The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1853-03-24
A SELECTED TALE.
From Dickens's Household Words
Miss Harringten'S Prediction.
lConcIude d e d.


The children had been just put to
bad, and Janet was working in the
back parlor. The shop was shut, and
all was silent; only the hurried tread
Of few passers-by was heard, mingled
with the shrill laughter of idle boys
and girls congregated in the lanes by
the scanty gas-lights of the little town.
A knock came to the street-door.-
Who could it be at this time of night :?
The widow led quiet and respectable
life, and was not accustomed 10 visitors
so late as tnis-and was not fond of
them either. However, ii might be
neighbor wanting assistance in some
way sc she rose and went TO the door,
which she opened with kind of quake.
feeling that presence of evil which
sensitive natures do feel, even while
undiscovered.
"Who is there z" she said, shading
the candle with her hand, so that all
the light flared upon her own face.
"Janet, do you know me :" said a
voice she knew too well. A mans
hand touched hef arm, and her husband
strobe into the shop.
him lasi, thinner, trife bald, and his
hair was sprinkled with grey. His eyes
were btood-shot, perhaps with travel
ling, aud his whole appearance was
worn aud shabby. Janet set down the
candle, and stood for moment irreso-
Lutte She neither screamed nor faint
ed; but she looked CHASTITY by the flick
sering light, and she could scarcely
ibreathe.
Janet" said her husband, in his
gentlesi tone, taking her hand lightly
between his own, as one holding by
suferance, not by right, are you glad
to see me again, or have behaved SO
badly, and you have been too angry
ever TO forgive me? Shall go back,
Janet, to all the misery of my self-re-
proaches, feeling that you have not
forgiven me- and that God has not ac-
cepted my repentance, or will you live
with me again, penAent and reformed
man? have repeated, wife, most
bitterly Of all that nave done wrong
against YOU. Will YOU not allow my
penitence to produce my pardon? Eli,
Janet?"
Janet vas overcome. After all he
was her own husband, lawfully married
by the creed of her childhood, and
bound by ties that no man was TO put
asG4del-the minister had said So
and he was the father of her children,
If she herself still nourished feelings of
bitterness against him, had she the
right TO deprive her little ones of a
father? Poor Janett She gave deep
sob, aud ben flung her arms round the
mans neck, and marmured some mis-
quoted passages about prodigal son
which seemed TO relieve her soul
nightly, though they were not quite
correct.
Robert was taken TO see his children
as they lav sleeping in their little cots
by the siGs of the mothers bed. And
the sight affected him mach, TO indge
By his tears and upturned eyes, his low
breathed blessings aud tender caresses.
By the side of those little cots he told
Janet how guilty he had been. but only
for leaving her; he stoutly denied all
knowledge of or participation in the
robbery, occSsioned, he suggested, By
his leaving the coltage-door ajar; how
deeply he felt his wickedness, and how
resolved he was that a future of un-
firing good should wash out his past
evil. Janet, naturally credulous wo-
man-because foHd one-was doubly
happy. She had received back, not
only her husband, but saint as well,
and hencefcyth might expect sanctif-
cation OF heart together with happi-
ness of life in her renewed wedlock.-
She kissed her husband tenderly and
welcomed him anew, saying, I" | always
believed yon innocent9"
Janefs f.iends were all displeased
when it was noised abroad that Robert
had returned, and had been received
by her. Miss Harrington withdrew her
custom, and denied her house and
many of her old supporters grumbled
at hergloudly, and called her fool for
her pains. Janet let them grumble.-
Too happy in her love, and too conf
dent in her happiness, she was indifer-
ent to the storm without; and though
not ungrateful for all that had been
done for her, she felt that she had taken
the better part by her reconciliation so
fully, that these n.armur$ sank into in
significance before the weight of her
spiritual enavictions. If she had been
foolish, yet she had been also morally
right; and conscientious person can
well beaF up against the charge of
folly, when backed with this convic-
aion of right.
"Janet," said Robert, after he had
been with her about month, "your
custom has fallen off Tery much. Your
books do not give one nalf they did be-
fore came. How is this 2n
He spoke IL a dry unpleasant voice,
with a sharp suspicious glance, and
dictatorial manner.
81 don't know, Robert, replied Janet,
quietly, unless it be that I have Of
Tended some of my friends, which l
know have d6ae, and my business
has suffered in conseqGence.n
.We can't go on in this way," Rob-
ert said, with a still more unpleasant
manner. /