Jessie Phillips: A Tale Of The Present Day (1844)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1844. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER L. ELLEN DALT0N SHEWS HERSELF LESS STRONG-MINDED THAN HER BROTHER--MARTHA MAXWELL IS A GOOD DEAL PUZZLED AS TO WHAT SHE COULD, AND WHAT SHE OUGHT TO DO, BUT AT LENGTH TAKES A VERY WISE RESOLUTION, AND ACTS UPON IT. Whether the less rapid, the more timid, and the greatly more gentle spirit of Ellen had immediately arrived at the same conclusion may be doubted; but at any rate the horrible suspicion of it which flashed upon her was not only strong enough to produce the temporary suspension of all her faculties, but also to render her recovery of them a moment of great agony. When this recovery took place, she was lying upon her bed, and her mother and two of her sisters, Henrietta and Caroline, were standing round her. The first instant of recollection brought a vague and indistinct idea of crime to her mind, with which the image of her brother was mingled, and she started np with such a fearful expression of terror in her eyes, that her mother believed her to be still under the influence of some violent fit, the nature of which she did not understand. Inexpressibly alarmed, she rushed out of the room, more rapidly than she had moved for the last twenty years, to call for assistance. Ellen meanwhile watched her terrified countenance and hurried exit, and, grasping the hand of Henrietta, exclaimed, "Where is she gone? What is it I have said? Whom is she going to call?" and then, as her recollections became more distinct, she added, with an eager anxiety that seemed to amount to agony, "Oh I for mercy's sake, Henrietta, do not let her tell any body!--it is not proved yet. Let it not be my doing I Oh! call her back! call her back I" "Lie down, my dearest Ellen!" replied Henrietta, fully as much alarmed as her mother, but with a vague idea that it was n...