Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1848-12-29

her away in her mothers arms; and he said,
sterniy, Naughty girl father don't love
her when she cries." ..She is not well,'' re-
piled the mother, with trembling voice, and
hurried cut of the room.
1t was two o'clock in the morning before
George returned; but, late as it was, his wife
was sitting by the fire. .'Hurrah for the old
cooni'' he exclaimed. Harrison is elected -
She threw herself on his bosom, and burst
ing into tears. sobbed out, sob, hush, hush,
dear George Our little Alice is dead -
Dead! and the last words he had spoken to
his darling had been unkind. What would
he not have given to recall them now And
his poor wife had passed through that agony
without aid or consolation from him, alone in
the silent midnight. A terrible weight op-
pressed his heart. He sunk into a chair, drew
the dear sufferer to his bosom, and wept aloud.
This great misfortune sadly dimmed the
glory of his eager-anticip political tri-
umph. When the tumult of grief subsidized,
reviewed the events of his life, and weighed
them in a balance. More and more he doubt
ed whether it were wise to leave the slow
certainties of his profession for chances which
had In them the excitement and the risks of
gambling. More and more seriously heques-
toned whether the absorption Of his faculties
in the keen conflicts of the hour was the best
way TO serve the true interests of his country.
1t is uncertain how the balance would have
turned, had he not received an appointment to
Office under the new Government. Perhaps
the sudden fall of the triumphal arch, occa-
stoned by the death of Gen. Harrison, might
have given him a lasting distaste for politics,
as it did to many others. But the proffered
income was more than double the sum he had
ever received from his profession. Dazzled
by this prospect, he did not sufficiently take
into the account that it would necessarily in
volve him in many additional expenses, polit-
zeal and social, and that he might lose it by
the very next turn of the wheel, without be-
ing able to return to his old habits of eXpen-
ditures. Once in office, the conviction that
he was the right side, combined with gra-
titude and self-interest, to make him serve his
party with money and personal influence
The question of another election was soon
agitated, and these motives drew him into the
new excitement. He was kind a, home, but
he spent little time there. lie sometimes
smiled when he came IN late, and saw the
warm slippers by the fire. and a vase OF flow
ers crowning his supper on the table; but he
did not think how lonely Alice must be,
could he possibly dream what she was suffer
ing in the slow martyrdom of her heart. He
gave dinners and suppers often. Strangers
went and came. They ate, and drank, and
smoked, and talked loud. Alice was polite
and attentive, but they had nothing for her,
and she had nothing for them. How out of
place would have been her little songs and
her fragrant flowers, amid their clamor and
tobacco smoke! She was pastoral poet liv-
ing in perpetual battle.
The house was filled with visitors to see
the long Wing procession pass by, with rich
ly caparisoned horses, gay banners, floweTy
arches, and promises of protection to every
thing. George bowed from his chariot and
touched his hat to her, as he passed with the
throng. and she waved her handkerchief
GLOW beautiful! How magnificent ex-
claimed visitor, who stood by her. ''CIay
will certainly be elected. The whole city
seems to be in the procession. Sailors, prin-
tiers, iremen, everything"
. here are no women and Children re-
piled Alice; and she turned away with sigh.
The only protection that interested her was
protection for homes.
Soon after came the evening procession Of
Democrats. The army of horses; temples Of
liberty, with figures in womens dress to rep
resent the goddess; raccoons hung, and gull
lotined, and swallowed by alligators; the lone
star Of Texas everywhere glimmering over
their heads the whole shadowy mass occa-
sionally Illuminated by the rush of fireworks,
and the fitful glare of lurid torches; all this
made d strange and wild impression ON the
mind of Alice, whose nervous system had
suffered in he painful internal conflicts other
life. 1t reminded her of the memorable 10th
of August, in Paris and she had visions of
human heads reared on poles before the win
dows, as they had been before the palace Of
the unfortunate Maria Antoinette. The visit
ors observed their watches, and said 1t took
this procession an hour longer to pass than 1t
had for the Wing procession. 81 guessPolk
will beat after all,' said one. George was
angry, and combatted the opinion vehemently.
Even after the company had all gone, and the
street noises had long passed off in the dis
lance, he continued remarkably moody and
irritable. He had more cause for it than his
wife was aware of. She supposed the worst
that could happen would be defeat ofhis party
and loss of office. But antagonists long &C
customed to calculate political games, with
view of gambling, had dared him to bet on
the election, being perfectly aware of his SAN
guine temperament; and George, stimulated
solely by a wishto prove, to the crowd that
heared them, that he considered the success
Of Claws party certain, allowed himself to be
drawn into their snare to a ruInous extent
All his worldly Dossessions-ave his watch,
his books and his household furniture-were
at stake; and ultimately all were lost Alice
sympathised with his deep detection, tried to
forget her own sorrows. and SAID 1t would be
easy for her to assist min, she was so accus-
toned to earn her own living.
On their wedding-day George had given
her landscape of the rustic school-house, en-
powered in vines, and shaded by It's graceful
elm. He asked to have this reserved from
the wreck, and stated the reason. No one
had the heart to refuse It; for even among the
mad excitement CT party triumph, everybody
said II pity his pOOr wife.
She left her cherished home before the final
breaking up. It wou d have been too mach
for her wonan'y heart, to see those be owed
hoaseho gods carried away to the auction
room. Size iaeersd ong by the astra lamp,
and the itt e round table. where she and