The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1850-05-23
&ISEGI1 AXIs
THE BARONETS STORY.

The following Story was related 10
me by an old friend, an Irish baronet,
and. as far as my memory serves, / will
give il to Won in his own words -
About four months afte. my marri-
age it was my wont, each morning after
breakfast. to stroll about my gardens
and fields. until perhaps, one o'clock
at which hour reiurned home to enjoy
my wife's society, and. when the wealth
er permitted, we occasionally took a
walk or ride
One morning. feeling myself not qnite
well. | returned much earlier than usu-
al. about III o'clock. and went into the
house by back entrance: as neither
knocking nor rim ying announced my
arrival, any wife was not aware Of my
sought her first in the drawing
room, but not finding her there, pro-
ceeded to her bedroom. and whilst
passing through my dressiny-room to it,
| was surprised BY a sudden rush 10 the
bedroom door. which was instantly
bolted from within distinctly heard
low whispering, and as | thought, a
hurried receding step; yet, altogether
was not kept waiting more than a
few seconds: my wife's maid opened
The door, when. to my greater perplex-
iiv. beheld my wife's usually pale
face sulIused with crimson bushes; |
also detected her manHuvering comb
through her head, TO hide, as Instantly
suspected. her bushes from me, or her
disortlerei carls.
What is the meaning Of all this q
ihought "it is strange! The maid,
too. looks confused and frightenedr'
NV wife did not hasten to meet me
with her usual sunny welcome there
was not even one smile to greet me-
At length, recovering herself little,
she. with a hesitating manner, said,
We'll. love, how goes on the farm.n
But / was grieved; for the FIRST time
in my life | felt that was not vel
come. felt something was going on
: that was not to know so merely say
ing, "I viii tell you when we meet in
the drawing-room," abruptly quilted
her
Not knowing whittier was going, or
why l suffered so sudden, so frightfnl a
revolution of feelings I hurried down
stairs, rushed through the hall, across
the lawn, and plunged into the fir-path
that leads to sequestered part of the
grounds; nor did l slacken my pace
until I was fully mile from the house,
when / threw myself upon the green
bank by the side Of the river. the most
miserable of men. l who, half hour
before, was the happiest Of men, now,
unaccountably, unutterably wretched.
Pride had, at the moment prevented
my asking for an explanation; that |
thought ought to have been given un-
sought and / determined not to ask
Lady " ssky my visit was evidently
so unwelcome. .,..
But thenceforth, Iresolved to keep a
watchfnl eye upon her. A thousand
cruel thoughts crowded upon ine, now
that discovered there was something
which my wife concealed from me, she
when / thsaght 50 artless, 50 free from
At this period I had attained my
thirtieehyear. Lady-w was only two
yeats yonnger than myself; but from
her sweet and girlish style Of beauty,
and gay, happy manner, no one would
suppose her moro than twenty. She
had be0x educated on the Continent
knew Inst soon after leaving schcol,
she had received matrimonial psopo-
sals-if she had not been actually en-
gagged tes gentlsman, before quitting
PaTis. Hitherto, this circumstances had
never given me the slightest uncasi-
ness but now nay. thoughts inyolunta-
rilygeyevted 70 i; It hannted me day
and nlGhf . =. sssssss
Retwesn ~ vile and her maid fhspe
was n pnsslel illimaeY earing, as !
un1ses1oed lnthe ]aites -hsiag what i
csQa1 - soa follower oe The knily.
Tk;s womaa was one of ihe sHahestI
ever saw, and large in proportion, her
face was handsome, the features strong