Nib i r H . AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER. . Vol. VIII. .'IVoy Bloomfteld, PnM Tuesday, Juno 1G, 1874. No. 24. 18 PUBLISHED EVEnT TUESDAY MORNINO, BT FEANK M0ETIME3 & CO.. At New Bloomfleld, Terry Co., Va. Being provided with Steam Tower, and large Cylinder and .Tub Tresses, we are prepared to do all kinds of Jnb-l'rlntlnK In . goo4 style and at Low 1'ilces. .. ADV EUT18I JG HATK8J TrantiiiUH Cents per lino Tor one insertion ' . i 13 " " ' twolnsertlons 15 ' " "three insertions Business Notice! In Local Column 10 Conts per line. ,' , W.For longer yearly adv'ts terms will be given upon application. THE UNFAITHFUL GUARDIAN. CONTINUED. it ""OU sent for me, madam," ho said. " Nellie," she gasped ; "tell me where she Is?" There was something so wild in her man ner that it hardly looked like grief it seemed rather as if she had determined to dare all sooner than relinquish a single claim. " Where is Nellie?" she repeated, pas sionately. " You have no right to keep her from me you shall not do It ! Give me back my sister." "Some explanation appears necessary upon this point," returned Mr. Morris, un able to determine what feelings actuated her, and in spite of his justice, somewhat prejudiced by the accusations which had been poured into bis ear since he last saw her. y " What explanations? I want my child my sister." " You know that before your father's death the child was legally adopted by my nephew !" "Well?" "No ono else had any control over her " "I had," she interrupted, '" she was mine 1" ' "At all events," he continued, hardened by her passionate tone, "in your husband's will she is taken from your care." " Oh, no, no !" sho shrieked, " not that, anything but that !" " It is out of my power, madam ; the will striotly forbids it." - . , " Then I will contest that will !" she ex claimed; "it is an unjust, cruel will my husband would have revoked it if there bad been time 5" "Ob, madam!" returned the old man, respect at least that husband's memory and your own reputation," " I will have my sister, there is no law strong enough to keep her from me." " Listen to me, madam," said Mr. Mor ris, motioning her to a seat. " I have no harsh feelings toward you, but I desire to do justice on every side. Your husband made that . will believing it right to cast you ofT forever." " But he knew that he was deceived before he died bo knew it." ."Alas, madam, we cannot tell I At all events the will is made, and you ciMiuot alter it. Your character has not been in jured by any report of the facts, and tf you remain quiet no scandal will arise, but the instant you go into conrt to contest that testament everything mnst be revealed." " But there is nothing the charge was false, false I" " But can you )prove it ? God grant that you may be able !" "'., "Prove it?" she repeated, in a bewil dered tone. , " Did I not prove it to my husband on his death ' bed he' believed me?" "But have you nothing beyond this ?" "What could I have?" "Then you are indued to be pitied 1" '" I do not understand you 1 Bat wp ire , only wasting toe unit-take me to my lister at once I tell you that there is no 'reason why she should not be with mo." She rose again from her seat as if ' she "would have hurried away in search of 'the lost darling. . .. , " You must , listen to me, madam!" he aid. You cannot eo to to your sister, bv your husbanoVs will you are forbidden ever to see her." . " But there is a clause by which you are to have her again, if you ever prove those charges to be false." ' " And who is to decide ?", She asked. "That decision rests with me, my neph. ew bequeathed it as a dying trust." . " And you will not boliove me yoii are what the world calls a good man and you refuse to do this ?7 , " My own convictions can have uo weight madam, the evidence must be clear and conclusive Prove those letters false trace them to the proper source and all will bp restored to you." Hor head sank, she pressed her hand over eyes in a vain . endoavor to think to find some cluo. , - , ' "All is over," sho shuddered, "all is over 1" : " The income which comes to you by right, as tho widow of my nephew, will be regularly paid," pursued Mr. Morris, hear ing only an echo of remorse in that moan, " it is sufficient to make you almost a rich woman" . , " "And you think I would take it?'! sho interrupted, with , something of bor olden pride. " Ah, you do indeed believe me de graded when you propose this 1 . I will not accept it I have a right to my husband's entire fortune, or to no part of it." , " It is settled upon his adopted daugh ter." " Then keep the whole for her I ask no money what could the wealth of the In dies do for me now ?" " But you must live, madam " , "Not on that pittance doled out to me in commiseration of my helplessness, sir I would die ten thousand doaths first 1 Do not believe me so fallen as that at the worst, I have a friend who will work for me, struggle for me, and at last die with me," sho continued, as Janet's honest face and strong will came back to her memory. Mr. Morris turned away with a shudder of disgust, which she did hot heed. " Remember, madam, you are addressing the uncle of that dead man do not insult him through me !" " I tell you I will never touch a penny of that money," she returned, mistaking the tenor of his words, " by the labor of my own hands will I earn my existence rather than that." Mr. Morris rose to go with sterner feel ings toward the woman than he had ever before felt. " The first installment of your iucome will be duly paid by the administrators of the estate," he said. " For your own sake I advise you to remain perfectly quiet ; any scandal which may arise only ruins you, and more than that, blights the existence of that child whom you profess to love p fondly.", He moved toward the door alio stood for au instant paralyzed by the thought that all was over, no hope, nothing left but the reality of her despair. His hand was on the lock before she could utter a sound, then her white lips parted. ... , , " One word more 1 Let me see the child once only onoe I I will bring no disgrace upon her I will do toothing to cast a shad ow upon her future let me see her once more." . , , " I have no power to grant your request ; she is not under my care, and, the, ' will so eUtutly forbids any intercourse between you, that those who have the control would not dare permit it." ; , Hue made no answer, did not seek to do tain him, or hear the few words of farewell he uttered as he left the chamber- The door closed, but she did not move, standing there motionless, her. white face rained, and her eyes gazing at . vacancy with a fixed, blank stare. , i. , The door of the inner room opened softly and Janet Brown crept into the chamber, trembling with fear for the effects of that interview upon her mistress. ' The lady did not stir or betray a consciousness of her approach. The faithful creature hurried toward : ber, terrified by the expression of those rigid features. .. "Mistress !" she whispered,, "mistross !" Mrs. Lennox did not move those strain ed eyes never wandered, - and no shade of softness rae over the blank countenance. , There w a fever beating in her pulses which Janet oould not quiet ;, but she kue w that illness, perhaps death would ensue,, if she did not obtain some rest, for the poor lady had 'passed whole days and .nights without repose. .Janet found some lauda num among her little stores, and gave her a few drops to, swallow, she darkened the room and sat down, by the bedside, till the violence of. the paroxysm should be past. At length Mrs. Lennox grew more culm, her broken mumturings ceased, and she sang into a . aecp' slumber, i, which was a) moat like death. ,.,.., , ii;,,,.,,y All that evening the , faithful cpeftture watched beside her suflering 1 mistress, weeping softly sometimes as she regarded the pale face and thought of all the suf fering In store. Late in the night, Mrs. Lennox woke parched with thirst, but after drinking the cooling draught which Janet presented, sank again to sleep.' It was late in the morning before she again opened her eyes, vory weak, but with tho fever which had consumed her for days entirely gone. "You are better," Janet said, bending over her, " you are bettor, thank God 1" " Have I slept so long is it afternoon, or is the night over ?", .. . . " You have slept it through, and when you get dressed and have a cup of coffee you will be quite yourself again." " My head feels so confused, Janet I Wasn't some one here? did I not have news?" , " Yes, dear,, Mr. Morris "... , " Oh, I remember now! I hoped it wore all a dream,!' .; .' i , " Don't think about it just yet, mistress, you will be stronger by and by." , "I must think what I have to do must be done at once I Janet, I must know where my sister is you , must find hor out." .. " But where can I go?" "Oh, I don't know, L don't know! Nobody will help mo nobody !" "Stop," said Janet, " there's James that lived with Mr. Lennox." . " Yes, he spoke , kindly to me that day I remember hira." "I'll go to. bis wife, and find where he is." : - ., I.-. .. . "1 will go too, Janet, let us start." ' "I had best go alone, I won't be long." "I. must go with you ! Call a carriage, Janet !" . ..!... : : v . .: '. She rose, and tried to walk, but her limbs sank under her, and she would have fallen to the floor if Janet had not eaught her in her arms.1 ' , ' "You see, mistress 1 Now . just drink this coffee, and Ho still, I'll be back in no time." - There was nothing else to be done, and Mrs. Lennox obeyed passively. : Janet was ready in a few moments to depart, promis ing good tidings on her return. ' Mrs. Lennox lay there during her ab sence, taking no notice of the flight of time only waiting, waiting yet conscious that there was no bopo. Janet returned at last she heard hor step without, and rose up in bod as she entered, looking the question she had no power to speak. "I found James himself, mistress, he's here." " Here ! . Let me see him. Have you learned anything ?" Nothing that is like a hope," sighed Janet. V " l must see the man ; help me up." The woman assisted her to rise, and led ber out into the chamber where the man waiting. He started at the sight of her changed face that face he bad seen melancholy and proud,'but never with a pallor of anguish like that. " What can you tell me?" she exclaimed " Do you know where my sister is ?" Tiio man hesitated to speak, awed and moved by that voice. " Tell me tho worst I can hear it. Who has taken her?" "I don't know, ma'am, I couldn't hear." " But where has she gone ? " "To Enropo," returned the man, slowly, for the separation seemed to him almost like that of eternity. , , . , "Europe 1" she exclaimed, with renewed energy ; ."Europe ! But with whom, can't you tell?" ; ; " Not at all, I only knowlhe housekeeper said she was going immediately." ' "And that is all you know? I thauk you, James you are a good man I Leave me ! You have given me some hope I can bear.it now." , ,,,,, ,, The roan went wonderingly away, and when he bad left the room Mrs. Lennox sat for a moment in silent thought, i 8ud denly she turned toward Janet. "i ; " Will you go with me to Europe?" she asked-v ; , , ,. , , ,. .,. . , - "To Europe, mUitress!",; .,, , ' ; '! Yes, if; she U gone, there I ..will have nothing to .keen me here, at; least I may flud her and be near ber." ,,. ; ." But It Isn't certain , ,, , - "Yes, she has gone, I am sure of it 1 I must follow, Janet, I should go mad to think the ocesa was Uetwoon us."' , ,, : But It. costs a deal, .mistress, and you are gentle bred X ...... tK , ,.i:c,j; ,,i"Pb, ; I havf Vmouey, Joust, , not the dower I icould never touch that Tbut money which belongs to me, which did not some from Mm,", , 1 , l . That little treasure it seemed so small once. She bad reserved it for the child, with the thought that something mightone day occur which would render it useful how she thanked Heaven for the impulse which bad caused her to do It !" Will you go' to Europe with me, Janet?" I'll go to the world's end I've no cause to stay here I've nothing left nothing but you yes, I'll go, mistress, I'll go.'" ' Yes, we will go and search together for the lost one. Let us start at once, Janet." ' " But the things the preparations?" "Never mind get me a newspaper, somewhere." Janet went down stairs to borrow one of the man, and Mrs. Lennox began pacing the room, forgetful of her weakness, in the tenacity with which she clung to that new fonnd hope. She caught the paper eagerly from Janet's hand when she entered, and turned to the column of advertisements. " It sails in two days we will go then, Janet '." The woman did not offer any opposition, but listened to the details which Mrs. Lennox hurriedly gave. Wo must hasten, Janet, there is no time to lose '. I can go out now, 1 am strong. The money the passage every thing must be made ready." " If you've a hope now, mistress, you'll not despair again I Cling to the bright thought don't give way, it'll give you strength to bear up any way." She had at least found an aim, and to a nature like that woman's, it is only its lack which can produce utter prostration of the mind. She put off her despair she flung back the crushing memories of the past days she dwelt only on that vague idea at least she should be near the be loved one they could not deprive her of that blessing ! William Sears stood on the wharf, near the departing steamer. A carriage stopped and a lady descended, followed by an at tendantit was the face which had haunt ed him for days. He stood immovable saw her ascend the side of the vessel stood there while the bells rung and the confusion of parting in creased. All was ' ready tho wheels began to move and the steamer rounded out into the stream. Sears was . watching always that form standing on deck, not looking back on the land she was leaving, but afar over the waves, as if some great desire lay beyond and she were going forward to meet it. For the moment, he would have given half his life bad she but once glanced to ward him given him a sign of recognition. None came, the vessel bore ber swiftly away, and was soon only a speck in the distance. " Europe t" he exclaimed, rousing him self from his trance, " she has gone to Europe ! For me this same weary life- will there nover come a change never ? She did not see me would not know me '." ne broke off abruptly, and walked slow ly back ' through the crowded sheets to the solitude of his chamber.-' Never in his life had he felt so restless so utterly alone ; yet unable even to himself to render ac count of the emotions which agitated him. A wild craving for change arose in bis heart, but a long probation lay between hira and the excitement of the wider existence for which he so pined. But amid all his painful reflections, his anxious aspirations for the nnknown whioh lay beyond, that face rose before his sight, and he could not realize that they had mot and parted so hastily. CHAPTER V. And now for a time we will leave our travelers to pursue their journey, while we note some incidents that happened on this side of the ocean. The golden glory of a spring sunset brightened over the old house where this story opened, Six years had passed,leaving no trace of all that had been in those great halls, no shadow from grief or death to cast a gloom around. i , ,., Upon the viue-suadowed colonnade in front of the dwelling stood the youthful heiress of that vast estate. . Six years had borne Nellie on toward girl-hood, but her face still retained the spiritual beauty for which she had been so remarkable in her childish years. Her hair fell over her shoulders in a shower of bright ringlets, where the glory of the sulight seemed re flected, and ber deep violet eye had a shy, In Decent look, like those of a young fawn just startled from its covert, bhe was loaning over the railing, one hand clinging to ona-of the marble pillars which suppor ted the verandah, tho other reaching down to pluck some of the early summer roses thaft clambered in wild profusion to the very roof. There was something so un studied and natural in her position, every movement was so full of grace, that the most indifferent eye oould but have remark ed and been charmed by it. "Did you ever see such beautiful roses?" she said, turning toward a lady who stood regarding her a little way off, , " look, Mrs. Dexter such a lovely color." " They are earlier than they wore last year, are' they not ?" said Mrs. Dexter, taking the flowers which Bhe offered. "Oh, this is such a nico spring, every thing is growing so fast who knows," she added, laughing In her pretty, quiet way, "but I maybe coaxed into growing my self." She was such a littlo fairy of a tiling, and had such a charming, womanly way with it all, that it lent an Indescribable charm to every look and word. Nellie had been un like most children all her life. Some vague remembranco of early sorrow lay like a shadow about her, and the solitude in which the latter years of her childhood had been spent, without playmates of hor own age to teach ber the unrestrained gaycty which is ono of the usual characteristics of that season of life, had naturally given her a quaint, sedate manner, which at times lightened into bursts of glee and merri ment, that made the old house ring as if a whole nest of summer birds had flown through it. After the death of . ber adopted father, ' and the days of excitement and grief which succeeded, Nellie had been very ill ; for weeks and weeks they watched over tho couch where she lay consumed by fever, neither recognizing or addressing any one about her, but with an incoherent cry upon her lips for tho sister, from whom she had been so mysteriously separated, and tho kind parent who had loved her with an entire fondness seldom bestowed by a real father upon his child. When life and consciousness came back, and she began slowly to recover from that terrible fever-dream, and after oblivion, the events which had previously transpired seemed only like a strange vision. She comprehended that Mr. Lennox was dead, and when she again asked for ber sister, they told her that she was not cold and buried like her dear father, but as much lost to her as if the grave indeed separated them. With the singular instinct which children possess, she questioned no more, unable to understand what those myste rious words might be intended to convey, but confident that she only brought pain to those around her by the mention of ber sister's name, and therefore forbearing to allude to it. Mr. James had brought her back to that old house where her early years had been spent, and there she dwelt in its beautiful seclusion, tenderly guarded, and fondly loved by those in whose care she had been placed. She bud a warm, affectionate heart, which clung to all who evinced any signs of attachment for her, and so she glided on through her childhood shielded from care or pain, every wish gratified, and every desire granted, till her life seemed bright and ' joyous as that of. some beauti ful princess in the fairy tales which were her chief delight during those years. Mr. James came at regular intervals to visit her, often during the summer season makiug his residence there for whole weeks together, and Nellie perhaps loved him more unrestrainedly than any living creature bad done for years. To her he changed in his whole manner whether evon the ice about his heart thawed beneath .her smile, or because he desired to strengthen by every possible means his influence over her, it would have been impossible to toll, but certainly in ber presence be evinced more softness and sympathizing kindness than one would have believed to belong to bis nature. " These red roses," Nellie was saying to her governess, " are the flowers that my guardian likes best" she always pronoun ced the words "my guardian" with a sort of emphatic, absolute sense of her own right to claim him entirely. " Perhaps ho will come in a day or two to see me." , " If not, you can easily seud the roses to him, Nellie," replied Mi's. Dexter, "he will be ploased with that." , , " Yes, be likes me to remember him, he says so. Hark ! I bear horses can thBt be Mr. James?" t "I don't, hear carriage wheels," M.-s. Dexter said, listening an instant, " and he never comes on horseback." To be continued.
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