The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-07-04

''.iSiI JoS uiatioi ohu oSaiSc-
ly stopped to pick up the hat'he had
let, fall. SWELL, sir thought L,,sI can
only excuse you in case your pretty
wife has been siezod with some1terriblc
sickness and you are hurryingahofne4to
her. So firmly did 1 beheveithis, con.
lecture of my own, that / glanced tup
at your windows as I IIpasscd, ,aanda felt
surprised that no lights appcared.--
But here you are, safe and well though
looking pale enough, / confess; SO /
must try for my own satisfaction to
think of some other excuse for.yourftt
'ioso. Oh, now I.have it! In passing
his store today I saw him attending his
old flame Julia Ethridge. with theimost
tender sentimental air imaginable
She was actually in tears, and 1 saw
him take her hand!'
'Hush, hush! whispered his wife;
Agnes is fainting.' sa
The poor girl had really swooncd in
her chair, and she lay so long insensiblc
that Mrs. Russell became alarlned.-
They put her to bed, and physician
was called in-whilc messenger, was
despatched for her husband. But he
was net at home, nor had he been there
since he had left in search of Mrs.
Nlonteith; and their domcstics heard
with alarm Of his absence and the i'll
ness of thc;r mistress.
| For four or five days Agnes was un-
conscious ,ofall that rassed around her
being i'll high dclirium-most Of the
time raving wildly against Monteith for
having deceived her, then weeping
bitterly at his dcscrtion, and calling on
him to return and forgive her. Occa-
sionally she would utter the name of Ju.
liza. Eth:idgc with q shulder, then talk
pityingly of her love for Harry, and
sometimes implorc her wildly not to
deprive her of his affection, for she,
could not live without it. Though it
all day and night, the husband watch.
cd beside her, rufusing to leave for nm
hour, and administered all her mcdi-
cincs with his own haud.
AS soon as he had returned to his
home, two hours after his meeting with
Mr.. Russell, and heard from lis scr.
wants of the state in which she lay, he
had sought the house, and from that
moment had not left it. His indigna-
ton passed away like cloud when lie
saw liar ralc and liicIcss; and, when
he learned from her unconscious lirsthc
reasons other inoxplicablc conduct, lie
reproached himself fer his harsl,ncss.
and trcmblcd lest she should become
the victim of such falschood. .2'.
'Ishould have soothed her, and not
yielded to my fierce temper as I did,
lc would say. i thought it strange
that she would listen to the tattlc of
that idle gossip against me, but for.
got that Mrs. Russell was her mothers
friend, and that Ecr character was un-
known to her. Poor, dear Agnes!
What if she should not rccover?'
lie shuddcrcd at this last thought,
and bent his forehead on her white
hand, While the tears ran like rain over
his face.
She was in deep slumber; and the
physicians said much depended on her
state when sic awokc from it. It had
lasted long time, and everybody had
deserted the quiet room, save himself.
With what breathless anxiety he
watched her! Aftcra long, long time,
she moved slowly, passed her hand
several times over her face, and sighed
heavily. He rose and bent over her;
she looked at him eagerly, lifted her
arm, and with her soft fingers pushed
back the hair from his forehead.
Harry she said gently, after having
gazcd lovingly at Inn for awhile, Il
thought they had taken you from me.
But you are minc-my own-are you
not?'
Yes, sweet wife, lc answered, eand
the whole world cannot part us from
each other. But you have been i'll,
and must not speak now; do not even
think Of anything unpleasant 's
but [ have had such dream, Har-
ry,' she answered, shuddcringly; 'it
would kill me to pass through it all
again. They told me that you had
deserted nc, and almost caused myt
death. They even said that you could
cease to love me, and l felt so wretched] 1
at the thought aaD anEA o
you need not fear it, my beloved
Agnes he replied, 4 have never felt
affection for another, and will only cease