FLORIDA; OR, THE IRON WILL.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2039, 17 July 1875, Page 4

FLORIDA; OR, THE IRON WILL.

A STORY OF TO-DAY.

BY MRS. MARY A. DENISON.

Chapter .XVJv , • FLORIDA HUMBLED. " Motheb, I am married." So said Florida, entering the room where Mrs Owen sat. She was dressed in a travelling suit. It was a grey, cold ;mormng, and snow had fallen in the night. Mori.da was unusually pale, but she,, sniiled:arid seemed in. good spirits. ' "Whatisit,Florry?" " I am married, mother," "Married?" ... "Yes, to Mr Lo Eoy. I was married this morning, at half-past seven," " And where is Virginia ? " cried Mrs Owen, a feeble terror in her voice. "Virginia? down stairs, I suppose.; " . said Florida quietly taking off her bonnet. " Are you going to stay here ? " queried Mrs Owen, who could not, quite comprehend how her step-daughter stood. : " 0 lyes for a month, or two, at least.; We have decided to be very unfashionable, and give up the toni. I shall arrange some way for Virginia and you to be together, when we leave, as I only took the house i for a year, It is for you to say whether you will stay-here or go in the country." •/ In-the country—and will Virginia be with me ? She and Igo together ? O ! I ■will go back to the old home where Thomas took me. You will not care, Florida?" ... „ "'No, suit yourself," said Florida, who had grown somewhat humbler; "if you wish to return to the cottage, it will be ready for you by spring." She hummed a little as she went out, but s^Btopped as the door closed, drew a long} "regretful sigh, then hurried down stairs. On the table below stood some beautiful loaves of wedding cake. A gentleman had been talking with her husband, and seemed trying fo avoid her as he was passing out. She encountered him, however, a.nd her husband introduced him. She noticed that his hair was very red and very long. " He is my confidential clerk," said Mr Le JEtoy,' smilingly; "not particularlyhandsome, but a very capital man. Well,' my love, we have stolen, a march on all. our friends—what will they say?'' "Itmatters little to me," she replied, somewhat coldly, smiling nevertheless ; and ; he seemed- so entirely satisfied; with his beautiful bride, that he did not notice her apparent apathy. Nearly two months had elapsed, and Mr .lie>Eby^hadigone to 'attend to his estate, promising not to be_ absent over a week. Florida had grown a little thinner, and wore an uneasy, suspicious air at times, that made her seem unlike her former self. One evening, Virginia and Mr Dudley sat in-one of the small drawing-rooms with Florida. The latter was expecting her husband home on the following day. Without^ the'wirid was high, but the sky was clear and full of stars. Virginia sat ■in a low: rocking-chair; Dudley held the evening paper, beneath the gas; blithe was not reading. Some counter influence called off his 'thoughts; He glanced now and then at Virginia, who seemed fragile as a spirit, so much had her, great sorrow worn upon her. His look was very sad— he seemed to catch the shadow: resting on her face. A deep sigh, louder than she meant it should be, broke the silence.- JBoth Florida and. Dudley ■ started, and looked inquiringly toward Virginia, who had covered her face, with both .hands. An expression of pity troubled Florida's features. <( Virginia," she said, ■•'•.I can help you Jind Parker if he lives." The young girl sprungto her feet; her hands were out-stretched. The mute appeal was enough. ■ "Sit. down here^ Virginia, and let me tell you' something. . I found him before by putting you asleep." Virginia, looked her wonder. " You are a clairvoyant." "I should like to see something of the kind,", said Dudley laying aside, the paper." '■.'. >'. ; \.,' -:, '.„ •'.■". ; .'• " „.■ .. -„. ■ . "Anything to find; him," murmured Virginia, in clear, low tones. "Sit perfectly passive, then,-'- : .said Florida. -■/ . • ■'„ "Shall I stay ?" asked Horace Dudley. ■. ..^-;; -]: v :-: '■->■- ■'-'-■'■■ '->' "'■'■..; ".'Stay," said Virginia; Florida nodded her head. -.■-.... - In a,,few .moments Virginia's head, rested, against the back of the easy chair. A beautiful peace rested on. her face. . "Nowl" said Florida, "go and find. Parker." ■■■' : " It is along way," murmured Virginia. " It is very long," she said, after a while, drawing a long breath. Then looking up, she whispered:;" How bright the stairs are i'l think they look brighter out here." - "' . Florida and Dudley;exchanged glances, ; "It is" the country,'' said Virginia^ solemnly; 'i^the; wide, free country. O! those farni-hbuses look so cheerful —there is dancing in that one. It is very • lonely now—what a way they brought him ! I shall soon be there." _ j " Have you found the house ? " queried ' Florida." ; •: m ■ ; - " I see it," she replied. "It is low and. dark—oh! yes, there's alight at the side; Yes, he is there ! " she added, cheerfully. "I can see through the;window." " Can you go in ? " asked Florida.. " Yes; it isa large room,- very"warm. He is in bed, sleeping. And—why ! Mr Le Roy is here." Florida grew pale as death. Dudley moved as if he would go away, " Keep your seat, Mr Dudley," whispered Florida., "Is any one else there ?" she added, turning to Virginia. \ .; " Yes, a man with long, red hair. They are both burning letters. Mr Le Boy is reading one. It is from his other wife." Florida grew whiter —her eyes shone like balls of fire. "You cannot believe in this," said Dudley, incredulous. "I do," Florida responded, her lips closing. " Can you hear what they say ? she continued, breathlessly. . "Mr Lo Hoy says he must keep him concealed, now, for Florida would never forgive him/ " For what ? " queried F]orida s while Dudley arose and moved away.. " i.'dpn't know,' 1 was the response. " Listen—listen," cried Florida, in a low tonjN^

"He says without doubt he is his son." " Who—who ? " gasped Florida. "It must be. Parker," articulated Virginia, slowly. Florida fell back, utterly powerless, for a few seconds. "When she moved again,, the blood had rushed over her face and receded again, leaving her of a more deathly pallor than before. " Virginia, are you sure it is Le Eoy ? " she almost gasped. i " Sure ? don't I see him ? And now he looks up. One of the letters is sliding through a crevice in tho floor. It has i gone down. Mr Le Eoy is trying to j recover it. No, he cannot. It is out of sight. He is laughing." " Look at Parker, Virginia." " Poor Parker; " sighed Virginia. "Why?" 1" He is not taken as good care of as he ought to be. I wish I could nurse him." " Is he very sick ? " "0! very," said Virginia, her voice tremulous. " Why not ask her wherelt is P'' asked Horace Dudley. ' " I hare no need," was her reply, with a sickly smile. " Virginia, you may come back." A few efforts, and the young girl awoke. For some moments she was bewildered, but gradually she remembered. \> " Did I find him ? " '■• " Yes ; be composed, we shall know all in a day or two," said Florida. : Dudley and Virginia waited patiently. Le Eoy came home. Florida did not meet him.- He sought through the house, and found her at last in a retired ronni. :■ i"What is the matter, Florida?" he abked, noticing her changed manner." " Why did you not bring your son with you ? " she asked, looking him full in the face. '-'■'■■■■/. " My son ?" He crimsoned, nioved confusedly. '• Yes, your son," continued Florida. "You will find that evasion is useless with me. Night before last, you were in a certain farm-house. Do you;ask proof that I know ? You read letters that were addressed to you thus—"My dear husband " —but they were* not from: /me. L Those letters, the most of them, you burned. One fell within a crevice in the boarding of the floor—it remains there yet." I The guilty man started back. "Your friend was with you," she continued—" your confidential clerk—the man with the red hair." Speechless with amazement, Leßoy sat the very picture of guilty cowardice. ;"' How in heaven's name did you know ? " he cried, aghast. "No matter how I knew," continued Florida. "This thing must be explained in a satisfactory manner, or we must part. You were not married to his mother." " Yes, thank God, we were married," said Le Eoy, in a voice that showed his deep humiliation. " I have not that sin upon my conscience." "And is she living?" cried Florida, her eyes flashing. " No—no ; poor soul! she died, years ago." / "And you were unmanly enough to desert her," exclaimed Florida, in a voice of scorn. " Spare me, Florida, spare me ! I left her, but at times managed to keep sight of her, and still supply her wants. O ! I was heartless. But I yearned to that boy when I saw him. I had lost sight of him for five years. But I loved -you-rrbeliev.e me, Florida —as I never loved women be-' fore —no, never, God is my witness. I deserve ?to suffer, however. If-the ledge this wretched fact steel's, -your heart against me, I must submit.. It will =be'but a just recompense." ■His voice was so utterly heart-broken, that Floridajw^s softened^ She had begun to. love, him' beforeitbis sad revelation; her pride, not her heart,-condemnedhim now, for it was better than'she had feared. Wickedly as he had done, it had not been what she dreaded above all things—the knowledge.that he, had deliberately deceived and ruined a"helpless woman. He pleaded for forgiveness ; his devotion, his humility could not but impress her With the conviction that he repented, and Florida, though grieved, to the heart and utterly mortified, consented at last to fbrgive him. It was arranged that Parker should be" taken: to the cottage, ■ and' placed under the care of his devoted wife, while Le Eoy, and Florida went to England, to escape the gossip that wou\d surely ensue when, the story became known. One more remove, and Parker breathed again the pure air of the little Connecticut village. It was in the early spring. The good news had revived him somewhat, and Virginia hoped that with her unceasing care, he might once more be restored to comparative health. The cottage was a little Eden, for the gardener had given months of runremitting care to its;outside" culture. His wife had died, and Florida still wished him to remain and superintendthe grounds. Mrs Owen was childishly happy, now that she had Virginia all to herself; and the young matron seemed to grow beautiful daily in the midst of her abundant cares. Now it was known that Parker Had found his father, that disgrace -no longer attached to his name,,-that he "was heir to a large- fortune,, the shallow gossip of the village were silenced. Madge Spicer, in fact, was thrown into a "fever" through sheer shame, and her father found himself powerless, and, what was worse, heartily, despised .as his villany leaked out. . "The dear book," the work of love born of suffering, was out at lastj and bringing in a golden harvest; After the cruel .unrest of years; peace, plenty and beauty lingered lovingly around him. The birds sung for" him-r-the flowers, bloomed by the; pretty cottage-door—the river flashed its silver in the distance, all bright pictures framed for him. Dear friends often came, (among, them Dudley,) for it was a true paradise there. Florida wrote them she, wasjwpll—let us hope, happy. ; •-' '' '■•• • FINIS. ' - ; ■■' -.' ■'■ :