Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-08-01
HER CONFESSION.

I'D In having me finished d''--according to \
the fashionable patent was beautiful 4
willful, utterly selfish and doyotco ~ the 4
art Of flirting. So accomplished, Ircturned
To my old home A gay party went with
no. with whom was To make the round
VI watering places after short visit 10
my father.
The Sabbath before wo wero To start we
all went 90 tho old village church. / shall
never forget that day. AS we all sIit silent
there was n slight rustling of leaves and
the impcceptible stir that announces
newcomer and l turned to sco that the
Clergyman had entered noiseessly. He
was knoe.ing at his desk, but when, after
IA moment, no rose / saw pals, intollec-
tual facc[a grand head covered by light,
waving hair of golden brown a tall figure
finely proportioned, but "A little too slight
for the indication Of robust health. / was
attracted and Interested at first but when
he began TO read the deep, mclodious in
0cctions of his voice completed tho charm
/ listened entranccd.
From that instant I saw nothing, felt
nothing but his presence, until the service
and the sermon were ended.
Mechanically / followed my friends into
the porch. sudden summer shower was
gathering the air was chill, and nature
wore the gray hue so ominous OF her com
ing canvulsions had been unconscious
of the change, but the chill wind had been
blowing upon mo from IN open window US
/ sat in church, and now shuddered as,
taking my fathers arm, hurried home
ward. Before we reached the house the
stormrbrokc, and all but the swiftest pc
destrians were thoroughly drenched Ere
nightfall burning fever alternated with icy
chills in my frame, and e.effect OF draft
and drcnching declared themselves.
MrsF'letchcr Had been invited by my IA
ther 10 dine with us, but had excused him
self with the simple remark that his duties
absorbed the entire Sabbath day. But
during the week and after our friends had
left US, he called / saw him In the little
morning room where / rested upon a
couch, and he dincd with my father. This
visit was followed by many others, until
at last ne dined with us nearly every day
and spent, most evenings in listening to
my performances upon the. pianoforte or
In conysrsing with me.
saw the effect Of my charms Iknew
that was beautiful, and the world de-
clared me brilliant. And drought every
art that had learned to lure this silent,
grave youth to my feet. It,was a triumph
to bend his intellect to girls will and
liked him too. But / am sure no thought
Of thefuture or OF the consequences Of my
act ever intruded upon me.
And yet l. suffered, too, for I Twas not
destitute Of sympathy and my heart not
wholly untouched, either, by the profound
devotion Of the silent, grave man, when !
listened to his declaration of love and
spoke the words that separated us forever.
i went up to my room half angry with
myself. But stifled the silent monitor,
and ordered my maid to prepare for the
journey was about to undertake to join
my friends at Newport.
The morning 1 left home my father
mentioned, casually, that he had heard
that Mr. Fletcher was very i'll 1 felt my
self grow pale and cold, but stified my
emotions and in constrained voice ex
pressed my regret and begged my father to
infoDm me in his letters of his state.
y
Two years lGter was in Italy with my
husband--the. husband of my Aunt St
Clair's choice. had made grand match
but I was ot.happy.
One night ! saw my husband, making
his way toward me through a crowded sa
loon. pressed forward, for felt the need
of his protection from advances that were
insults, though perhaps not intended as
such. He drew my arm in his, sbut did
not speak until we reached the anteroom.
Then he told NE that he had been sum
moned to the bedside of dying country
man and that he had come from this mel
anchoIy visit to conduct me thither He
would tell me no more and when 1 re-
fused to SO he compelled me, almost by
force, 10 accompany him.
1t was to Mr.. Fletcher we were go. ng.
We found him in humble lodgings, fo, he
had spent his last dollar and was reduced
to die in the midst Of poverty and dcpriya-
ton. He had heard of us, had seen als
when he crawled forth upon the piazza sGsd
had ventured TO send for us in his extrem-
ity. He uttered no repreaches, though he
told me, in hollow accents, that my rejee-
tion had been his doom, and now that he
was dying, he desired only to look upon
my face.
1 knew then how 4 had loved John
Fletcher and II the sacrifice of my life
would have saved his, most gladly would
have died that hour.
But God willed otherwise.
I told my husband all as we returned in
the purple Italian twilight from the flu
neral. VIC niu nhbeO ehCn Oaier DeIOre,
but now new antagonism had arisen.
We felt that the false and hollow bonds
that bound us must be snapped asunder
l left him in Naples and returned alone to
America, thus voluntarily renouncing the
station Of wifehood and compelling myself
to seclusion and solitude.
Years have passed since that hour. My
father has long been dead, and should
kye quite alone Mt Verdhill but for the
sweet presence Of fair young girl--John
Fletchers sister. found her-a mere in
faBt-on my return, abandoned to poverty
by ker brothers death, and she has been
with me ever since. In my care of her
have striven in some little measure, to
repair the one great wrong Of my life.
Butt for her, life would be all dreary and
no CLEAN of pleasure would light the pass
ago of q sorrowing penitent to the grave.