A NOBLE REPULSE. 229 you to his own station in society, is not that sufficient proof of his attachment ?" "Your son can find many more worthy than I without looking beneath him." "But he loves you, Nellie! loves you with all the strength and fervor of his nature." Nellie sank upon a seat and buried her face in her hands, shaking all the while like an aspen leaf. The tide of recollection came surging over her, overwhelming her with its rush of thought and emotion. But the tempest quickly subsided, and a calm, perfect in its serenity, succeeded. With a dignity that gave force to her words, and an earnestness which showed that she spoke from the depths of her heart, she replied: "It is useless, Mrs. Everson, to prolong this painful interview, recalling, as it does, such bitter memories of the past. Had your son held out to me a kindly hand when most I needed his support - had he proved himself possessed of those nobler traits with which my fancy had ever invested him, I should have been proud and happy in his love. But now that dream is past ; and though I forgive the rude touch which awakened me, the spell is broken forever. I shall always be grateful to your son for first guiding me to the paths of knowledge, but believe me, no warmer sentiment will ever again dwell in my heart for him." Ere the astonished woman could reply, Nellie had glided from her presence. "Stay!" cried Esther Cram, waving her hand as Mrs. Everson arose, “I have yet a few words to say to you. You came hither to seek the low fortune-teller's child for your son's bride, did you ?” "I did it to save my son's life," was the haughty reply. "And she has refused him, thank God!" the sick woman exclaimed, while her black eye shone with unnatural brilliancy. "But lest you should find comfort in the thought that your son has thereby escaped a mesalliance, let me tell you that that girl can boast higher blood than ever coursed through your veins. Did'st ever hear aught of General Morrison, the noble, brave commander under whom your father served? or his flattered and caressed daughter whom the world called beautiful and gifted, and whom Arthur Everson so madly loved ere you became his wife? Proud and haughty though the name you bear, my father's child yields precedence to none, and Esther Morrison might this day have stood where now you stand. But go now, lest in this hour of triumph my heart forgets its duty in exulting joy! Go! and remember that the mountain jewel is too precious for an Everson to guard!" "THROUGH life's dark and thorny path, It yet some spots of sunshine hath, That shine amid the gloom. The FRIEND, who weal and woe partakes, Unchanged, whate'er his lot, Who kindly soothes the heart that aches, WHAT'S the news, Mr. Murray? nothing very bad, pe?" asked Dr. Jepson, as he entered his guest's one morning, and found him sitting in thoughtful A before some newly arrived letters. can scarcely say that it is bad," the other replied a peculiar smile; "and yet, just at this time, it les me; indeed, I am perplexed beyond measure." Can I do any thing for you, to help you out of your lexity? Bessie and I both have become as much hed to you as though you really belonged to our y, and we'd be glad to do any thing we could for certain." You are kind, very kind, Doctor; be assured I nly reciprocate that attachment. No where in this country have I enjoyed the genial influences of home to such an extent as beneath your roof. I shall carry with me to England, for which I must soon depart, the remembrance of these happy days and weeks as one of the brightest spots in my life." "You don't mean to say that you are really going to leave us soon, Mr. Murray! that would be bad news surely." "The arrival of these letters will hasten my departure, Doctor; and it is that which troubles me this morning. I can not reconcile myself to the thought of leaving these pleasant scenes, endeared as they are by recollections of-of Mr. Murray stopped in con fusion. "Do not fear to make a confident of me, Mr. Murray; I have already guessed your secret; and I honor you for it. She's a noble girl, worthy of any man's love." "Thank you, thank you, Doctor; I know that I can rely upon your confidence and friendship, and I will do so. I am not ashamed to acknowledge that I love Miss Morrison-that I have, from the first moment I beheld her, been irresistibly drawn towards her. But I dare not hope ever to awaken any other than a friendly interest in her heart, after the deep and passionate love she has borne another." "She is pretty thoroughly cured of that, I reckon,” said the Doctor, smiling; "at any rate, her cool reception of Walter Everson's mother, after she had come AN IDOLATER'S WORSHIP. all the way up here to ask Nellie to marry her son, look much like being in love with him, did it ?" 233 didn't "Pride may have prevented her from accepting such an offer." "Nellie's proud enough, that's certain; but she's the soul of truth, and she told Mrs. Everson that she did not, and never should, entertain any other feelings than those of gratitude towards her son. Her mother, who has studied her so thoroughly that she can almost read her thoughts, says she has not a doubt that Nellie spoke truly. And a wonderful relief it was to her, too." "Yet Nellie did love him with an almost idolatrous affection." "You're right there Mr. Murray; it was the blind worship of an idolater; but when her eyes were opened, and she saw nothing but a cold marble statue her imagination had clothed with unearthly glory, the infatuation vanished, and Nellie was her own noble self again." 66 I shall never forget the moment of that discovery, Doctor, while I live; there was a moral grandeur and sublimity about the beautiful girl in that fearful crisis, which exalted her heaven-high above those who scorned her, and made her seem like some angelic being in earth's guise." "I can imagine just how Nellie looked. Gim-i-ni! I shouldn't like to have been in Walter Everson's place just then!" "Pardon me for disagreeing with you, but I should. One approving smile or a word of sympathy, one warm, |