Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-04-02

love froze out my affection, pure, as
knew it was; while this erring, passion
ate heart with which / flv is mine en-
tirely. She will soon be happy with an
other know-happier than / shall ever
be-azd wi ! forget, ere long, that there
ever breathed one so unworthy of her
thoughts as /. CHARLES CAMPBELL.
There were screams and tears and ter
ror in the hoEse; but there, upon the
floor, set Ruth, pale and motionless, her
brides veil dabbled in the dead mans
blood, and her eyes closed as though she
wished never to open them.
People said she bore 1T bravely, when
they saw her, in little while, quietly
and busy as before. When the will was
opened, and it was found that Charley
Campbell had been disinherited, and all
the property was left to Ruth, they
spoke of it as an a<5 of justice, and
thought that al ruas s-1ar: hnt T. ---I
only, knew of the canker worm eating at
the young heart night and day.
Six months passed by, and we heard
nothing of the false lover. We never
spoke of him to Ruth, or among our
selves, and all the love l ever felt for
him had turned to scorn.
At last one day letter reached me.
1t was postmarked c., and was from
a comparative stranger, who had writ
en- to me as CharleY's only relative.
Oh what tale was recorded in those
lines. can only give the substance.
The two had fled to Europe at first;
thence, when dread of pursuit was over,
they had returned to this country.
Then for the first time they had heard
of the loss of Charley's fortune, and
| o1 ofo sp fhoY11 fI1l1xT ~,
the face. Their debts accumulated, and
the change in circumstances brought
change of affection. They quarreled
madIy, each reproaching the other, and
the white hand of the woman was often
raised against the man she once pro-
| fessed to love. Sim branded, beggared,
poor Charley Campbell paid the penalty
| of his crime, and worse was yet to come
They were in carriage one day,
driving toward dwelling place, for
debt had turned them from the old one
They were quarreling in suppressed
voices, and looking hot hate into each
others eyes, when sight arose before
them that struck them dumb with hor-
ror. There, in the middle of the road,
stood the woman's injured husband, =,
with q pistol in his hand, aiming straight
at them. Whether he meant to fire ut
her was never kn ,wn; but the ball en-
tered her heart, and she fell forward
with a scream. The explosion of the
pistol frightened the horse; he became
unmanageable, and dashed forward
down q hill, crushing the driver be-
Meath the wheels, and stamping on and
mangling him. 1--WE think him dying
now" the writer continued. "His
right arm has been amputated, and he
is prostra.ed by pain and loss of blood.
He has need If the friends whom he
has so much offended; will you forgive
him and come to himp'
The letter fell from my trembling
fingers. Ruth had stolen TO my side un-
seen. and had read it also. Down at my
feet she knelt, and buried her face in my
lap as might grieving child. Neithel
of us shed tear, but we sat thus for an
hour in utter silence. At last she spoke
Il have favor to ask, Mary
Promise me that you will grant L."
Anything, darling" | replied.
"Let me 60 with you" she murmured
"Let us nurse him if he is suffering
and be with him to the last if he shoulC
die. He was almost my husband once
my dear, Oh, take me with you!"
"Do you remember how lie has
wronged you, RuthP" asked.
, " Mary,n she answered, rising to he
feet. do not misunderstood me.
would not let him know of my presence
f do not seek to bring myself to hi
remem brance. will go with you as
{ maid OF nurse; a coarse dress, servant
cap, and the curtained light of sicl
9 room will keep me from his knowledge
If he recov, Is he shall never know tina
I | have been near him. only seek t.
. see him once again, and do him wha
! little good can, for loved him dearly.
a Who could withstand herP We wer
. off next morning by the first conveyance
f Ruth already wearing the servants dress
! and hidden further still beneath clos
+ bonnet and veil.
q | had thought that nothing could hav
= softened my heart to Charley Campbell
but l was mistaken when | saw hir
living before me. SCARED and maimeC
|, the shadow of his handsome self. M
% tears fell fast, and l gave him my han
e as in the old times, when trusted in b
q honor and virtue. He was thankful ft
a my presence, and whispered faint woI
70 of welcome, but betorenight fell he W;
delirious, and knew no one about hin
7 Oh, the long days that followed!
shall never forget them. And throug
q all Ruth never left his pillow. Wht
as all the rest shrank from the wild ravin!
40 and the appraised arm o delirium, 81
never wavered; no toi no vigil did 81
" spare; and when, at last, he lay qui
" and weak upon his pillow, her han
20 brought the invigorating draught al
4 lifted up the weary, helpless han
~ ~ And this was the heart lie had deem
coldl
v, One day we sat together, Ruth and
;h beside the window, and Charley seem
er to sleep. Suddenly he stirred a
l called to me. bent over him in
he instant.
: a a Mary" he said, "I have somethi
rs, to say to you--something which /
Id, very heavily at my heart. II / shot
ey die without uttering it, my soul wo,
ye. never rest. Mary, you remember wh
nd | left Ruth. You know how | felt thu
believed her cold. l thought that
ere the hot passion of the woman l fled W
led had found true love. | must hf
lth been mad, think, for oh, how bite
nd l have rued that belief: Mary, wi
M YOU see Ruth Ear e tell her this, {
wv, tell her, too that long, long since ] h;
ar discovered that she was my only lov
one that in throwing away her p
ath W woman,y affection l lost the ricf
he'd jewel i'll my life"
Dod The words were uttered softly,
in Ruth's ear had caught them she ST
his in the shadow, where he could not
her, ana listened. -
one Through all my fever have thou
red of her." he went on, ''and at time
sim have thought she stood beside me. T
,ery would strive to ask her forgiven
Y he but the sweet vision always 1aded,
Nav strange nurse wa there instead. M
do you think that Ruth hates meP
With should, for deserve it."
III OhI tbo ,o,,ta anneal of thoee c1os