Year: 1865

me until L sank down hopelcssly, helpless


ly, despairingy, and wished l could die


All the goodness of the world seemed sud


denly to have faded out, and my heart
grew hard and bitter. Nothing was fail
nothing was beautiful, nothing worth liv.


ing for


A low, pleading voice at my ear reused
me. A little trembling hand was on my


arm in timid entreaty.


"Oh, madam, have hurt you, when
you were kind to me. did not know he


was anything TO you-I did not think
was so startled. Please forgive me. ]
would rather de than wound you.
wish I had died before / came in here tc
wreck your peace with my sad story. IN
deed, indeed / did not intend to wound
you"


81 know it, poor girl" I answered,
rising rcsolutely. "You are not TO blame.
would rather know the truth than to be
deceived" And here bitter pang rent
my pride. / had thought / could read
human nature well, and had enshrined
him in my heart Of hearts as only wo-
man can cnshrne a good and noble OBJ
ject.


None of the bitterness or pain left my
heart as / threw off the lethargy that
treatcned to enthrall every sense But
sent Ellen Myre back TO her chair by the
fire, and after sending away an untasted
supper assisted Mary in the arrangement
OF little room adjoining my own for my
protege's accommodation. When she was
safely slowed away in it, and made as
comfortable as possible, / turned back to
my own apartment, locked the door, and
paced the room till grey dawn crept in at
the eastern windows.


My pallid face frightened me when !
glanced at the mirror. felt sick and
faint, too, and with "a low cry, throwing
myself upon the bed at last, | shed the
first tears that had come to my relief
since had heard that fearful story of
intended wrong and treachery.


After awhile | fell asleep, and when |
woke again the sun shone brightly, and
Mary was knocking at my door


While she was lighting the fire, made
some alterations in my dress, and tried to
restore myself to something like my usual
appearance. But it was with a very
heavy heart, and the utter futility of the
attempt caused me to sink down helpless.
ly, the picture of wretchedness.


Poor Mary, diving some i'll, but under
standing nothing, trippcd about softly,
putting things to rights and performing
her various duties in way that showed
how full her heart was of sympathy.
blessed her for the proud and happy
smile that oversprcad her sincere face as
she laid Il letter upon my face after bring
ing in the tray with my breakfast; for
she, poor girl, had seen my face light up
many a time over similar missives, and
thought that this would prove panacea
for all my ills.


When She had gone, broke the seal,
read half the honeycd contents, and then
IN passion Of outraged feeling, threw it
from me, and again burst into tears.


Later in the day, l had taken step
Which relieved my mind, and after see
ing Charles Delaney's letters safely be-
slowed in the mail to be returned to him.
turned to Ellen Myre and her interests
with sort of feverish avidity, which
proved the necessity for something with
which TO occupy my mind and lead it
from brooding over an unworthy OBJ
ject.


Ellen could write fair, plain hand,
and with a little assistance might serve
we as copyist. So l had the little room
f-t.d up for more pei manent residence,
and furnishing her with decent clothing,
set her to work, going back to my own
pen with an earnestness and determina-
ton never before experienced.


Thus week passed away, during
which time nothing more came from
Charles Delaney, whose picture no lon
ger smiled down upon me, frightening
and blessing my toll. All that had pas
sed. | stood over the ruins of shatter-
ed temple once beautiful, to look upon.
and at which l worshipped devoutly-
but where | must now nerve myself TO
look down unialteringly and steel my
heart against tenderness-shutting out all |
the old and hallowed memories that had |
made it so sacred TO my eyes. 1t was a
hard thing to do. An earnest woman
never loves lightly, and when | pledged |
my faith TO Charles Delaney it was with
a love that would willingly have sacrif-
ced lite for his sake, believing him wol-
thy, Now the bright dream had flown,
and / looked into the future with weary
cyes-strugglng through daily paths with
weary, faltering steps.


One evening sat in the gathering
my head upon my desk, and
silent tears blottng the lines my pen had
traced, when hand fell lightly upon my
bowed head. had not heard any one
enter, and was startled at the touch,
up with cry. There at my
side, pale and reproachful, stood Charles
Delaney, his blue eyes full of suffering
have never seen in them before. He
sighed heavily as he spoke and his deep
ioice trembled.


81 received package containing my
etters to you, Ginnie, and have come TO
'sk the meaning of it. Tell me what
las happened. 1t must be some-
hing fearful to cause you to act thus
Without one word of explanation"


Enough to justify rue in my course"