Western union. (City of Hannibal, Mo.) 1850-1851, 1851-06-26

dared not leave the house withuu, his knowl. /
edge. Summonins all her courage, she entered
he room,
Il am sorry that you are no. going with me
this evening, Howard, but | looked ir to say
that you need feel no anxiety abou, me your
friend Mr.. Graham, is IN, cGur.icr."
Her tones were kind; but there was an air of
embarrassment unusual to her that showed her
conscience was not perfectly at case.
M Dorrauce looked sternly upon his wife
he answered,
Il did not expect This. You told ne you
would not go Tonight"
No, dil not. | said from the first that !
should positively 60. You said you would no,
accompany me, and | answered you tia! of
course Nat would be IS you said
you mised me in tha. answer, Mrs. Dor.
rance, and presume, Intentionally"
Her face crimsonrd; but her husband con
,uucd,
al think you will live TO regret the step YOU
have taken tonight. shall no, molcst You
hcreaier.'
Closing the or mpatently, She swept from
the room without answering.
He heard the sound of their merry voices, as
laughing 0nd ehattins they passed out-the car
riage rat,led f. and Howard Dorrauco
leaned back in his chair and in solitude and 81
lence broodcd over the bitter emotions Of lis
heart.
! Tho present tortured him; the futurc,-he
dared not imagine that; and 50 he fell to think
ing Of the past.
What wa. there in tha! TO bring deeper
gloom TO his brow--a deeper sadness TO lis
eyes!
There were memories Of wrong and Injustice
which he had done ano,her--a most cruel
wrong.
From tia; sin was he now gathering It's blight.
ed fruit.
Heavier and heavier sank his heart within
HIM, as he recalled, step by step the inia,uaton
which had lured him Oh TO break hi. vows 10
the noble minded being whom first he woocd.
Iii. breast hea,ed tremulously and his strong
frame shivered with the storm of thought that
'swep, through him.
"Yes, yes,' lie muttered, as he arose, aud
with heavy step paced the noor, yes, yes, |
deserve i, all ~ My punishment is just! How
glad would now exchange the wild aud pas
sona,c worship which bore Margaret, for the
calm love tha, once beat within NY hear, for
another. Bu, it is too lu!c too late ~
lie PAUSED beside crayon sketch Of his wife
which hung upon the wall; and now his lip
guivcrcd with tenderness as lie continued.
"Ah. Margaret, how carefully would have
would have cherished you through all trials
and all changes !-God graft YOU may never
uccG the love which You have sacrificed 10 your
vanity"
lie gazal long upon it, noting the .au,less
oval OF her facethe perfect regularity OF her
classical lea,ures-the fascinating expression u!
her full hazel eyes, and InurtnurIug, "Nic is
JcauiitW ~ he turned away.
And now bis heart grew cold and dead with
in him, as he recalled The temptations to which
f she would be exposed, in tie alienation iha!
must necessarily follow the course Of conGuc,
- which She had chosen to pursue.
: lie thought .! the homage which she would
command from the world; the ilAttery which she
| would receive ard which lao woman can listen
= TO without inheiing its faint and the reflection
smote upon his heart, that his wife, now only
{ frivolous and thoughtless, might become-Uh ii
, was too horrible to imagine
lie resolved that he would make one more ef-
: fort to save her from that vortex OF fashion and
folly, which too often plrngcs Ill shame and lie
grada,on those who have madly trusted TO its
4 whir lie would plead with her Tor the sake
. ri their chlldren-tor his sake ior, as he re
r called their bridal days, he could not smother
Q the conviction that beneath all her irivolity and
wor!illncss, there smouldered n flame which
- Almost unconcsiously, as he thought Of his
- children, he turted his steps to their room.-
t lie opened their door. a nght-lamp burnct
r dimly upon the mantle bu, lis rays were strong
enough 10 reveal TO him the sleeping babes upon
- the couch. Babes they still were; for llll,
= Harry, the eldest, was scarce three years old
Z and lia's second summer was but now np
5 proaching.
c Mr.. Dorrancc bent over them, tracing in h,
i boys iinc countenaucc the features Of his wife
;, while lightly round the plump and dmple face
It VI baby lIa fell curls that ould have matched
d his own in boyhood.
\, he looked upon them, SO beautiful in thei
y dependenl aud helpless infancy, he queslone,
!. whether all his words nigh! NOT prove power
o less, when even 'the profound joys Of mater
nifty" had failed to give his wl.o a touIness !J
" home pleasures.
And now, unfortunately, another change cam,
d over him.
ID Il will not stop to plead" he said. SIN mar
ryiug, she assumed the duties Of wife al,
y mother will hereafter be responsible iur he
N fulfilling them properly. My name shall no
be disgraced, nor shall these children receive
le heritage of shame. have tried kindness il
vain, and will now see what husbands All
=; shortly can accomplish
id In this mood, he returned to the library; h
VI drew his chair up to his writing desk, and IN
is locking drawer, lifted from it, one by one
the souvenirs of the past, that long had lo
10 there hidden and undisturted.
to There were packages of letters sketches a
ne heads, unfinished landscapes, and beneath al
J. lay garland of goy-colored autumn leaves
ce The scrap Of paper which labelled II, bore tn
,o ,,orls IErn,n H.l.n Eynrtnn ,vnnl, Dc,nhp