The Houston Tri-Weekly Telegraph (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 31, No. 102, Ed. 1 Monday, October 30, 1865 Page: 3 of 8
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iWrittwi For the Telegraph.)
LORRAINE LEYEBE,
OR
The Story of one Man's Heart.
BY TITL1TA.
Nkw Orleans. April 'iud, 1859.
Clinton Harpkr, E-q.
My Dear Friend:—1 have just arrived
from Texas null am -i-pping at the 8t.
Char'es where, it you could p<>s il% meet
me next week, >ou will have the opportu-
nity of btddwg nte tareweil—yes, C int.
perhapa au eternal tare well, tor 1 shall t-ail
for Europe in two weeks, and may never
return. That is the broken hearted "tyle,
iau't i ? For the wretched ot this country
Europe, to judge by the novels, is as great
an asylum as tbia o untry is to h* op-
pressed of the other hemisphere. But
tbeie is too much sad earnestness about
this mutter to jest. Clinton, I've made a
fool—worse than a fool—of myself aud
have wrecked my life's happiness. But as
ibis is all like Arabic to you, 1 will en-
deavor to quiet 'my restless spirit long
en< u*h to recount what happened to me iu
Texas.
I wrote to you last summer before start-
ing for that distant State, and told you
of Cousin John Q'aham'a invitation. Sara
haa doubtless kept you posted on many
things concerning me, but you must hear
my own story.
Cousin John bad been expecting me to
visit him ever ainoe my leaving College,
and I had failed to do ao until receiving
that, letter trom his w fe invit'ng me to
apend the summer and fall with them, that
Cousin John had invited a crowd ot young
men to hunt, and she would have a bevy of
pretty girls at the house.
Well, you know my two weaknesses, if
such they cau be calit d, were hunting—and
alm< si a mania for the society of agreea-
ble women. I don't say ladies, because
I'm n<t sure t^at my fastidious lady-fister*
Would qu'te agree with me in the application
of the le m But I don't know that the lat-
ter taste i* so m.ich io be wondered at,
considering that the most intimate friends
of my life have been my mother and sistert,
Who were al o included in the invita ion.—
Mother, Stella, and Sara, your affiaucee,
consented to go after conaiderable persua-
sion.
We crossed the gulf, reached Galveston
safely, and after several delays and annoy-
ances, owing to the miserable state of
travelling facilities, arrived at my cousyi's
plantation, a beautiful place on the Texas
coast, where, sure enough, a crowd was
colected Hang >y Stella ev-n opened her
eyes at the bevy of pretty girls cousin
John's wife had gathered around her.
It, was the first time any of us had visited
our Texas relatives, and we were agreeably
surprised at their surroundings. I had pic-
tured Texas as a sort of semi-barbarous
place, where broken fortunes iuigt>t be
mended, necks saved that oiiglit to be
broken, and useful lives sacrificed to Lynch
law Indeed, I had felt a little t mid about
taking my mother aud sifter there. I am
now asham d of my ignorance. I found
elegance, luxury and refinement . It is not
general, I suppose, but it was all met with
at my cousins house, and duriug my entire
stay in Texas.
Well, for two weeks, hunting all day,
dancing half the night, and playing cards,
occupied our time completely; that is. ex-
cepting the ladies, who only appeared in
the evening and participated in the dancing;
varied by tableaux, charades, and various
parlor games. I shot t, my cousin's house
was delightful; even Stelle went into dig-
nified raptures, and agreed that the young
men were ventlemen and those pretty Texas
girls perfect ladies.
"1 itn gineil,"' said Stella, "that all the
masculiue portion ot this State were despe-
radoes and utlaws, who wore bowie knives
and revolvers, and that all the femiuine
Eortion dipped snuff and chewed tobacco,
ut I'm perfectly delighted with the so
ciety."
"So much so that you could consent to
live here," said, I alj'ly ; for young Upton,
an elegant young Texan, (don't sueer,
Clint, I once would have deemed that ab-
surd, but you shou'd see for you self,) who
has been educated in Paris, is dreadfully
smitten with Stella, and not vainly, I infer.
After two weeks continuous, never-ceas-
ing dissipation, I, who bad not been per-
fectly well to commence with, was unable
to rise from my bed io the moruing.
A young man named Frazier came into
my room to see me, very much in love with
Sara, (don't be jealous, Clint,) and una-
ware ot her engagement to you, be lavished
attentions on me. *
''Knocked up, are you?" said Frazier,
sitting on the aide of the bed.
"Yes, completely," I faiutly responded,
guessing at the meaning of the Texas spy-
ing.
•• Pity! for we are all going to aee Gra-
ham'a cattle herded. It's graud sport
Inoeeii. a i l I. wishing nun ai Jeiiihi-
for my head actieu mt< rnally. I thought
it lather strange amusement for gentle-
men. and said about as much, whereupon
Fraziei launched out into an el<<qu nt ha-
rat.gue on the ctiarius ot ca>ile-drivmg, to
which I listened wi'h ill-concealed imp*
tie ce. Iu the midst, Upton entered the
room.
"O me, gel up, laxy bones," said J' e,
shaking me till 1 o ula have sworn at them
bo h ' You're uot going to lie h -re when
We a>e ju«t on the | oint of having some
glorious sport T Y- u mtis'ni leave Texas
b-fore jou've been out on a 'cattle drive,'
a« it'-called. Why, when I was in Pans,
I used to think sometimes, that it 1 could
just firr out on a Texas prairie, mounted
on my Horse, and swing lasso 'round my
bead for bait aoajr, I'd be perfectly happy.
"Hi w absu-d 1" I muttered—1 ih-uichi
the first specialt-n of barbarian I had wit.
nessed.
••F'*t'«-r, let's make him go," said Up.
ton—"bo is «ood for torn?thing betur than
mo*o carpet knight; let's teach tiim some-
thing uMinl. Cattle driving io not to bo
sneered; at it takes some minly courage,
strt-ng.li, and line hor«- min.-hp. Let's
make him t" " wh reupou they heg.n
tryinn t • pu 11 me out ot bed ; my '>eaJ
was almos: splitting, aud I consented so a* !
t■ < get iid of theiu.
"It you'll leave me in peace till it is I'm- I
to start, I'll ao-ompany you," said I, tor- j
inented ahno-t tv> .lea'h 1
That whi all tiny wanted, s > they clear- '
ed out and left me in quiet. 1 had not the i
least de-ire to go, but over and above eveu
the wt-h t • e cape their tormenting, was
the sting ot the taunt about being a car
pet kn ght. Like the Count in Lintram, I
must go and prove that no lack of courage
wi hiield me from mauly sports. I would
show these young Texas braves that I
lacked neither courage nor skill in horse*
manuhip.
So, d spite the pain I suffered, tor 1
was really ill, 1 made ready to go. The
night before, I had been sitting smoking
on the cool front gallery after •laying
oards in a warm room, and doubtless taken
cold. By the way, Clintou, those young
fellows have won nearly five thousand
from me—now tor heaven's sake, don't
begin to lecture—I've no fondness for it—
I don't care for cards, it's a bore—but it
looks m<an to stand back as if you cared
for the money, and you know the los* of a
lew thousands wou't hurt me—so after I
bad lost enough to convince them that my
dislike arose froai no mercenary motive, I
withdrew, and-pent the time smoking in
the cool nig'it air. Thus, I got that mis-
erab e fever, and when at 10 o'clock we
m -unfed our horses and set off, my hetd
swa-nso 1 could scarcely keep my seat, and
I had a clear knowledge thai if I made any
display of hor*eminshtp that day, it would
be 'y f illing fr m my horse.
"Lorraine,' Cousin John bad said "you
are ill I see; you'd better stay at home with
the ladies."
Several of the party laughed, rather
rudely, I thought; but 1 had become some- j
what of a favorite with some of the pret-
tiest ladies, Hud theieby excited that lit-
tlest point in man's character, a spiteful
jealousy, which mars so many a fine manly
disposition: hence their taunting laugh.—
Ah', that I had had the moral courage to
treat it with contempt; but few men can
endure the taunt of effeminacy quietly;
had 1 done so, I should not now be writing
you this letter. Ah ! would to God I had
remained " at home with the ladies,' but
that laugh dicided me to go.
Soon we reached the cattle-pen, and for
some time I forgot my illness, watching
the novel sport.
The broad prairie with its green scallop-
ed edges of lorest, forming an apparent
circle, rolled before m*-, and the sight of
wild cattle rushing hither and thitner pur-
sued by rider aud whirling lasso, was in-
deed a strange and interesting spectacle.
The drivers were most ot them negroes,
there were several white men, professional
cattle drivers, hired by the planters to tend
their stock ; but all of the young men took
part, and were evidently proud of their
skill, and well they might be, for such rid-
ing I have never witnessed, as I saw on that
Texas prairie. They rode down wild cattle
and threw them with lassos without aiiy
seeming effort, and my admiration knew
no bounds, though it was short-lived, when
I saw about t! e most refined gentleman of
t1 e crowd, Mr. Somers, whose carelessly
graceful attitude aud handsome personnel,
as be stobd leaning against the bars and
holding the bridle of his horse with one
hand ; when suddenly a wild young bull
made its escape from the pen and rushed
madly at him ; he merely stepped side at
the first rush, and let the furious animal go
by with tossing head and bellowing loud.
He stood firm as a rock, releasing his bri-
dle r ins, and as the bull rushed at him a
second time and threw up his h"rns furious-
ly, Somers caught them ano with one dex
terous twist had thrown the bull completely
over, and oefor- it could rise he was in his
saddle dash'ng over a distant part of the
I rairie. I said my admiration was short
lived, for before I had recovered from my
surprise at the feat, the enraged animal
turned and made at me. Scarcely abl to
manage my horse in the illness I was suf-
fering with, aud taken completely aback,
b lore I could wheel my horse round the
bulls horn's were in bitn, and plunging,
snorting in mad pain—terribly gored, the
dying horse fell, < rusliing m • under him,
and the bull da fed madl> off-
It was almost night, and the gentlemen
and crowd of drivers were in other parts of
the praiiie, all carried away by the excite-
ment of the sport, and I lay there almost
killed, while wild cattle rushed by me, aud
I beard the far-off yell of the men. Then I
remembered hearing them say that the
night would be spent at a house near the
other pen, about a mile off, and I began to
despair of aid. Was I doomed, 1 asked my
self, to die here alone on a Texas prairie?
Powerless to move and feeling as if every
bone of my body was broken, I felt as if my
last hour had indeed come, and realized how
useless it would be to call for help in ail
that distant din, aud soon it became impos-
sible, tor growing weaker and weaker on
mak ng ilieeffo t, I found my voice was so
faint that it could not have been heard two
Steps off and yet sense remained.
Night came on, the moon rose bright, and
the sounds died away ; the cattle grew qui-
et, ami laid down aiound the grove of trees
where 1 had tnkeu refuge from the beat of
the sun that day a i-pol about, fi'ty yards
from t ne ol the p -us Aband« n d, forgot-
ten. for they evidently had not missed me
yet. I was sure my lot was ca-t, ami in this
ignoble manner I mu-t die. I know no
lutw long I lay thus, when the feOtind of car-
riage wheels catne in ar, and soou a wo-
man's voice exclaimed:
"Look, Colonel, there is some one asleep
under he trees 1"
"Some of the dt< ? rs ; they have been
herding Mr. Graham's cattle here, to day,"
said a man's voice.
"N<>. Col. a horse is lying over bitn! do
go and see. l'l' hold the reina."
Whoever it was, I telt aa if I should wor-
ship that being the rest of my lite, tor my
situation was horrible iu tbe extreme.
The gentleman came, and asoertainiag
my condition, endeavored to assist me, but
he was not able to move my poor dead
horse
"Helen, he's badly hurt; we must get as-
sistance. I recognize the person, t is one
of tbe young men visiting at Graham's."
"And leave him alone f" s id the lady, in
a shocked tone, "oh no, do you go, aud let
me stay till you return '*
"But what good will that do ? You can-
not assist him in anyway, and you only en-
danger yourself. 1 can't leave you here on
this praiiie, witb all these cattle r< ady to
stampede any moment Besides, you don't
know but that ruuaway negroes are about,
or how many villainous, desperate charac
ters there may be colleeted around here."
"Please Col. Somer", let me stay I I am
not afraid, and it looks inhuman to leave a
fellow-creature hete to die all alone. Give
me your revolver, and I cau protect myself
uutil you get assistance f" pleaded the dear
womanly tones.
"Well, well," said the other, "do as you
please but there's no time to lose. Here's
my revolver, aud here, take this tlaak of
brandy."
For a moment she stood beside me, aud
spoke;
"Here, drink this, won't you?" and held
the flask to my lips.
I could not swallow. She desisted, and
p ured some on my forehead. I could open
my eyes, and there in the moonlight they
saw the swee est vision ever beheld. Witb
her flowing hair and white drapery, under
the green trees, in the soft shadowed moon-
lignt, she stood like some Hamadryad, just
come out of her tree to aid a po^r, suffering
mortal I could not speak, so I lay there
and looked at her.
She sat down on the grass beside me,
and modestly, timidly at first, laid her
hand, with a shy grece on my forehead. It
felt like a suit fall ol suow. I tried to look
the gratitude I could not speak. Her mod-
est, womanly reserve was evidently strug-
gling with her Chri-tiau cha ity, but final-
ly the latter prevailed, and she lifted my
wretched head from the damp earth, and
laid it On her lap—on the soft white dra-
pery that looked so spiritual. As she did it
I made a great effort to look up iu her
face, but with the effort my senses tied.
When leason returned it must have been
midnight, and I lay in bed within a neat
chamber, and young Somers was sitting
beside me with an elderly man who, by tbe
remedies he was applying, I judged to be a
doctor. Tbe lady was not present, and i
began to fear it was all a dream, when the
pain I suffered became so excruciating that
i oulr wished it was. One entire side was
hurt, two of my ribs were broken, one hand
crushed badly, and one foot so much in-
jured that 1 am yet slightly 'ame from it.
Well, Clint, I stayed in that house till I
was able to be moved, which was three
weeks, and in that time my principal nurse
was Helen Seaton. Mother, Stella and Sara
came every day to see me, but there was
no danger in my condition, only painful,
tedious waiting and helplessness, and not
once did any of my family meet Miss He-
len ; perhaps they might have taken a dif
ferent course if they had ; but they only
saw Mrs. Seaton. Let me tell you who
this Mrs Seaton is. and why I had not mel
her at my Cousin's, for they had invited all
the respectable portion of 'he neighbor-
hood to the partias, if not as regular
guests. You would know that her family
is good by the name Seaton. She was the
daughter of a West Point officer, long sta-
tioned at San Antonio, but who, alter the
death of his first wite, Miss Helen's mo-
ther, married a coarse disagreeable woman,
and died iu consequence, I suppose, leaving
bis daughter to the tender mercies of her
stepmo her. He- was poor, of course;
American officers usually are Aud so Miss
Helen has been supporting herself, teach-
ing school at Col. Somers, he father of
the young man I before alluded to ; and he
was briuging her home to spend a few
weeks vacation with her stepmother (who
owns a small (lace, and appears to be
kind to her) on the evening they rescued
me from a living grave.
Mrs. Seaton has fallen into disrepute
in the neighborhood by several unladylike
ac's, one atnongst which whs the severe
punishment of a servant girl in conse-
quence of which it is said the girl die),
though nothing certain seems io be known
of the affa r. But, she met with such
haughty it dign&ti* n from the surr< uniting
planters' fimilies 'hat the ladies ceased
V'siunu or inviting her; and in every fam-
ily except that of Col Somers who was a
fri nd of her father's, and where Miss
Seaton Is appreoia ed, the ban again t he
step-mother extends to the child. This
accounts tor her absence at cousin John's,
whose wife likes Mis* Helen, hut who
lacked the moral courage to invite her, on
account of the other ladies. And so by
women is this charming, refined woman ex-
cluded from society ; no one of them
stops to reflect that this damning wrong
may one day be infi cted on herself. But
I am the last who has the right to de-
nounce or condemn the scorn of women to
one of their own sex, when I, who ahi uld
h ive been the eh imp'on, the protector—
but let nie not an ictpate. It will be my
ev -r a-ting shame aud sotrow.
When at the end of tl ree weeks 1 wa
removed in the comfortable ambulance
wh re they la d me on a maitraxs placed
wi bin, and transported me f i"t and weak
to cou-in John's, i' was with the rlear
cons iou-ness that the devoted love I feI■
tor Helen S-aiou wa* returned I simp y
B iy I loved He • n Seaton, b< caus , lo tho*e
who kn iw what love is. it expresses all
How many time" in my life I had though
and said 1 was iu love! but now, old
fti-ud, truly I may sry I h «d uo> known the
meaning of the wo d. In my reflective
roniai 110 mrods I have s meiimes >houtrh
ibis life only a preptratory |thool to > aeh
u how >•> 1 ve n heaven, and ibus ie
by atep have I a cend d till one divine ray
baa entered my sum an i I have touched
11- heigh1 h f «-art'y feeling.
Yes, I loved, her, and I knew, not vainly
but revereutly, that it was returned, more
holily, more purely than given, and only
waited to prepare my mother and sis tori,
before formally demand ng her hand in
uiarriaee. As -oon as my physical condi-
tion admitted, I broached the subject. To
my dismay a storm of indignant reproaches
met me; mother aud 8tell wept at wha
they called "the impending disgrace of the
family " Sara, my darling sister, put her
arms around my neck, and implored me not
to marry the daughter of "such a woman."
It was vain to fay that she was only "Hel-
len's stepmother " She had raised her aud
"Helen couldn't help being like her " And
besides, "her disrepute extended to her
stepchild; they were uuited iu tbe disgrace."
Cousiu John and his wife were called iu, in
the hope tbat they might influence me, and
finally amongst them all. they wrought on
my feelings till I was perfectly dest erate,
aud when as a crowning stroke, my dear
mother actually knelt to me and implored
that ber boy would not marry a disreputa-
ble girl—a girl who had no * tending "even
in Texasthat I might inatry as poor a
girl as I pleased, but "let uot tbe Le-
veres be disgraced by a ntt-aUiane ."
Clint, I almost losi my senses, physically
so weak and excited. At last I promised
uot to marry ber. Ah ! in my desperation
sin entered my heart. Not once did 1 dream
of giving up Helen Seaton aud her love.
The thought never struck me. I only look-
ed on two alterna ives : that 1 was either to
marry her, or persuade her to accompany
me, unmarried, to some foreign country. I
never ouce dreamed of relinquishing all
claimB to her—that thought would have
been madness. It waB with me ouly a
struggle between honor and dishonor. Dis-
honor. backid by the tearful entreaties ot
those I loved best, and that worl Hiness of
spirit, which, raised as I have been, with
our aristocratic South rn ideas, is no slight
thing, and honor with its appanage of so-
cial disgrace and contumely Do not blame
me too severely Clint, when I tell you hon-
or was overthrown, and I lay there in my
room, restless aud miseraole. dialing with
impatieiic- aud mentally arranging to spend
the rest of my life abroad. You may know
how ab.sorbiugly I loved, by tbat quick wil-
lingness and determination to exile myself
lor her sake, I who had such ambitious
views of my future—1 who loved my na-
tive land, a d so longed to serve her. But
compared with the love of Helen, all the
world became as nothit g How falsely I
speak ! I say the world became as noth-
ing, ytt I could not scorn it^ false code and
make her honorably mine. And yet 1 did
truly love, even when seeking to lead ber
to evil. God knows, if the bitterness of my
repentance could wash out the wrong, even
she would forgive me
The first day I was able to mount a horse
I rode over to Mrs. Seaton's. I found
yonng Somers there. That he loved Helen
1 well knew, from what I had seen when ill
at mother'* ; but after all the ladies had
t Id me, (abl women must answer for many
such sins,) 1 concluded that he did not
dream of marrying her either, and though
the thought went like a dagger through my
heart, it involuntarily lowered my reBpect.
Willi accursed vanity aud pre-ump ion,
knowing that she loved me, as she knew I
loved ber, I imagined that she must choose
between us, nud felt perfectly assured of
my fate I remained till Somers left, and
asked her to walk with me. We wandeted,
unconsciously on my part, to the place
where she had found me, that night of my
woes. And there, under those t ees where
she had saved my life; where she had
rushed, herself, out in the lonely night, aud
bravely remained beside me among wild
cattle on a deso ate prairie; there, with all
the scene before me to bring back memory
of the great debt I owed her, I proved my
gratitude by insulting her pure womanhood
with a passionate declaration of love, aud
vehement persuasions that she would go
with me to foreign lands, "where the world
could not lift its Hydra head between us,
and Heaven's unspoken blessing, felt with-
in our souls, would constitute sufficient
leg tlity tor those who only lived tor each
other.'
Satan inspired me. and truly he could
scarce have tempted Eve with more burn-
ing eloquence than that 1 wildly poured
into her listening ear. Great God! such
an insane fool never existed I What d*d
she do? Why, Clint.—and I could blow
my own brains out as I recall the tortured
expression of her face—she stood with Iter
hands crossed tightly over her breast, and
her eyes cast down ; her face not mantled
with the happy blushes of oue listening to
an honorable man's love, but growing
whiter aud whiter every instant, till her lip
turned blue, and she fell against the very
same oak tree 'neath which 1 lay <hat n glit
when she supported my head till assistance
came. I attempted to support her, but she
almost rudely repulsed me, and slid down
like a little child till her head rested agaiust
the trunk.
She «< ul 1 not let me come near her, but
pre-ently—and I knew it .ook a giant ef-
fort—she re8e up and stood pale but s ead
ily cotjfron>mg me, aud sad veiy clear
aun low, "Mr. Levere, 1 have but one an-
swer to make, 1 pray Gad that 1 may never
fee you again iu this wot Id, fttrewe.l sir"—
ti eu wa k'd ali ne from ihe p aoe. Otvier
men beside y> u Clinton, would 8iy that
my b rr'W rose -irom thitirin ; t ut Gud
knows that as I sii here io tiigut, with a
heavy huid u to b ar through at1 life, the
otly coi s lat oti 1 experience is the
• bought that 1 did not so< ceed in evil
Why ! in the very tone of resentment she
use I towar ls in-, was an inceutive to hope
I might have njade th>- Very element f
suce.isi. 1 could nave held her there and
iinpl.red her forgiveness, and wotkiu^
thiough her devotion tome, have still pe>
fisted in a diabolical course. I knew By
the whisperings • f S tan that ne c Was
my power po great as at the mom- nt she
turned to leave me, and as truly I recog
u ie that "tha motto lit lust, 'twas ttnne
torever," and trom |that hour, if 1 let i>
pass, bate aud scorn would daiiy. hou ly
"increase. But tbe teality of the |o*o I
felt and had so abused, became its <>wu
nemesis, aud filled m<* with remote**, 1
folded my arm->. and iood "blinded W'tn
woes, nor dared nor deigned exou-e or ox-
pa ation" A btief struggle swept like
a storm through all my nature, and for tbe
first time your christian precept and ex-
ample rose up before me like a guiding
star—my noble friend, 1 actually prayed—
alas! that it ehiuld seem so strange a
thing. I knew that her contempt Io meet
and endure would be my hardest pei aoce,
and I determined to n eet and endnre it^
Tbe scorn of the woman you love io a ter-
rible thing I and I van say of aer nature..
"She's toe hauf hty not to pardon.
It were something, to be level with her hate.
But my manhood and my seneeofjuH
retribution nerved me, and whea I rousecb
myself and lifted my eyes she was walking
far ahead. I walked qiiioklj after her and
without lookiog up said: '*111103 Beaton
permit me to seo yen oafely heme ?" A
marble sileaee stood between ns, and I felt
as if a oruel sea gushed in to AU Afeo fap
my wrong had made between us, nod rea -
der it perpetual as if ito waves were mo-
mently dashing no farther apart. She
seemed like a complete straoger to Ao,
and when we reaobed the gat^ as I held
it open for her to pass in, wo bowed as
formal "good evenings" to eaeh other as
if we had juat been introduoed.
Most men would h ive acted differently,
her scorn would have elicited a propooal of
marriage, aud they wou d thereby tovo
endeavored to repair th*- wiong and regain
her respect. f «could not Ut her scorn
influence vis to what her merit had Hot —
She was no more worthy to be my wife
then, than she bad been before, aod I was
more unworthy of her—therefore I should
not, like a coward, seek to escape the fate
I deserved by a tardy and foreed offer of
my hand. I deserve her everlasting scorn ,
aud I have met it. I shall carry ito sting tfe
my dying day, and because it is a just
punishment, it I* a sort of satsfaeiicn to-
my injured honor.
Cliuion, for two weeks from that even*
ing her life was despaired of, and oue
week ago she was married to Somers. b
hold in my hand a letter from him written
since, lie io< k a great tanoy to me. £
know Helen has told bim something, but
certainly not the whole, or my braina
wouid scarcely be in as good a condition
as they are, poor ae that may be. I pre-
sume, judgiog from ber character—so
purely honorable—that she only revealedl
her own part aod let. him imagine that she
loved unn turned. Yet, if bo, it isstrisngft
that Somers should be so attaohed to me,
unless it arises from hia almost slavishly
unselfish devotion io ber—I oannot aay
his wife yet.
So farewell, Clintou, mv life is mined at
the outset, so far as happiness is oonoern-
ed, but though a miserable—1 am not a
hopeless man
This terrible woe is not w thout its com-
pensative good,and the christian te< ling that
haa entered my heart since, makes me
strong to bear the penance 1 deseive, and
fills nte with the desire of usefulness and
ti e determination not to waste my lite.
Henceforward, with the blessing of my
Creator, 1 shall be devoted to the service of
good. 1 shall travel two years in EurupC'
as a means of mental improvement, and
shall make choice ot some pro ession or pur-
suit, and qualify myself aa laras possible to
render a grateful return of the bles-ings
vouchsafed me.
Willi regard to Helen, she will bn ther
star of my existence to its end, and one of
my chiet reasons for goiug abroad is to di-
vest my love of all earthliueRs, and to teach
myself when present anguish shall becomo
a sad soft memory, to reverence her as the
pure inspiring saint of my life, and only
feel a love whose devotional fervor will be-
come a blessing—not a bane, ano lead my
spirit on to achievement of all that is wor-
thy one who has been blessed by tbe love of
such a woman—albeit unworthily, aud uqw
withdrawn.
When your wedding takes place, although
I cannot be present at the joyful scene, be
assured my spirit shall be there, iu mute
congratu atiou on your happiuesH. and I
shall receive you as a brother with the satne
affection which since our boyhood has cha-
racterised our friendship, and never more so
than Ui>w when 1 app al toyoualoue tor sym-
pathy aud cotisolai On.
Your d' voted friend,
LOKItA INK LKVKRF.
JLanU for Sale,
BKHIDKS my New WunliiiiKton plui.-e, I oiler fop
Hale all my euUlu, lioinen. InigH, &.u., eonsiHtliiK
ol live hundred head of CtUlfe—nomo of tliem ol tlu>
Durham breed. 1 will uIho noil all my IiiiuIh in Texas,
4IKI0 Heron of wliicli are on (lalveKton Buy. My ohjeet
ill nulling is to ruiHO eiutli, and my Uj iiim will be nueh
ah to Induce ciudi iuveiitmeiiUi. Apply to me or to A.
I*. Thotnpnon, Km|., llouHUin. JAMICIH MOHtiAN.
October I), Wi5. tw.'iw
GRAY & NORRIM'
SOUTHERN COMMISSION AGENCY,
Ai>U I'UlUJIIAblNG BUREAU,
Nom. 120 aud 122 Common Street,
NKW OUI.HANH.
WH IlIiM ronpeetlully to call the uttentiou of
our putrmiH it ml the public generally to our
greatly increased facilitliiH for Hupptjring the wants of
Dealers, Planters, and citizens generally throughout,
tlio South and Southwest, with articles ol every do-
neriiilion.
We hare oompleted the most satisfaetorT arm ngrv
ii outs with all the prmcipuldeulcrs aud inauuliteturera
ol this city, insuring to all those who favor us with
their orders, the very lowest market rates, and iiiubu
lacturers1 prices. Our contracts oover every variety
of goods used or required in tbe Mouth, among v, Moll
we won Id mention Clothing, limits and HIiih-h. (iro-
eerie*, Provisions, Dry (iisjds, Hardware, Huildon*'
Materials, Fruit, Sie.
Parties desiring to order goods from Kustern o
Western markets can have them tilled through our
house with tiilelity ami dispatch.
As we have connections in all the prlneipul cities,
Kast and West, we feel safe in guaranteeing dntisiue.
lion. Orders by Kxpresit will receive prompt at
tention.
We also save trouble to our customers, as one order
will cover all styles of goods, thus avoiding tin- no
eessity of giving tbeir orders to different houses, nud
o|ieniug numerous accounts.
OKAV U NORKI8,
General Forwarding ft Commission Merchants.
No i. I2U ail*t 122 Common ftlrect,
oct 4 NKW OKLKAN8. tw*
BtiLXtt HUrCHINCk* Mi CO.
COMMISSION MERCHANTS,
il Ai.V r.fTOM, TfcX*8.
"MV
T. K. BAaWtMD A. J. M K1AK
HA It WOOD 4c MeKEAN,
ATTORNEYS AT LAW,
_ UHiilea. Teia*. *
pJ*AUTiC'Ic Uetf profession in all tha
- - —. Jof tbe 10th JiHltaukl District, also In tha
fcuuti^f Uauweiisadtiawlalapei also la the Katle-
lal israrta at Aaitta. eet S-twSm
I^ILL
courts i
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Cushing, E. H. The Houston Tri-Weekly Telegraph (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 31, No. 102, Ed. 1 Monday, October 30, 1865, newspaper, October 30, 1865; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth235190/m1/3/: accessed July 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.