gton, where the husband
had been on his duties as a member of Congress, and where he had
remained during the preceding three years without returning home. It
was on a beautiful evening, just at twilight, while seated at his
parlor window, that Henry saw a young woman pass by and go into the
kitchen. Not aware of ever having seen the person before, he made an
errand into the cook's department to see who the girl was. He, however,
met her in the hall, as she was about going out.

"Whom did you wish to see?" he inquired.

"Miss Gertrude," was the reply.

"What did you want to see her for?" he again asked.

"My mistress told me to give her and Master Henry her compliments, and
ask them to come over and spend the evening."

"Who is your mistress?" he eagerly inquired.

"Mrs. Miller, sir," responded the girl.

"And what's your name?" asked Henry, with a trembling voice.

"Clotelle, sir," was the reply.

The astonished father stood completely amazed, looking at the now
womanly form of her who, in his happier days, he had taken on his knee
with so much fondness and alacrity. It was then that he saw his own and
Isabella's features combined in the beautiful face that he was then
beholding. It was then that he was carried back to the days when with a
woman's devotion, poor Isabella hung about his neck and told him how
lonely were the hours in his absence. He could stand it no longer.
Tears rushed to his eyes, and turning upon his heel, he went back to
his own room. It was then that Isabella was revenged; and she no doubt
looked smilingly down from her home in the spirit-land on the scene
below.

On Gertrude's return from her shopping tour, she found Henry in a
melancholy mood, and soon learned its cause. As Gertrude had borne him
no children, it was but natural, that he should now feel his love
centering in Clotelle, and he now intimated to his wife his
determination to remove his daughter from the hands of his
mother-in-law.

When this news reached Mrs. Miller, through her daughter, she became
furious with rage, and calling Clotelle into her room, stripped her
shoulders bare and flogged her in the presence of Gertrude.

It was nearly a week after the poor girl had been so severely whipped
and for no cause whatever, that her father learned of the circumstance
through one of the servants. With a degree of boldness unusual for him,
he immediately went to his mother-in-law and demanded his child. But it
was too late,-