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

iidu Ieli llurc VcirS OI palctY. i
married you at sixtcen--foolish
schoolgirl that I was, co throw away
liberty and happiness with breath
now, at twenty, you would immure
me, rdn-likc, If YOU could but I
insist upon six more years experience.
Perhaps by that time, the worlds
pleasures will pail with me, as they
have with you, and then I will stay
at homo and abuse them to your
hearts content; but now, you ask
too much Of me-
A wintry coldncss settled on Mr..
Dorrance's face, as he listened to his
wife's unkind and hcartlcss answer.
You spoke Of my motives, Mar
garrett he said, 'as though they we're
other than | professcd, what did you
mean by that 2
Why plainly this, if you Will have
inc expose them. It's your jealousy
of me, and Of the attention which I
receive, and the admiration which is
paid me at parties, which makes you
SO seltlshly desire to keep me from
them
Margaret q
'What 2
There was no answer, and she cor.
tinued.
Don't look at me in that way, I
beg of you; if you have anything to
say, say it OUT
Margaret! yon cannot mean
what you say Jealousy Selfish
ness 1t was for your happiness full
as much as my own, that l have 50
earnestly sought to give you dis.
taste for the amnscmcnts Of fashion
able life. I sec that my love, my
happiness is nothing to you: every
thing is to be sacrificed on the shrine
of vanity. All, Margaret, if you
were foolish in throwimy array your
liberty while still a school girl, I was
doubly so in committing my happi-
ness into the hands of one.
j agree With you entirely, Nj.
Dorrance and | wonder that you
ever thought of NE, when that prim
old maid, Miss Helen Graham; was
80 exactly suited to you, and camy
near dying for YOU, every Ole said.
She was the very one for you. for
she detests parties as much as YOU
can, and is always preaching to me
abont domestic happiness, and such
fol dc rol. 1t is pity that YOU didn',
fancy her, isn't i; 2
Mr. Dorrance's face redhcncd.
lie turned away, and paced tic
room hurrlelly.
His vie continued, 'Thcy say
that before | came home from school,
you were very attentive to her; now,
seriously, don't you think she was
better suited to you than l J
MIR. Dorrance paused beside his
wife, and meeting her uptnrneJ
glance, he answered calmly,
Yes, Margaret, | do
Nothing dauntcd by the serious
tone i'll which this was sail, and fnl.
ly convinced that there had never
been any idol save herself, OH the
throne OF her husband heart, and
that any moment she could resume
her power she continued her baRi.
mage.
And now, if you had only taken
compassion on her, and married
her,
wish to God I had = broke from
Mr.. Dorrance's lips and his wife
read truly in his now sad, pale face.
that with no idle meaning had those
words been wrung from his heart.
In a moment che was subducd !;
she spoke no more tauntingly, for the
feelings which tender words had fail.
ed to awaken, sprang up in all their
strength at the first breath Of that
passion of which she had 80 uniustIy
accused her husband:
From that night, Margaret Dor
rance harbored q new guest III her
bosom from that night, she felt III
her heart the truth Of the Scripture
passage, Love is strong as dca,u;
jealousy is cruel as the grave the
Goals thereof are Goals of fire, which
hath most vehement flame