The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-08-07

lOORSu urtSTudtely lTOn1 one TO Jne ObDef
in the utmost surprise, and finally stole
tenderly to Helen's side, and incurred
what was the matter.
oh, don't ask me, dear friend-don't
ask mel" exclaimed Helen, andt then
bursting into tears, left the room.
" Mary, let us go," said the young
sailor, In husky voice.
"Oh, Charles, tell me first whatis the
matter with Helen," answered. Mary,
pleadingly.
Not now-some other time Beannot
inform. you now," said Charles, and /
saw a tear stealing down his cheek.
"Come, let us CO." he continues
We left the house and started fer home
by the same path which we came. Mrs.
Grey was standing on the threshold to
receive us, looking ten years younger
than she did some months before.
Time passed on. Nearly year had
elapsed since the return of Charles, and
in that short period Helen Green had
been Laid to restin the village graveyard.
Ever since that morning walk with
CHARLES she had been gradually, though
surely, sinking into the tomb. Her spir-
its had become depressed in an unac-
countable manner. Thegay, Aght-heart-
ed smile had faded with the color from
her cheek, which grew thin and wan
Her form lost its full rounding proper
tiOns and wasted away. In fact, she was
bat shadow of her former self.
When questioned by those seanxious and
heart stricken friends who beheld her
gradual decay, she would only answer in
sgonized tones:
"Don't ask me, for 1 cannot tell you.
only wish to die."
Long and vainly did Mary attempt to
cheer and restore her friend to something
of her former loveliness but she was
forced to behold her day after day fading
before her, without being able to relieve
her.
"Oh, Helenp' she would sometimes
say, ''surely you cannot wish to die.
Think of Charles you once loved
| Charles"
Then it was that Helen would seem
dreadfully agitated, and sometimes ex-
claim in tones of heart rending anguish:
"Oh, heavensl Mary, mention not
that name again he-he-isl Oh, God
would that 1 could die this moment!"
The extraordinary change wrought in
the appearance of Helen became the talk
of the whole village, and many opinions
were held concerning it by the gossips.
She had been detected once or twice by
myself during some of her solitary ram
bles in drawing from her bosom and
frantically kissing small miniature.
This circumstance, however, L had never
mentioned to living soul. At length,
as previously remarked, death put an
end to her troubles, and she was lament
ed by all who had previously been ac-
quainted with the purity and goodness
of her character.
Three months afterward there occur
red another funeral. My aunt had for
some time been afflicted with bad cold
which, finally settling on her lungs,
caused her death. She died much re-
GREETED by all, and especially by myself,
who had learned to regard her as a
mother.
A week after this melancholy occur
renee, as my cousin Mary and 1 stood
side by side on the balcony, Charles ap-
preached us. His countenance was at
once grave and sad.
Mary" said he, Il have an import
ant secret to communicates secret
which since the death of our mother, 1
am at liberty to divulge. Know, then
that L am not your brother !"
Not my brother! Good Heaven,
Charles, what do you mean 2" exclaimed
Mary, turning pale, and looking at him
aghast.
Listen" continued the speaker, sad
ly. "My real name is Harold Warren.
was the true friend and shipmate OF
your brother when he died of violent
fever on board the frigate. We had al
ways been very confident together, and
related to each other the separate histo-
ries of our lives. He had frequently
spoken to me of you and Helen and had
shown me each of photographs. On
his deathbed he begged most singular
promise from me which 1 swore to fulfil
to the letter That promise was to prac-
tice the deception which have carried
out, in order to spare the feelings of his
mother, who he was afraid would be
hastened to a premature grave If she