The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-08-19

ticnally:' g
Her face crimsohed; but her hus.
band continued:
I think YOU will live to regret the
step you have takcn TO Night; I shall
,ot molcst you hereafter.
Closing the door impatientlv, she
swept from the room without answer.
| ing.
He heard Tic Sound Of their merry
| voices, rs laughing aud chatting they
| passed out-.hc carriage ratified OF,
| and Dorrance leaned back in his
! chair, and in solitude and silence
brooded over the bitter emotions o:
his heart.
The present tortured him; the f,-
| tare-hc dared not imagine tha'; and
| 80 ne fell to thinking of the past.
What was there in tlra1 to bring Il
deeper gloom to his brow-a deeper
| sa.'ucss TO his eyes?
There We're memories of wrong an('
injustice which he had done Another
"a most cruel wrong.
From that sin was he now gather.
ing its hliyhted fruit:
Heavier aud heavier sank his heart
within Inn, As he recalled. step by
| step, the infaiualion witch had lurch
him on to break his vows to the no.
BILE minded beiny whom he first had
| wooed. His breast hcaved tremu-
! iously, and his strong frame sliiverel
with the storm of thought that swept
through him:
Yes, yes, he mnttcrtd, as he
arose, and with n heavy step placed
the hoor, yes, YES, I deserve it all :
My punishment is just. How gladly
would [ now exchange the wild and
passionate worship Which j bore
Ma; ya',t !nr tie c,iu ldYe Which
once bca, in MY heat .orzanother.-
| Dnt it is TOO late TOO late
lie paused beside cragens ssketch
Of l.is siG, ahich hung up5n 'lie wall;
land n"% his lip aquiveryl l@ith:.ender.
! ne7s - nr cr"til:uct,
!, .Ah, anrs;s: fH.v,o.... -.1 ~ !. :
| "onji I have gu1irIeH l.,i d / un.
happiness INV iolllv y. 4 . have
cherished you through al trials al.u
all changes = God .raui you ma,
never ucei the love which you lave
sacrificed to your vanity
He sazod long upo.. il, n .t:cing the
fautlcss oval Of her face-thc per
feet regularity Q, her classical feu
lures the fascinating expression Of
'.4r full hazel eyes, and murmuring.
'.Me IS 6eautuMr = he turned away.
An,l n:,w his heart grew coil and
dead within him, as he recalled the
temptations to which she would be
cXOoscd, hi the alienation that must
necessarily follow the course of con.
duct which she lad chosen 10 pursue.
He thought Of the homage which
Size wonld command. from the world
the ilattcry which she would receive,
and which no woman can listen tu
without inhaling its faint; and the re-
ilcction smote upon his heart, that lis
wife. now only frivolous and thought.
less, might become-oh, it was too
horrible to masint!
lie resolved that he woi,sl make
one more effort to save her II lnln tia,
vortex Of fashion and folly, which too
often p'unscs i'll shame and degrade
ton those who have trusted to its
whirl. He wunld plead with her for
the sake of her children tor his
sake; for, as he recalled their bridal
days, he could not smother the con.
vic.ion that beneath all her l'rivoli.y
and worldlinc4S, there snuudcrcl a
lialuc which might yet spring up to
warmth and beauty.
Almost unconsciously as he
thought "i his chillrcn, he u,ned his
steps 70 their room. lie opcne,l
the'' door: a niy'liaihp burned
Hun, ul"n the mantle, but is ia IS
were strong enough to reveal to him
the sleeping babes upon the couch.
Babes they SUI were, for h,;le
Harry; the eldest, WAS scarce ;hrc,
years old, and Ida's second summer
VAS but now oacllng.
Mr. Dorrarce bcrlt over them.
tracing in his boys titic countcna,icc
the features of his wife; while lightly
ronnd the plump aud dimplcd iatc OF
Ida; fell curls that would have
matched his own iii boyhood.
AS he Looked Oh them, 50 beautiful
in their depcndent and helpless in
fancy, he questioned whether all his
words would not prove powcrless,
when even the profound joys OF
maternity nal failel to give his wife
lonancss fos home pleasures.
AMI now, unfortunately, another
chanoc came over hlm.
Il will not stoop to plead, no said
In marrying, sho assumed tho duties
~ Il ~ ~.