Louisiana capitolian., 1881-12-10
TEMPTED.

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The fail force Of this awful death came
oYer me and II strange pity swellcd my
hoart dumb az it was, with creeping
horror for tho poor human creature "
Ing there before me.
could not speak--all power OF speech
and notion had left me--for it seemed
that u hand ofiron had clutched at my
heart, for the man, stretched out on his
bed, where alone In the still watches Of
the night. he had rushed unbidden into
another life, was my father And be-
side him there was not living creaturt
10 care for me--a desolate child. II
was not enough taat this terrible fate
should be mine, b,it my child eyes must
be the first to rest npon that poor, God
ioisaken man. ! was found ut last,
gtanding over the form ! had loved 80
we'll, immovabe and stony eyed with
horror and despair. Even through MI
these years years cannot look back up
on those fearful days but the blood eHf-
dies in my veins; ! shed no tears
That hand, with relentless grasp, was
still upon my heart. Mechanically
| followed my father to his grave and
came bsck to what had been his home
that most forlorn of all living things.
frenaless orphan. But the whole
weight Of misfortune had not over
whelmed me, for my father was reput-
es to have been wealthy, and all. my
wants were supplied as when he was
diving, except those Of my soul. Alas!
how that went out uyearniag after love
which it found not. But u darker
day came. When my fathers affairs
we're looked into they were bankrupt,
and the cause Of the insane, will not
say cowardly, deed which lett his moth
.erless child doubly orphaned, was ut
last discovered. soon learned what II
is to be poor. Those who had shown me
ut least the semblance ofkindness IN the
first hours Of my bereavement, now
turned away as IL | was thing pollnt.
cd Nothing was left from the wreck,
not even shelter for my head. Those
who should have been my protectors
bound me out to family in the neigh
borhood Of my old home. ! will not,
cannot, begin to tell You what ] suffer
cd. Tenderly reared, with every want
SUPPLIED, ndluxurious tastes cultivated
j, girl Of i3, became the yeriest drudg'
imaginable, n mark for oil taunts ant
jeers. and slave to all the caprlces Of
]awless family. Two years passed with
out one ray of light or hope,
Ny father had provided me with th'
best of teachers, aud besides bad superin
tended my studies himself. had free nc
cess to his library, and at the time Of hi
death, for my years, was very goot
scholar. Ilonged for my old books more
than anything else. The wonderful
contained In them was just beginning
10 be revealed to me when that dread
ful calamity spread pall over TIN
bright dreams of the enthusiastic child
making me n woman while yet in m,
childhood.
In this extremity Victor Glare cam
to my aid. He was the son Of ricl
merchant who had been the friend o
my father in the days of his prosperity
It was my habit to steal away at twi
light, after all my work was done, AM
ramble through tho ground that la
back ofmy old home, thinking of M
dead father, and dreaming dreams N
mortal ever dared to dream before.
Here met Victor Clare, at first as if b.
accident, but afterwards he was alway
waiting. And so delicate were his littl
attentions offered, they were like balr
to my proud spirit-for my spirit wa
proud and fierce and bitter were th
struggles Of those two years which | pas
over in silence These interviews cam
to be very sweet to me, as you may b'
lieve. | was not entirely alone, nc
wholly Stunned OF all my kind Go
knows how my passionate, longing so'
came to cling to that man, with wha
intensity loved him. My life was Ell
durable now, for was it not all gloriie
by the fervor and passion of youth
first dream of lover
I had resolved to breaks my bonds,
60 into the world and find if it had NJ
something for me to do; but the swe'
siren had lulled to sleep my ambition
and placed q curb upon my soul.
Two years had passed since ] first M
Victor, years never TO be forgotten, an
now was Il.
The fatal day came at last, that day
trial which comes to all women borI