Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-10-03

and things, and now It's all gone we
shall be beggars, and he will sink under
the blow. My darling May, 1t depends
upon you to save your father from ruin,
from beggary, from broken mind
perhaps from-I can't write the word.
All the directors have turned out TO be
cheats and swindlers, ard your father
who never knew about ledgers-how
should he. indeed. being Craven OF
Rediands ?-has got mixed up with
them. and all because he tried to be
good father to you. imp!ore you. my
darling, come back, and be good-it is
our only chance. May come back, and
don't say word to soul. not even to
Grace Arden.
Your loving, heart-broken
Mother.
+. S.-Sir Marmadnke Ireton is ca
pected at Whitelands any day"
Mary let the letter fall. She had just
engaged herself to II nobody wander
ing painter, whom she was learning 10
love with all heart and soul-and now
Poor girl! She had faults enough and
to spare, but none were inconsistent
with her bright, frank, honest eyes.
Sell-will does not OF necessity mean
selfshness. or waywardness in prosperi.
ty au incapacity in the hour OF need.
B.i there are limits to the endurance OF
u martyr. Had her mothers letter AZ
rived a week ago, she might have made
"A face and swallowed Whitelands, Sir
Marmaduke and all; bad il arrived an
hour ago, she might have found II posi-
bic To crush her silent heart; but now
her heart had spoken out; ii was no
longer her own 10 crush or resume. To
sell herseli-,o be faiihless 10 love-to
revoke her pIomiso-to act like jill and
coquetto-to set herself 10 share The
purse OF stranger. and TO break the
heart of him she loyed-that was treason
10 her whole nature. But then 10 ruin
those who had. rs her own mother had
told her, ruined themselves and even
incurred dishonor for her; TO let the
chance OF an hour be the cause OF their
destruction TO let the faces OF her iather
aud mother upbraid her for her selfish
ness, all her days; 10 think OF new
love before she thought OF them-.hat
was worse than mere treason to nature;
it would be vile. Even il this hateful
Sir MArmaduke proved beyond the reach
of ber aim, she must not dream OF the
love OF poor man. She threw herself,
undressed, upon her bed, and let oppos-
ing impulses fight over her, and draw
her now this way. now that, while she
was hardly conscious of the battle. AT
last her eyes closed in miserable mock
cry OF sleep; and when she woke, the
tune of''Auld Robin Gray" was rumbling
in her ears.
Grace was by her bedside; and then
the whole horror OF tho situation rose up
before her. Grace" she exclaimed, al
must go home at once-my father is very
ill.,"
Which meaut: Il must do what seems
to be right, come what may. should
uo. deserve the love OF good man, il
sacrificed my fathers welfare, his lite,
perhaps, his good name, even ior him.
Mrs. Arden and Grace pressed her with
sympathetic questions. but she would
only answer. My father is I'LL must
go home
she looked i'll enough berseii; but She
would not delay her journey for al hour.
nor would she let her friends see her
back farther than ST. Malo. But she
managed TO steal moment to scrbble
one little pencil note Tor the garcon to
deliver TO the man whose love she had
accepted only few hours-cr was 1t
years ?-ago'
=. please forgive me, "she wrote; don't
think i'll OF me-since last night has hap
pened what can't explain-must part
US forever. Forget me-you have not
known me long--and / will try. God
bless sou and make you happy.
May"
1t WAS over and she was on her way
home 10 catch the owner Of Whitelands.
1t was horrible journey; il was like
long funeral. wherein she was following
herself to the grave.
We may hope that she obtained
grain OF comfort when. arrived at home,
her mother embraced her warmly and
said. "MY darling Mayl You. will save
Us still-I know you will !"
"And papa?"
"He is better since We got your tele-
gram 10 say you were coming home.
But oh, how pale you look. May"
Il am only tired. And"
"Slr Marmaduke He comes home
the day after tomorrow, so the house
keeper says. l wrote to ask him to
dinner the day after"
Well, there was a reprieve. She
learned the whole misfortune that had
fallen on Redlands. and it was even
worse than she had already been told.
She spent her days OF grace in nerving
herself to the loss of her self-respect by
preparing her eyes and complexion for
sale, and in burying what lay in the