The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1880-04-14

ter water would do the rest. II tried
to move, to calhfor help, but all pow
er seemed to have leftline, and sank
down in a deadly swoon. / know
not how long lay there, but | know
itwas very late when ] woke from
my insensibility. One look around
recalled the tragedy which had been
enacted, and witha piercing scream
I rushed wildly in the direction of
my home. How Iget there never
knew but Mildred since told.me that
when ! staggered into the house,
reason had hed, and 4 was in the
4irst stage Of brain fever. For.weeks
/ lowered between life and aleath,
and my mind even when strength re-
turned wasablank. Thus far It was
four months from that awful night
before I learned what had taken
place during my Illness. Mildred
told mo that Guy Earlsford had nys-
tefioGsiy disappeared, drowned they
thought, as, they found his hat and
handkerchief near Eagle Cliff. Then
commenced the struggle with my.
self. / knew | ought to tell all that
had occurred, but, could | brand my
self as a murderess? Obi if / could
but die, thought. But at last COW.
ardice triumphed, / was so weak and
i'll, that when the thought came,
what good will it do to tell, it could
not help him / loved, and would on
ly make my name a byword and re-
proach, / yielded and kept my secret.
No one on earth but you know this,
Lilly, and / know not why / should
have burdened one SO young and
happy with my weight Of woe, but
I.so longed for sympathy tonight, |
felt | must relieve my over-burdened
heart. Now you know the reason
of my sadness and constant melan-
choly. You are aware that / am
your aunt only by adoption. But, l
have not yet finished" she said as l
made a movement to speak, "when l
was we'll enough, | left the place
where my life had been so blighted;
so changed from the bright, happy
girl who thought this world was
made Of sunshine and flowers, that
my best friends hardly knew me-
All attributed to the grief at my loy-
ersdeath. But i could not got to teach
ing again, my nerves were too un-
strung, so | applied for and procured
the agency Of an article which was
Just then coming into vogue. | went
far away from the scene Of my
wretched secret. Oh! how hard my
life was. | was totally unused to
my new duties, and there were trials
and difficulties which beset Inc on
every hand. Many times did al
most despair, but the beacon Of hope
at length shown dimly across my
pathway, and after a weary year OF
irials ans, strugslos l ,hega ~, eo,sarn
a livelihood. Then came another
blow. My mother, the patient COM
panion of my checkered life, was ta-
ken from me. Then indeed was L
desolate. My life had been dreary
and miserable before, but now the
only CLEAN Of brightness, which had
kept up my often failing courage was
sndtched from me. | continued in
my occupation, until nearly year
ago, when | once more met my girl
hoods friend, Mildred Argyle. She
besought me so earnestly to make
my home with her that | consented,
only one condition, that I
should become your teacher"
Here the sad tones ceased, and |
gazed in profound pity upon the wo-
man, rarely beautiful, yet whose load
Of sorrow was such heavy one.
A few weeks after the talk with
Aunt Claire, | accepted an invita-:
tion TO visit a friend in Canada. She
was very fashionable and we lived
in a constant whirl of excitement
One evening at u reception, the most
elegant Of the season, L was intro
duced to a handsome distinguished
looking man, whose name | did not
catch. He interested me greatly,
and there was far away sad look in
the beautiful brown eyes which |
could not fathom. After he had left
me l inquired his name, and was al
most struck dumb with amazement
when l heard it-Guy Earlsford. IL
Could it be Aunt tClaire's lover? Was
she after all mistaken and he lived?
| must find out, and OH! if | could
but restore some Of the lost bright
ness to her life.
Mr.. Earlsford became a frequent
visitor at our house. One morning |
was surprised by q letter from nam
ma, saying that she had just heard
from Mrs. Spencer, my hostess, ask
ing her to let me extend my visit,
and limiting at the probability of my
her with a son-ln-law,
mentioning Guy Earlsford's name,
and the many rumors, in circulation
about US. Mamma said that Aunt
Claire had seen the letter and was
excited about it, the name
being the same as her lovers who
was drowned, or supposed to be,
nnnnu Won re hnfnre Innrwnrnh ;t Of