The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-17

speak so of your poor m0therI You
may be regret those words some day,
Henry" .....
And she compared, in her mind, the
vast difference between the man before
her and Edmund.
"Well, Henry, your business!" she
spoke, after pause.
w sent to you for COUNSEL" he
answered, with a smile, "and I think l.
may as we'll begin first as last Mary,
did not your heart ever tell you that l
loved you? What is more, I intend to
make you my wife. I knew that this
was the only way that l could ask you.
Won't you have me, Maryf Twill re-
form, and become better man."
Mary was 50 much surprised, that she
scarcely knew whether she had heard
him right or not
"Henry; do you mean what you have
utteredi Are you in earnest? You could
not surely think that ! would marry
your'
$50 you will not have me thenr'
"No. l would sooner throw myself in
yonder lake than marry man whom ]
could not respect" g.,
"But did you not like me in child
hood?" asked Henry, with sorrowful
look. .... K.
YES" answered Mary, ri did respect
you in our early days, but it is different
now; we are children no longer. Be-
sides, even if l did love you, it would be
of no avail now."
II understand" cried Henry, the ex-
preston of his face becoming darker.
"Another has come between us. So you
prefer him to me, Mary Norton? Think
twice before you speak"
II have already considered the matter
over, and nothing can change my views.
If you will say no more, Henry l will
promise that l will not reveal to any one
what has already been said. But if you
continue, must tell Edmund, and the
result may not be very satisfactory to
YOU"
"Then I can not even hope that you
may some day love me7 You positively
refuse meW .....r
1t was now dark; happily it was, for if
poor Mary had seen the look upon
Henry's face, it would indeed have
frightened her.
GAN that is to be said has been said,"
answered she. "Never talk as you have
done again, Henry. l warn you for your
own good"
She was turning to 90 when Henry
sprang toward her, and caught her by
the arm.
"Not quite so fast" he hissed. "You
shall not leave this spot until you prom
Use to become my wife," 7',''
"What do you mean?, she cried, in
horror.
Listen, Do you not remember, one
night, three weeks ago, when you and
your lover were near this very place, the
footsteps that you heardY They were
mine. heard the vows that were ut
tered, and thirsted for revenge. / would
sooner see you dead than become the
wife of another. Remember that the
same heart that can love can also hate.
/ hate you now, and will show you to
what great extent my hate can CO."
"Henry, Henry, what would you dof'
cried Mary.
"Kill you unless you promise to be my
wife"' he shouted.
"Neverp she cried.
"Then take the consequencesp
Mary saw him draw revolver from
his pocket, and endeayored to run away.
But her strength failed her in the mo-
ment when she most needed it.
She had dim recollection that pis-
tol was pointed toward her; she scarcely
heard its report, and only remembered
falling, and no more. . ..-
1t was hard to say how long she would
have remained there, had it not been fol-
a farmer, who happened to be passing
that way and found her senseless
He carried her to her home, and gre al
was the excitement when she arrived
there. ...
But she was more frightened thar
hurt. . .t. ...
Her wounds were easily dressed, but
the excitement brought on brain fever
For weeks she lay between life anc
death, during which time she never re-
vealed the name of her would-be-mur
derer. - 'r
1t was never known by her friend
how she was so badly wounded.
During her illness Edmund remained
by her bedside constant watcher.
How very long the days seemed t.
him! ''u'" laf"f f' "
Would she die, that precious fower9
Would he lose her as he did his moth
err
The dark cloud passed away, and wher
the doctor said that Mary would live
r Edmund was beside himself with Joy.
- *n y
! Harry Lee was ding sy:.s.
: Beside him sat his poor mother, over
f come with grief.
, With all his faults she still loved him
+ He was her son, she was his mother.
! Since that dreadful night when he al
+, most took the life Of poor Mary Norton
!. he never knew an hours rest.
He wasted away by degrees; consump
ton set in, and he was now dying.
i He had heard that the wounds he ha
o;yo,, Morv Norton were not of a seriou