Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1886-10-30
She Stops to Conquer.

n is9rCLlsu ClllOIl w az tllG OiIN uHlIS u
Liter of q rich gentleman who dwelt
tina country mansion buried in the
midst of stately woods.
She was emineptly beautiful
3ssslliiiighly accomplished, and possessed
IA "a good and kind heart. .Herbeine
! an heiress also added to her great
'Iattractions.
She loved poor cousin, Henry
iMorland by name, who, at an early
.|!age, had been left an orphan, and
Ijwhom Ellcn's father, Sir John Yer
non, had broughtup and educated.
From their earliest years, at inter
Walls, such as his holidays and COL
lege vacations, the young people
had been, in manner, brought mp
| together; and as their ages were al
most alike, and Henry was a we'll
made handsome fellow, possessing
considerable mental and personal
attractions, their assimilation OF
taste, so mich as anything else,
had contributed to wallen mp feel
| ings between them that neither had
as yet given vent to in words.
Henry loved his beautiful an |
wealthy cousin to distraction. But
the sense Of his own dependence
kept him FROM advancing his claims.
Sir John Vernon bad the most
perfect confidence in Henry's hon
or. Not thinking that there might
be the slightest danger in permit
ting the young people to be togcth-
er, he continued to regard them
both with the same tender solicit.
tude as ever, us though they were
ina manner brother and sister.
1t was :'leap year." and the yaca
tion which Henry spent at the Hall
proved on this occasion to be to him
a source of pain and agony. The
beauty of Ellen, her artlessness,h her
affectiOnate manner. and her frank
ness, raised his affections to such a
height that the very excess of his
love magniied his difficulties, and
made HIM look with Il sensation of
fear upon his passion, Which once
or twice prompted lin to speak,
and BY consequence bocame an in
CRATE to his benefaclor, toywbom he
owed everything in the wrSsslsl. Hea
. sss...-os.lyed to die rather chan *iitsl.r
tba : iaf:7. y 5S,4o ds uhcle{;t by
oIie ppSosSs.iJ'y ylr,aoss zs Sgg vail
pain. He therefore shunned her
presence as much a3 he could, and
spent whole days IN the library,
breeding upon his lost prospects.
Ellen noticed this change, and
with q woman's tact, comprehend
ed the reason of iG. With mix
ture OF grief and pleasure she en-
gagged herself in the execution OF a
plan, which WAS that of awakening
his jealousy, and driving him into
a confession to which she WAS only |
too willing to listen. A runor was
accordingly spread that sporting
baronet of tho neighborhood hai
not only determined upon wooing
the young lady but also Of winning
her, having laid a very heavy wa
ger upon the result. Henry's pas
sion WAS instantly aroused, and
rage, vexation and love by turns
tormented him. He would have
called the insolent rival out, having
accused his COUSIN OF playing false,
forgetting that she had never
pligLted faith to him; he accused
the world OF unkinLness, his uncle
of tyranny; i'll fact, like lover ut
.terly beside himself, he would have
Iheen guilty Of thousand extrava-
.gapces, but the intolerable idea
came, what was lie to her, or she to
hiul7 What right had he to dictate
or to question: Aud thus he was
as far off as ever.
Ellen found that her plan for
awakening his jealousy had been
efectual enough, but that no other
result attended it. She also found
that her poor Cousins sadness and
detection Increased, and its melan-
choly began to communicate itself
to her.
! 1t was therefore absolutely neces.
sary for the happiness OF both that
matters should be brought to II
crisis; for, in addition to the annoy
hnce she felt at Henry's sllence,the
marriage which was rumored i'll
lest began to take an aspect OF sc.
tiOus earnestness,a proposal having
ACTUALLY come, from a rich and es.
Ilimable man in every way, to her
father, Which proposal Sir John
Vernon had just communicated to
|ler.
Holding in her hand the letter
(which had been sent to Sir John,
yhe sought the library, and her
leart beat a little strongly as she
reflected that she was about to adj
dress her cousin, so that he should
either be compelled to declare his
passion at once, or give her up Tor
ever.
/ .Ellen.n said he, ''let me beseech
Eou TO tell me What is the cause OF
this agitation; you alarm newly
are you so nOvei7'
'Do you behold this letter." ask
ed Ellen, tapping it, accompanying
the action with "a mysterious look
Henry glanced upon it with IN
creased misgiving, but merely said,
"Yes."