Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-04-24

happy Ellen! Why did she not take
the advice of these pure-minded and
clear-sighted sisters? But she did
not; she yielded to her mothers up
braidings and expostulations, and con-
scented that she should dispatch a let.
ter to Mr.. Wentworth accepting in
Ellen's name the offer he had done
| them the honor to make.
The irretrievable step was taken,
but what anguish did it cost poor
Ellen to review it! And yet, meas
rred by the standard of that errone'
GUS morality which has been so much
patrOnized by novel writer's and poets,
her deed was commendable, and she
reconciled it to her conscience.
Not many hours after the fatal let
ter of assent had been dispatched to
Mr.. Wentworth carriage drove up
before the door of the humble dOmicile
where the Glenhams were collected,
and a young man, handsomely attired,
stepped forth, and knocking for adj
mission, inquired for Miss Ellen. 1t
was Summerall! The death of rela-
tive had raised him and his family to
a condition of opulence, and he had
left South America to assume the
management of a handsome fortune in
his own land. He had called at the
house formerly occupied by the Glen
hams. were he learned, to his dismay,
of their misfortune. Hurrying away
to their present abode, he sought i'm
patiently for her to whom his day
dreams and his hopes had ever been
true. She appeared, but how changed
What an expression of hopeless and
helpless Indebtedness had settled
upon that face. in which every joy
was once reflected! A few hours had
done the ravage Of years upon her
features.
The painful truth was commune
Gated by one of the sisters. Not a
murmur escaped from Summerall's
lips, although they quivered, and a
certain shrinking of his form, as if a
heavy blow had been inflicted on his
breast, indicated the agitation within.
He uttered no reproach, but, in hur-
ried and slightly tremulous accents,
wished Ellen sail happiness, " bowed,
and quilted the house. With groan
of inexpressible pathOs, Ellen rose
from her chair, took one step toward
the window as if to catch a last glance
of his figure, then sank inSensible
upon the floor. al37
1t was nearly an hour before she
was restored, and even then the Ian
gour and lassitude displayed in every
movement could hardly be called re-
storation. Days passed on, and in ac-
cordance with Mr.. WeAtworth's ar
rangements, the family were re-estab-
lished in their old house with their
accustomed luxuries around them. A
period for the wedding was fixed and
great preparations were made for its
becoming celebration. The apathy
and indifference which had marked
Ellen's manner Immediately after en-
gagement, seemed gradually to wear
off. She began to take an interest in
things around her, gave direction with
some animation as to the style of her
bridal dress, and received Wentworth
with kindness, though she would never
(tllOW ulul w CCthO q CdOOI 1LOOACy
than that Of kissing her hand. On the
morning of the wedding, her spirits
were unusually bright. She appeared
stronger and more full of life than she
had been for months. Her eyes
flashed with preternatural brilliancy,
and there was a softness in her tones
which went to the heart OF those with
whom she conversed. These signs
were regarded as favorable by all ex-
cept Susan, the eldest sister, who could
not see them without weeping, for she
could not escape from the recollection
of an expression which had fallen from
Ellen's lips the day after her last in
terview with Summerall: 'sHappen
what may, l can never be another's.
We shall not be parted long"
The bridal party were assembled in
the little chapel of the village. The
question, the affirmative answer to
which makes of woman wife, had
been put twice to Ellen, and twice had
her head sunk convulsively on her
sisters breast without her being able
to respond. AS she made a third eff
fort, nature gave way, and she fell, in
violent commissions, into the arms Of
her attendants, and was borne from
the church. A state of rigid repose
succeeded, during which she seemed
as one dead. Suddenly, however, her
limbs became relaxed, smile of I'M
imaginable sweetness irradiated every
feature, she rose from her recumbent
position, extended her arms as if to
embrace some invisible presence, ut
tered in q tone of exultation the name
of Summerall, and fell back. mani
mate. Thus persisted the Flower of
the Family!