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Article THE MASON'S DAUGHTER. * ← Page 9 of 10 →
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The Mason's Daughter. *
nions , I deemed that no one could compete with me . Your daughter ' s charms reached my ears—I sought her love and won it . I blush—nay shudder , to think and now to tel ! what she was , and what was I . She an angel , and I less than those condemned . She loved me to distraction ; you know it , and you know what followed . I dared not write what i am about to pen , but that in deep and bitter tears—in abject anguish have I cleansed my soul from the foul and perilous stain which was
attached to it ; and because the sincerity of my penitence might not be believed , did I not confess myself to have been worse than ] have ever yet been held to be . You have supposed that I offered to your daughter marriage though secret , and that having so bound myself , I basely deserted her . 1 was infinitely more base . My intentions were different . I offered marriage where I intended none , and had my intentions been fulfilled—I shudder as I write it—she would have been what my blood
freezes to think of . Enough , I have confessed . Execrate me if you choose , but read on . " You would wish to know why my purpose was not executed . That it was not , may heaven be praised . It was thus—though why it was so is beyond my power so say . I had most deliberately planned to carry off your daughter on pretence of marriage , with a purpose not to perform it . When I visited your house for the purpose of arranging for the execution of my design , 1 saw on your table a box , which on opening , disclosed your Masonic Insignia ; and then I first discovered , ( for we had never touched on the subject ) , that you were a Master-Mason . For the
first time the thought rushed through my mind , that I was about to violate all that man should hold sacred and hallowed . I became confused , and subsequently horror-struck . I called to mind that I was , too , a Master-Mason , and principles for years forgotten came to my mind . I rushed from the house . I reviewed my situation , and I saw no resource but to avoid the temptation to which I had exposed myself ' , and to escape from reproaches which I too well deserved , and could not mitigate . " From that hour I have been a wanderer on the face of the earth
, nor have I known friends or kindred . 1 have been a prey to remorse , and sorrow has fed on my very vitals . I found , that in trifling with the happiness of another , I had too deeply wounded my own , and I knew that the only reparation I could make would beggar both herself and me by alienating from me the affections of a father . Suffice it to say that this obstacle no longer exists . Within the last week I have heard , that on my father ' s demise , I have succeeded to his property , and
I am beyond the control of any one . At the feet of Louisa do I lay myself and fortunes , for it is she , and she only , can restore me to my own good opinion and to happiness . Of my own utter unworthiness , and of the deep injury I have done her , —worse in my own thought than in deed—I am fully aware , and mercy is all that I can hope . If she has learned , as I have , to study the holy book , which is now my guide and rule of conduct , she will know that forgiveness is a virtue , and a precept enjoined on us ; and for such a favour it will be my endeavour , that a life of devoted affection may partly repay some years of suffering , of which I also have been a participator .
" You , respected Sir , will join with me in thanks to that great Architect of the Universe , who , by his signal interposition saved me from crime , and has twice shewed me the point in life , in which while we remain , we cannot materially err . " Ever yours , respectfully and fraternally , " GEORGE ST . JOHN MANVEUS . "
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Mason's Daughter. *
nions , I deemed that no one could compete with me . Your daughter ' s charms reached my ears—I sought her love and won it . I blush—nay shudder , to think and now to tel ! what she was , and what was I . She an angel , and I less than those condemned . She loved me to distraction ; you know it , and you know what followed . I dared not write what i am about to pen , but that in deep and bitter tears—in abject anguish have I cleansed my soul from the foul and perilous stain which was
attached to it ; and because the sincerity of my penitence might not be believed , did I not confess myself to have been worse than ] have ever yet been held to be . You have supposed that I offered to your daughter marriage though secret , and that having so bound myself , I basely deserted her . 1 was infinitely more base . My intentions were different . I offered marriage where I intended none , and had my intentions been fulfilled—I shudder as I write it—she would have been what my blood
freezes to think of . Enough , I have confessed . Execrate me if you choose , but read on . " You would wish to know why my purpose was not executed . That it was not , may heaven be praised . It was thus—though why it was so is beyond my power so say . I had most deliberately planned to carry off your daughter on pretence of marriage , with a purpose not to perform it . When I visited your house for the purpose of arranging for the execution of my design , 1 saw on your table a box , which on opening , disclosed your Masonic Insignia ; and then I first discovered , ( for we had never touched on the subject ) , that you were a Master-Mason . For the
first time the thought rushed through my mind , that I was about to violate all that man should hold sacred and hallowed . I became confused , and subsequently horror-struck . I called to mind that I was , too , a Master-Mason , and principles for years forgotten came to my mind . I rushed from the house . I reviewed my situation , and I saw no resource but to avoid the temptation to which I had exposed myself ' , and to escape from reproaches which I too well deserved , and could not mitigate . " From that hour I have been a wanderer on the face of the earth
, nor have I known friends or kindred . 1 have been a prey to remorse , and sorrow has fed on my very vitals . I found , that in trifling with the happiness of another , I had too deeply wounded my own , and I knew that the only reparation I could make would beggar both herself and me by alienating from me the affections of a father . Suffice it to say that this obstacle no longer exists . Within the last week I have heard , that on my father ' s demise , I have succeeded to his property , and
I am beyond the control of any one . At the feet of Louisa do I lay myself and fortunes , for it is she , and she only , can restore me to my own good opinion and to happiness . Of my own utter unworthiness , and of the deep injury I have done her , —worse in my own thought than in deed—I am fully aware , and mercy is all that I can hope . If she has learned , as I have , to study the holy book , which is now my guide and rule of conduct , she will know that forgiveness is a virtue , and a precept enjoined on us ; and for such a favour it will be my endeavour , that a life of devoted affection may partly repay some years of suffering , of which I also have been a participator .
" You , respected Sir , will join with me in thanks to that great Architect of the Universe , who , by his signal interposition saved me from crime , and has twice shewed me the point in life , in which while we remain , we cannot materially err . " Ever yours , respectfully and fraternally , " GEORGE ST . JOHN MANVEUS . "