Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-01-22
Romantic.

[ recollect pretty incident which may
not be uninteresting to the reader. A wild
young fellow married lovely girl, and having
been addicted to habits of dissipation, even
the sincere attachment he felt toward his
wife could not entirely disentangle him from
its snares. His occasional irregular hours
would have given any but one Of so pure
and sweet disposition every reason to sus-
pect that she had not held that place in his
affections which was her right; but this re-
Election scarcely ever intruded upon her
spirits. The husband was far from being
cruel, and he dearly loved her, but his dis
position was weak, and his companions elo-
quent; and he seemed to grow worse rather
than better in his habits. 1t happened once
that be was called out Of town, and in haste
left a letter, in which to please an unprinci-
Piled friend, he spoke of his wife in terms of
carelessness if not derision, and dilated
freely upon his general course of life. ina
CINE the anxiety and suspense of the startled
profligate, when he found himself borne
along by a rapid steamboat upon a Journey
which must necessarily be for several DAYS
duration, yet remembering distinctly that
the fatal letter was exposed and unsealed
upon his Wife's table. He recollected. too.
with pang, that he had wantonly, in an
sWer to her inquiries, boosted that it con-
tanned 4 profound secret, which he would
not have revealed for all the world.
He paced the deck in an agony of disap-
polntment and shame. He pictured her
opening the letter, turning pale with horror
and indignation-perhaps fainting with an
guish--alarming the seryants-hying to he
father and renouncing him forever. As soon
as possible he returned, but with sinking
heart, to his dwelling, bracing himself IN
TO meet the fury Of an enraged and wretched
woman. He opened the door softly. She
was bending over the table busily writing.
A placid smile sealed her mouth with perfect
beauty, and spread over glowing features
the mild expression of peace and joy; and
even as she wrote, the fragment of a song
fell from her lips in a low music that flows
only from a heart entirely at rest, The
husband stole noiselessly around, and read
as her pen traced her gentle thoughts.
"1our letter is lying before me-the very
letter containing the profound secret Now
could [ punish you for your carelessness
but, my dearest Charles, how could I look
you in the face on your return, after having
basely violated your trust in my integrity,
and meanly sought to crafty silly curios-
ity at the expense Of honesty and delicacy;
and lest y should feel uneasy I enclose it
to you with the sincere love of your af1ec-
tomato wife, &c.
What an angel - uttered the conscience
stril n hustand
She started up with cry of pleasure,
and as Charles met the light of her clear,
eyes, he was humbled that he
should have suspected her, and deeply
struck with repentance at his own conduct.
He thenceforth severed all ties that drew
him abroad; and if the pure and happy be-
ing whose influence had allured him to the
path of right had perused all his subsequent
letters, she would have found nothing con-
corning herself save the burst Of the SINGER
est admiration and the warmest love.
MARRIED.
nv, Raw