was an
incongruous party, with llandyside Marbury
newly forgiven, and | do not wonder that
Mary wished to be alone with her new com
plications.
1t was glorious sunset The Albatross
walked off into the ocean with majestic step
and seemed to command the uncertain water
| watched Marys white handkerchief, after
true love fashion, MS long as / could see it,
and then turned reluctantly to the most un-
poetical of all objects, the railroad station.
The first man | met in Paris was Ainslicl
He came forward to meet me with his usual
airy grace. And how about Berthay' /
asked.
"Oh! a very sentimental Irritation, with
the usual results: the young lady more in
earnest than the dreadful man, you knowm
But Baron Hammerstein wrote me that
you had proposed to Bertha" said !.
SO did; so hadl was forced to, you
know, because saw she took me so seri-
ously. These German girls are very different
from our American girls; they are so much
more in earnest, | told Bertha all about
Cecilia lin the British provnces) and told
her that thought Cecilia would release me;
for ii really is an engagement which, to tell
you the truth, has become wearisome to me;
but Bertha would not hear of anything of
the sort She said must adhere to my first
promise. She would not build her happ-
ness on the heart-break of another, and all
that kind of nonsense, you know. So it
grew awkward, and / came away
From all l have heard of Ainslie since, it
has frequently become awkward, and he has
always come away.
1t was on Christmas Day that the news of
the wreck of the Albatross came to Paris
Yes, she had gone down in mid ocean; the
splendid steamer, with her precious freight
IA / ,nt Il, tI,a
incomplete accounts published, find Mary's
name, but Mrs. Jessamine and Handyside
Marbury were reported among the lost. The
survivors were at a little town on the Irish
coast, and thither | went.
How blessed the lightning express which
carries the mails to Queenstown. Day and
night ! travelled with my terrible fear, and
yet with certain hope. Would that God
would allow us to purchase some immunity
from the awful suffering of anxiety and hope
deferred! But it is part of His discipline
so tits right, and to be endured as bestwe may
met the agent of the steamer first, and he
told me that several young ladies had been
saved. "The young" said he, "can live
when the older cannot" And two or three
so i'll, and some of them delirious, that they
had not been able to find out their names.
He pointed to a small house where they WERE
and told me that ! would find Sister Of
Charity there, who would give me all the in
formation desired.
1t was not long before was talking with
one of those clear-headed, sanity women,
who came down to the little doorway to
speak with me.
81 have three young girls upstairs" said
she, lone very much injured aboutthe head,
the Others in stupor from the fatigue and
fright. 1t would not be well for you to see
them yet, but you can describe to me the
friend you seek"
So | told OF Mary's beautiful long
chestnut hair, her dark eyebrows, and her
sweeping lashes, and asked the good sister
to see II on her finger was ring with two
lions.n
In few minutes she came back "The
one who lies in the heaviest stupor has such
hair as you describe, and she has a gold ring
with two lions heads and Il blue circlet Of
forget-me-nots," said the good sister. No
tears or entreaties would melt the good
nuns decision; should not see her at pres.
ent. Every means was taken, she said, TO
bring those poor girls back to health, but for
the moment every life hung on thread
do not know why thought of Bertha
Hammerstein IN my distress, but did, and
Ia her In come IN tha moor