Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1851-05-30


to it at once, saying that should make no
objection to such an arrangement, or to any
other that might suit her convenience. With
the note sent large amout Of money for
her preparations.
The next day we received an invitation to
party, which, contrary to her late habits,
Mrs. Mansfield accepted. She sent it to me
IN a note, stating the fact, and saying that
she thought it would afford an excellent op-
portunity to make known to society her in
tention Of visiting Europe. I Isignifed my
assent. During the time which intervened
| saw my wife only at table, where she ap-
peared as calm as ever, though, perhaps, al
tritie paler than usual. Hour on hour | had
looked for her pride to fail her. Deeply IN
jured as she had been, could not bring my
self to believe that, loving me as she once
had loved me, and fondly hoped still did,
she would really leave me; but after having
once made public her intention ] feared lest
she might not shrink. Would she do so?
0, how anxiously 1 awaited that eventful
, night, and when, at last, it came, ! was dress
, ed and in attendance at an unusually early
| hour. As paced the floor anxiously, l
r hoped-I prayed that her heart would con-
5 quer-that love would subdue pride; but
( how could I-how dare hope it? What
! indignities had she not borne from me =
Ought not to humble myself and ask her
: to forgive me!
Had she come in at that moment | would
: have done so, but she came not. / wonder
e ed how she would dress. Perhaps some
/, carelessness in her apparel would betray that
n her mind was too much preoccupied to think
r oft. | glanced at the clock; it was time
/. that she should be there. Just then she en-
e tered, and as pale and calm as usual Hooked
+ at her dress it was of dark velvet, trimmed
: with rich lace-she had worn Just such a dress
d in happier days because | admired it, and
thought that it became her style Of beauty,
= But now what was her objects Did she de-
5. sire to please me still, or was it habit!
y glanced at her arins-on her neck she
,r wore set Of diamonds which | gave hel
y shortly after our marriage. She rarely wore
d them at first, because she thought them un
" suitable ornaments for one so young, but now
y when she looked 50 queenly and moved Sc
lie statelily, they gave to her grandeur which
at startled me.
lt | could detect no carelessness in her dres:
it no agitation i'll her manner. Her hanc
g. trembled not when led her to the carriage
m She showed no emotion during our drive t
y the scene of festiyity. Could this be the light
hearted girl married few short years ago
ID Could this cold, this naughty, this imperia
a woman, be the gentle, the loving, the delicate
W wife of other days? heard the murmur 0
a. admiration which greeted her / saw croul
ID after group of flatterers gathering around heI
ID and | wandered through the crowd ike on
re in an opium dream, until, at last, | reached
b, conservatory, where concealed myself, anC
ID thought of her-thought Of her as when frs
n met her looked back on the happy hour
ce of our betrothaI-on the happier days of on
81 early married life. Irecalled her joyousnes
it of spirit-her frank confidence Of manner
he her deep loye-our former happiness-ou
es present misery and | remembered that
10 was | that had wrought the change. L
few days we should part-perhaps foreve
at part, while our hearts were full Of love 70
l each other Never had l adored her as a
nd that hour, and | determined that she shoul,
n not leave me.
@ Just then the voice of some one singin
Ou reached me. The tones seemed familiar
an | could not be mistaken; the voice was her
| hastily repaired to the room from which
ny preceded, and, placing myself in posito
from which could see the singer without be
N ing seen by her, listened until the song wa
ss- finished. She was about to arise, when Sc,
IN, eral voices asked for another song-for on
ed which once had been favorite of hers
no mine Her face flushed, and then paled ;
it gain, when it was placed before her. Pc
by haps she thought of how often she had sun
that song for me. In my eagerness | ha
ng pressed forward, and just when she hesitate
her eyes met mine. She Immediately con
ell, piled. Her voice faultered at first, but reco
Is. ering herself, she sang it through to the en-
she 1t was lay Of happy love. When it W
finished, she raised her eyes for momeI
lad to mine, and then commenced another-ol
en- had never heard before-tlie story Of
Y | proud heart broken The words seemed
,ur- come from her very soul. The tones of h
uld voice will ring in my ears until they a
and duIled by death. A deep, painful silen
h a pervaded the room. Tears stood in ma
ID bright eyes, and many red lips quiyered wi
ned emotion. Then she ceased and arose frc
lee her seat, but so pale was she feard S
nin- would faint.
" We soon after returned home. The d
ants lance was short, but the time seemed
and age until we reached our house. | wot
did have given worlds to have spoken and
orn- have told her all-all my sorrow-all l
aak- repentance-but | could not; my tong
ned Glove to the roof Of my mouth, nor indie,
il to until long after we had reached our hor
| to and she bade me goodnight" could l
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