New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-06-23

At length the black horizon that seemed to en-
compass us so hopelessly lightened, and afforded
| the lover husband glimpse and hope of his
vanished and well nigh despaired of Eden. The
promise was fulfilled was in the library
with Mr.. Arbuthnot, awaiting the physicians 3
morning report, very anxiously expected at the
| rectory, when Dr. Lindley entered the apart
ment in evidently cheerful mood.
| :" 1ou have been causelessly alarmedn he
said. GO There is no fear whatever of relapse
| Weakness only remains, and that we shall,
! slowly perhaps, but certainly, remove
A CLEAN of lightning seemed to fash over Mr.
Arbuthnot's expressive countenance ssBlessesl
be God!' . he exclaimed. And how he
| added, :sshall we manage respecting the child /,
She asks for it incessantly.''
Mr.. Arbuthnots infant son, should state,
had been consigned Immediately after its birth
| to the care of Mrs Dandy, who had herself
oeen confined, also with boy, about fort
| night previously. Scarlatina being prevalent
| in the neighborhood, Mrs. Dandy was hurried
| away with the two children to place near
Bath, almost before she was able to bear the
| journey. Mr.. Arbuthnot had not left his wife
| for an hour, and consequently had only seen his
child for few minutes just after it was born
IS With respect to the Child replied Dr. Lind
| ley. " am Of opinion that Mrs. Arbuthnot NAV
see 1t In day or two. Say the third day from
this, IT all goes well. think we may venture
so far ;~hut wall be presenI, for any untoward
agitation might be, perhaps, instantly fata1''
This point Professionally settled, we all three
went our several ways-1 to cheer the still suf-
fering rector with the good news
The next day but one, Mr.. Arbuthnot was in
exuberent spirits. DR. Lindley's report is
even more favorable than we had anticipated, .
| he said, and l start tomorrow morning to
bring Mrs Dandy and the child The post
mans subdued but unmistakable knock inter-
rupted him. s' The nurse he added. 8. is very
attentive and punetual She writes almost
heaped with letters. Mr. Arbuthnot tossed
them over eagerly, and seizing one, after
glancing at the postmark, tore it eagerly open,
muttering as he did so sc 1t is not the usual
handwriting but from her, no doubt
Merciful God!' impulsively exclaimed, as
suddenly lifted my eyes to his. So What is the
matter? - mortal pallor had spread over
Mr. Arbuthnot's before animated features, and
he was glaring at the letter in his hand as if a
basilisk had suddenly confronted him. Another
moment and the muscles of his frame appeared
to give way suddenly. and he dropped heavily
into the easy chair from which he had risen to
| take the letters | was terribly alarmed, and
first loosening his neckerchief, for he seemed
choking, said, +" Let me call some one,'' and /
turned to reach the bell, when he instantly
seized my arms and held me with a grip of iron
! ~'o-nV-no! He Hoafsely gaspeu - ater.
water: There was fortunately some on a
side table. | handed it to him, and he drank
eagerly. 1t appeared to revive him a little
He thrust the crumpled letter into his pocket,
and said, in a low, quick whisper There is
some one coming Not word, remember-not
a word y At the same time he wheeled his
chair half round, so that his back should be
towards the servant we heard approaching.
81 am sent, sir..' said Mrs. Arbuthnot's maid
sc to ask if the post has arrived
eyes, replied Mr.. Arbuthnot, with wonder
full mastery of his voice. ''Tell your mistress ]
shall be with her almost Immediately, and that
her son is quite WE'LL
Mr.. Tyrrel,'' he continued, as soon as thu
servant was out Of hearing, ss there is, think
a Gqueur- r-stand on the side-b board in the larg,
dining room. Would you have the kindness t.
bring it me, unobseryed-mind that-unobserv
ed by any one - .------------------
did as he requested: and the instant place
the liaueur- frame before him, he seized tn
brandy carafe, and drank with fierce eagerness
For goodness sake | exclaimed, GO conside
what you are about Mr.. Arbuthnot YOU viii
make yourself ILL.,
"No, no. he answered, after finishing hi
draught. 1T seems scarcely stronger than
water But ii am better now. It was sud
den spasm of the heart; that's all. The letter,
ne added, after long and painful pause, during
which he eyed me, thought, with kind of sus
picion--s' the letter you saw me open Just now
comes from relative, an aunt, who is i'll, yer,
ill, and wishes to see me instantly. You under
stand ~
l did understand, or at least feared that
did too well. |, however, bowed acquiescence
and he presently rose from his chair, and strod
about the apartment in great agitation, unit
his wife's bedroom bell rang. He then stoppet
suddenly short, shook himself, and looked anx
| iously at the reflection of his flushed and vary
ing countenance in the magnificent Gimme
glass.
&C l do not look, l think-or, at least shall not
in darkened room-odder, more out of til
way--that is, more agitated-than one might
than one must appear, after hearing of the dan
gerous illness of-of-an aunt?'
&c You look better, sir, than you did awhil
since'' ~
6 Yes. yes; much better, much better. / ar
glad to hear you say so. That was my wife
bell. She is anxious, no doubt, to see me-
He left the apartment; was gone perhaps te
minutes; and when he returned, was, I thought
less nervous than before. | rose to CO. "Giv
my respects he said, s' to the good rector
and as an especial favor he added, with stron
a living soul that you saw me so unnamed as
} was just now-that l swallowed brandy.
} would appear so strange, so weak, so ridiculous.
Ipromsed not to do so, and almost immedi
ately left the house, very painfully affected
: His son was, concluded, either dead OF dying
and he was thus bewilderedly casting about ft
means of keeping the terrible, perhaps fat,
tidings from his wife, l afterwards heard ths
, he left Elm Park in a postchaise, about tv
hours after came away, unattended by 81,
gle servant!
He was gone three clear days only, ut the Ell
t of which he returned with Mrs. Dandy and
' his son-in fiorid health, too, and one of IL
finest babies of its age-about nine weeks old
| had ever seen. Thus vanished the air draw
f Doubling Castle and Giant Despair which hi
0 so hastily conjured up! The cause assgeed
. Mr.. Arbuthnot for the agitation had witnessed
G was doubtless the true one; and yet, and IL
!, thought haunted me for months, years aftel
: wards, he opened only one letter that morning
4 and had sent q message to his wife that the chi
was we'll
o Mrs. Dandy remained at the Park till the lit
$ Bobert was weaned. and then was dismissed vel
munificently rewarded. Year after year role
t away without bringing Mr.. and Mrs. Arbuthn
II any additional little ones, andno one, therefor
p could feel surprised at the enthusiastic love
IS the delighted mother for her handsome, nobl
IS promising boy But that which did astoni.
d me, though no one else, for it seemed that
alone noticed it, was a strange defect of cha
ID acter which began to develop itself in NJ
to Arbuthnot. He was positively jealous of
wife's affection for their own child Many q,
D. many time have remarked, when he thoug
c. himself unobserved, an expression of inten
eft poin Il sh from his fine eynressiye eyps Mt n