The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1847-05-11

had deceived her, and she went to her
seat murmuring:
"Oh! if he would only come back, |
would never wish TO go away again-it
was | that was to blame; dear, dear Gre
CORY. where can he be-"
knew it would come to this. She
really does look beautifully now, notwith-
standing her long eye-Iashes are baihed
in tears, and the lids drop heavily with
their weight. The wachman cries
"Past two O'clock" and now the key
turned in the street door, and the door
opened and shut again; she heard foot
falls; another door opened and shut; was
he not coming to her! Another footstep
and then a quick succession Of them up
the stairs. She opened the door and in
the dim light of the hall, saw a stranger
form ascending the stair case. She would
have screamed, but the power of utter
ance seemed denied her, and like a marble
statue she stood to wait her fate.
MRS. Russell, / presumed" said the
stranger.
The gentlemanly pleasant way in which
he addressed her, somewhat relieved her
extreme fright, and she found her voice
sufficiently TO inquire if any accident had
happened to her husband!
"Oh, nc Madam he replied, 81 come
on quite a different errand; / just left
your husband in very comfortable quar-
tiers, where he will probably remain for
the present."
Then seeing that she seemed very
much agita;ed, he added
"But you need not be in the least a.
larmed, for I can give you The best evil
dence that he knows Of my visit, and even
sent me TO pay you a CALL"
So saying, he produced the night-key,
at the sight of which Mrs. Russell turned
very pale, and shuddered from head to
foot.
"Do not be unnecessarily agitated, my
dear lady, but come into the sitting-room
with me, while I explain the cause of my
visit, which you no doubt think a very
strange and unreasonable one."
SO saving, he took hold of her hand to
lead her into the little snuggery, when a
smart blow across the mouth with the
other hand reuinded him of the proprie-
ty Of keeping at distance.
81 beg your pardon, lady, | meant no
offence said the stranger, with a good
natured smile, as he threw off the Span
ish cloak, and cap which had almost hid
his person and face from view, disclosing
the figure and countenance Of an elegantly
formed and noble-featured young man Of
fve-and-twenty. There was a quiet hui
mour resting in the large dark eye, and a
half smile lowering about the mustachioed
lip, that told how capitally the stranger
was enjoying his part of the affair; while
the troubled counienance and dilated pu-
pills of Mrs. Russell's eyes showed that
the passing moments were as hours of
agony TO her. Still the two looked as if
made for each other, both so young and
beautiful-and they were not unlike in
features. The stranger broke the silence.
my name is Harry, yours is Bertha, /
think"
This time Mrs. Russell fixed her eyes
on his, nodded an assent, and turned away
with a sigh.
al think we are not unlike, Bertha;
that is, | think our tastes will be more
~congenial than yours and your husbands
are. ] am very fond Of gaiety, not at all
given to domestic life. If you would
like TO come and live with me, will pro-
mise to devote every evening 10 amuse-
ment. We will suit ourselves in our
choice of entertainment, and leave this
humdrum husband Of yours TO suit him
self. You are very handsome, to my
thinking, and | am willing to make the ar
rangement. What say you, Bertha!'
"My God this is too much!' and Ber-
tina Russell rose from her seat.
The stranger would have stopped her,
but before he OWNED her purpose, she
had opened the door, glided ont. closed it
after her, and turned the key upon him.
At the same moment a merry laugh from
within the room, and a wild shrek from
without, rang through the house. and
Bertha, exhausted with those hours OF
watching, sank ~lffeless upon the stairs
The fright of the last hour had unstrung
every delicate nerve, and set free the
grieved spirit, from its beautiful cage-but
it scared not far from lis earthly dwelling
place, for when Bertha felt her husbands
arms about her, and his warm kisses on
her lips, the marble face lost its rigidity,
the heart-pulse beat but the more quickly,
for its slight cessation, and from the dark
blue eyes the soul looked forth with re-
newed vigor alter its short wanderings.
"My husband! my husband! was it :
dream?'
MIR. Russell lifted Bertha in his arms
turned the key Of the door, and there, be
| fore them, still stood the stranger-hl:
handsome face rather more demure thar
} when Bertha locked him in. Mrs. Rus
2 sells form quivered. and she chung to he