The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-02-25

was deserted in an Instant; aud after
showing the stage-waiter his baggage.
Mr.. Howard returned to the parlor and
closed the door.
The bitter moment has at length
come" said he " We must part o,
Ilelen,-in pity say that we part friends!'
Friends !" reiterated Helen-in a
voice as cheerful as she now ever spoke
in-for the light, glad tone Ct earlier
days had vanished away together with
the "wreahed smiles, that had accom-
pani ed it t." Friends i-assurdly we
do and most sincerely do wish you
such success as will leave you nothing To
ask |"
There are moments in our lives when
the most bitter waIlings of grief would
be swce,er to the ear than the gladdesl
stratus of music, aud thus it was in the
present instance with Mr. Howard
Helens undisguised indifference, even al
the moment of parting. wrung every h
bre Of his heart. With look of intense
feeling he turned to the children, and
pressing them 10 his bosom, ,murmured a
few fond farewell words TO each. As
be replaced the youngest on the carpet,
| llola ,NrapantaI har hanI Ia oh ~
without a syllable, pressed il firmly and
then darling from the house, seated him
sell in the coach, which the next mo-
ment rolled away.
1t was towards the latter part OF Mo-
vember when Mr.. How ard left home,
aud for number of weeks there was no
very marked changed in Helen's health.
She was reall, happier than she had been
fhr many, many long monihs-for now
she had TO perform no hearlless duties !;
she had TO pay no hearlless attentions.
A burden was removed from her mind.
She was a very tender mother and du-
ring her husbands absence, she resolv>
ed to forget society as much as possible,
g. devote herself to the comfort g. edu-
cation OF her children, and 10 tie cults
valion of her own mind She received
three or four letters a week from Mr.
Howard. They were full Of interest as
he detailed all that he saw or heard which
could either entertain or instruct her.
There was, too, peculiar kind of ten
derness about them. " heuever his own
feelings were the subject, he wrote like a
he said would aid or injure his suit. In
each letter he urged her to tell him
everything concerning herself and the
chlldren-as the most trifling incidents.
even the prattle of the little one, was
full OF int crest to him.
Helen wrote often to Mr.. Howard,
and kept him well informed as to all lhas
was in progress amongst their friends and
acquantances; she told him all that was
communicable about the children, their
health, their Improvement, their fond
81 unllrlng qleslons about their father,
& their Impotence for his relurn,bnt for
herself she said nothing but 10 answer his
direct questions for her health, ,-and this
she did in the most Indefinite manner
po .sible. "She was as well as usual cher
health was much the same" or "lhere
was no essential change" was the whole
amount of the matter She was truly
ingenious in conlriving TO close her let
ters with due courtesy and yet without
any of that tenderness of expression
which always precedes the signature oI
a wife, when writing 10 the husband she
loves. In receiving aud writing letters,
and in attending 10 the children, aud il
reading in the occasional calls Of the
circle of friends, and in the frequen,
visits of her father aud DR.. Miller Hell,
ems time was passed away without wea'
riness or discoutent.
But, though scarcely aware of it her
SELF Helen was much altered. He
strength had SO gradually declined, thai
she was hardly sensible Of its dIminu
ton her flesh lad wasted by sucl
slow degrees, that she scarcely perceiv
ed it; and like all persons laboring IN
!, der the same disease, she fiatlered her
l self that she was little better each da
r Than the last. Her social friends laugh
. ed at her for pining on account of MI
e Towards absence, and her father al
r most child her on her deep solicitud
d and anxiety. Still his hopes were at ieas
Il as strong as his fears until the beginnin
of February.
: AT that period, Helen took a driy
y one day with the children, when The al
: was very humid from The dissolvln
: snow, aud she took severe cold. 1t
fatal effects were soon obvious. She wa
d at once confined to her room. Sill He
i Ell herself was not alarmed hut calculat
n ed 10 be out again in a few days. 1t de
" volved on DR.. Miller to give the aarr
|. TO her father. He pronounced her to b