New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-04-25

Der, and their hurry, and contension-foos resoins'
foot out and upward track and downward jost'iog
ono another-and thought with absolote dread ana
wonder. how much he must have suffered during
that trial. and what q changed man be had cause
70 be. he thought, besides, oh was there. some
where in the world light footstep that might have
worn out in q moment hsfthose marks and bent
his head, and wept, as he went up.
He almost saw it, going on before; he s1oppe11'
looking up toward the sky light anda figure, child
ish itsclf bat carrying child, and singing ~ "
went seemed 70 BE- there again Anon, 1t was tne
samo figure alone, stopping, for an instant WIN
suspended breath the bright hair clustering ioose-
ly round its fearful face and looking back AZ MIN
He wandered through the rooms; lately 90 iox9-
rious now 30 bare and dismal and so cnenged'
apparently, even in their shape and SIZE The
press Of footsteps was a. thick here; and the same
consideration OF the suffering be had had, perplexed
and terrified him. He began 10 fear that all this
intricacy in bis brain would drive him mad and
that bis thoughts already lost conference % the loot
prints did, and were pieced on 10 one snosner'
with the same trackless involutions, and varieties
Of indistinct shapes.
He did not 90 much az know in which OF these
rooms she mad lived. when she was alone. he
was glad TO leave them, and go wandering hgnef
up. Abundance OF associations were here, con
nected with his false wife. his false friend and ser
want, bis false grounds Of PRIDE but he put them
all By now, and only recalled miseraoly, weary
fondly, his two children.
Everywhere the footsteps They had had no
respect for the old room high up, where the Mite
bed had been he could hardly hnd clear space
there TO throw himself down on the hoor asalnst
the wall poor broken man, and let his tears How as
they would He had shed 90 many tears here,
long ago. that no was less ashamed OF bis weak
ness in this place than in any other-perhaps, with
that consciousness, had made excuses 10 himself
for coming here. Here, with STOPPING shoulders
and his chin dropped on bis breast, be had come
Here thrown upon the bare boards, in the dead OF
night he wept, alone-a proud mao, even tneh )
who, II a kind hand could have been stretched out
or q kind face could have looked in, would nave
risen up, and turned away and gone down TO ms
cell.
When the day broke he was shut up In ns
rooms again. He had meant to 60 away today;
bat clung 10 this tie 10 the house as the last ana
only thing left TO him. He would go 10 morrow
To morrow came He would go 10 morrow Every
night within the knowles Of no human creature,
he came forth, and wandered through the despolled
house like a ghost. Many a morning when the
day broke, his altered face, dropping behind the
closed blind In his window, imperfecty uansPsr-
ent 10 the light az yet pondered the loss oi hs
two children. IL was one child no more. lie re
united them in bis thOughts and they were never
ssunder. Oh. that he could have united them IN
his past love and in death, and that one had not
been much worse than deadl
Strong mental agitation and disturbance was no
novelty to him, even before his late sufieTings II
never is % obstinate and sullen natures Tor they
struggle hard TO be such. Ground long under
mined, will often fall down in a moment what
was underspined here 10 so many ways weakened
and crumbed, little by little, more and more as
the hand moved on the dial.
At last he began 10 think he need not go at all.
He might ct give up what his creditors had spar
ed him THAT they had not spared him more was
his own act) and only sever the tie between hlm
and the ruined house, by severing that other
Ink
IL was then that his football audible In the
late housekeepers room. as he walked to and iroi
but not audible in its true meaning. or 1t would
have Rad an appalling sound
The world was worry busy and restless abe ut him
He became aware Of that again II was whisper
ing aud oabbing. Ii was never quiet. This, and
the intricacy and complication OF the footsteps
harassed him TO death Objects began to take
blearod and russell color in his eyes. Dombey and
Son was no more-his children 70 more This
must be thought Of well, TO morrow.
He thought OF it to morrow and sitting thinking
in his chair saw. in the glass, from time to time
this picture;
Aspectrs, haggard wasted likeness OF himself,
broodcd aud brooded over the empty fireplace.
Now 1t lifted up its head, examining the lines and
hollows in its face now hung it down again, aud
brooded afresh. Now it rose and walked about
now passed into the next room, and came back
with something from the dressing table IN its
breast Now. It was looking at the bottom Of the
door, and thinking
Hush what
IL was thinking that II blood were 10 tricke that
way aud To leak out into the hall, il must be long
time going so far. IL would move so stealthlly and
slowly. creeping on. with here lazy little pool,
and there start, and then another little pool, that
q desperately wounded mao could only be discov
cred through ito means. either dead or dying.
When it had thought of this long while, it got up
again. and walked to and fro with Its hand IN It's
breast He glanced at it occasionally, very curious
10 watch its motions and he marked how wicked
and murderous that hand looked.
Now 1t was thinking again What was 1t
thinking
Whether they would tread in the blood when it
,rept SO far, and carry it about the house among
shose many prints of feet or even out into the
street
IL sat down. with its eyes upon the empty FIRE
place, and az it Lost itself in thought there shone
into the room CLEAN Of light; q ray of sun. 1t
was quite unmindful, and sat thinking. Suddenly
il rose with a terrible face, and that guilty hand
graspng what was in its breast. Then 1t was ar
rested by a cr-s wild loud, piercing, loving, rap
turous cry-snd he only saw his own reflection in
the glass, and at his knees, his daughter
Yes. His daughter | Look at her Look
here Down upon the ground, cnging to him.
calling to him, folding her hands praying to him,
Papa Dearest papa Pardon me, forgive me
| have come back to ask forgiveness on my knees.
never can be happy more, without 1t
Unchanged still OF all the world. unchanged.
Raising the same face to his as on that miserable
night. Asking has forgivness
Dear papa. oh don't look strangely on me |
never meant to leave you, | never thought OF lt.
before aiterward l was frightened when l
went away, and could not think. Papa dear. am
changed. l am penitent ! know my fault.
know my duty better now. Papa, don't cast me
of or shall die u"
He tottered to his chair. He felt her draw his
arms about her neck he felt her put her own
round his he felt her kisses on his face he felt
her wet cheek laid against his own he felt-oh,
how deeply ALL that he had done
Upon tho breast that he had bruised, against the
heart that be had almost broken, she laid his face
now covered with his hands. aud said. sobbing;
Papa, love 4 am q mother. | have q child
who will soon call Walter by the name by which
call you. When it WAS born. aud when knew
how mach l loved II, knew what had done in
leaving you. Forgive me, dear Papa oh say God
bless me, aud my little childy
He wouls have said IT, il he could He would
have raised his hands and besousht her for pardon
but shc caught them In her own. and put them
down. hurriody.
MY little child was born at sea Papa. prayed
to God land did w alter Tor mel to spare, me that
might come home The moment could land.
camo back to you. Never let us DO parted any
more, Papa Never let US be parted any more r.