Newspapers / Our Weekly (Charlotte, N.C.) / Oct. 11, 1873, edition 1 / Page 2
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2 she seemed entirely oblivious to their gentle and delicately word ed hints, and seldom ever spoke except when a direct question was asked her; then she would give a brief answer, and again relapse into silence, from which nothing could arouse her, except a cry from her infant, which never failed to excite in her the tender feelings of a mother, for with a passionate cry she would clasp it to her bosom and cover its little face with a mother’s own kisses; then she would sit for hours, while such tears as only a mother’s love can prompt, would gather in her eyes and fall upon its innocent face. One morning, about a week after her convalescence, Estrella failed to make her appearance. Mrs. Miller, thinking perhaps something might be wrong, went to her room door, and receiving no answer after tapping repeated ly, sho pushed open the door, and entered. Her astonishment can better be imagined than describ ed, when alter looking around, she found no other occupant save the baby who lay, hurried up amid the fleecy bed-covering, kicking, crowing, laughing and looking about with wondering eyes, like an infant cherub. Mrs. Miller hastily approached the bed, and found pinned bosom of the baby’s gown to the a neat- ly folded note; unpinning it she opened and read as follows: I My MO Rffii THAN FISIENDS! -Fre ‘ven read these words. I will doubtless be many miles from here. Would that you had let me died, and passed out of my misery forever, when I was cast like a waif upon your tender mercies; but since such a blissful boon was denied me, I must again take up the burden of life, and go out into the cold, bitter world, to earn my bread, for I can no longer en croach upon your kindness. I leave my child, though God alone knows the bit ter struggle it cost me, yet 1 know with you she will be kindly cared for. “You will find a sufficient sum of money in the smull case on the table, to defray all of her expenses, until the time when I return to claim her; and in the same case you will find a bracelet, studded with a cluster of diamonds, set in the centre with a crimson heart; never on any conditions part with it, but keep it until my return, for it is an ancient family relic, and should I die ere my return, it belongs to my daugh ter. Try and think well of me for I am one of earth’s most wronged and wretch ed daughters- Call my babe Estrella Marston, and in your prayers send up a petition for the lonely, broken hearted one who passes like an outcast from your door td-night.” Mrs. Miller, after reading this strange note, sank sobbing upon the floor, as though she was the injured one; and thus her hus band found her, after having searched through every other room in the house. Kow, reader, with your permission we will re turn to New York. CHAPTER V. THE FORGED LETTER. Ah! woe to thy dream of love and de light; Thy bright star’s veiled in the darkness of night, The deep sting of sorrow, is bowing thy I Douglas was now convinced that hea ^’ ■ there was something wrong ; and hastening to the top of the stair- Since the idolized one, thy darling, has fled. After parting with Guy Leaton, on that memorable night, Gilbert Douglas sought his home. He found it vailed in darkness, with not a sign of life about it. Use- ing his night key he entered the house and found the servants all soundly asleep; and, what seemed to him as very strange, at such an early hour, not a single light gleamed from any part of the house. With a nameless fear of impending evil tugging at his heart strings, he passed hastily up the broad stair-case, and approach ing his wife’s sleeping apartment tapped gently at the door. Re ceiving no answer, he called soft- iy: “Estrella, Estrella, dear, arc you asleep ?” but no voice answer ed, and passing on to his own apartmeet, he murmured; “Poor child, she was lonely, I expect; I should not have staid out so late, I shant disturb her to- night to show her her present; but I’ll put it in the parlor to- night, and so surprise her in the morning;” and a smile played about his handsome month, as he thought what a surprise it would be. Ah! Gilbert Douglas, had you but known how like a broken rose, culled from the parent stem, miles from your darling then lay y6u, kviftiering iih pain addWi-L., 1 , . , , , you would have gone through 1 and T haint seed her sence. flames of fire to have reached her ! , “Good ?y hat does a!i this mean ? My darling, my dar ling ! oh where are you ? Berry, side. and after' & 0 ^ 0 Guy’s h°t°h and tell him to Striking a light, Douglas pas sed on into the parlor, ; . disposing of his vase, returned to ! 6 mG immediately, ana his room, and throwing himself P^gH Dougas Wished like an into an easy chair, was soon 1Wiie man bel ° w stair ^ search - wrapt in the arms of morpheus; but his dreams, whatever they were, could not have been pleas ant, for ever and anon a shade of grief passed over his face, and something like a moan of pain would escape his lips. Delay thus until the gray light of dawn, be gan to peer in at the eastern win dow, then with a convulsive shud der, he sprang to his feet exclaim ing: • “Good Heavens! Estrella, whore are you ?” and he gazed around the room in a bewildered way, then suddenly recollecting every thing, he sank back in his chair murmuring: “such a horri ble dream !” He sat there until the sunlight glided in at the window, and the servants began to stir below; then he arose and sought his wife’s room, he knocked at the door, but receiving no response, he pushed it open and went in, but as the reader already knows, Es trella was not there, neither was the bed disturbed, but there were several rich articles of wearing apparel scattered about the room, as if thrown down in great haste. case he called •. “Berry !” “Yes, sir,” answered the port ly footman presenting himself be fore his master. “Berry, have you seen your lady this moruing?” “No, sir,” replied the wonder ing Berry, “I have not seen my lady since yesterday morning, when master Guy was here, and I supposed she went some where with him.” “Ko, that could not have been for Guy was with me last night. Call Mary, her maid, immediate ly.” When Mary came in she pre sented a scared white face. “Mary, do you know any thing 1 of your lady ?” asked Douglas, as soon as she had made her ap pearance. “Lord help us ! no sir; for sure I thought she was here, indeed I did,” replied the girl, “When did you see her last?”’ “ Why to be sure not since yes- I terday morning, when master | Guy left; then she came out of her room, with her face all white and pale, and said she to me, ‘Mary I have a very bad headache, and I am going to lie down ; and do not come to my room under any circumstances whatever, un- less I call you. Mary, do you understand me ?’ ‘Yes, marm, into her tf^^M A, ftberiJ she went ing room, after room, for his lost ones ; but it was a fruitless search, and at last, sinking down upon a chair, and clasping his hands to his burning brow, he exclaimed: “Oh tell me! what doos all this mean; is it reality, or is it all some terrible night-mare?” And strong man though he was, he sat th we, weak and trembling, gaz ; imploringly into the fright ened faces of the weeping ser vants, who had gathered around him. Just in the midst of it all, Guy Leaton rushed in exclaim ing: “What in the name of wonders does all of tins fuss and this tale that Berry has been telling me, mean ?” “Ah, Guy,” replied Douglas, “I know no more than yourself, it is all a mistery to me.” Then, speaking to the servants, “Go out, all of you, and leave us alone.” When the door closed, and they were alone, Douglas turned to Leaton, and said: “I came home last night, thought Estrella was sleeping, concluded not to disturb her, went to her room this morning, and she was not there. The ser vants have not seen her since yesterday morning, when you were here, which Mary tells me, was about eleven o’clock; now, did she say any thing to you about going out any where; and did you notice any change in her manners ?” “Suddenly, as if struck by some forcible thought, Guy Lea ton sprang to his feet, then sink ing back upon his chair murmur ed: “Alas! my poor cousin, that you should have been so duped.” “What do you mean, Guy ?” cried Gilbert, staring at him in utter amazement. “What was that you were say ing about being duped, Gay? I desire an explanation, for there is something wrong in all this mis tery.” “Spare me, Gilbert, for what I know, I would rather you would strike me dead, as to force me to speak. What I do know, I could have told you last evening, but I did not wish to break your dream of peace.” Gilbert arose, and laying his band on Leaton’s shoulder, said in a hoarse, harsh voice; “If you know any thing against my wife, I command you to speak out and tell me.” “Gilbert, my poor cousin, calm yourself.” “Tell me,” he replied harshly, “w^afr those dark 1 Asifiuatidns mean, that you have made use of.” “Gilbert, if you must know, I . must tell you, but understand me, I know nothing about Estrella, only what came from her own lips. Yesterday morning I came down here, and strangely enough found Estrella in tears. Upon asking the cause, she appeared to be embarrassed, and for some time would not tell me; but after a while, she seemed to be com pletely overcome with her grief, and seating herself by my side, she began a long account of how before she had ever seen you, she had met one Harry L’Estrange, and become engaged to him; and then, though loving him better than her life, she had forsaken him and married you, for your gold, and then—Oh, Gilbert! I cannot tell you any more.” “Go on.” he replied hoarsely. “Well, she said she had receiv ed a letter from L’Estrange that morning, entreating her to fly with him across the seas. That is all I know Gilbert; and I would never have told you this, had you not drawn it from me by force.” “Oh! God help me!” moaned Douglas, burying his face in his hands, then suddenly rousing himself he said; “Guy, there is the postman’s click, attend to the mail please,” Leaton went out,but soon returned and laid a letter down on the table before Douglas, who on seeing it, uttered a faint
Our Weekly (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Oct. 11, 1873, edition 1
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