Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-08-30
Ny master is dead, madam.
CHAPTER III.

The doctors said that the Hon. Harold
De Wilton had died of disease of the heart,
and the world accepted their verdict, and
IN few weeks ceased to take his name up
on their lips. At Willow Dale every thing
passed into the management of Edith, who
looked lovelier than ever in her deep mour-
ming robes. Aymee's grief, after the first
wild burst of sorrow, was subdued and
nolseless, but not the less was it evident
tFlat her health was gradually sinking un-
der it. Her figure grew thinner and ligh-
ter than ever her transparent complexion
revealed still more clearly the blue veins
beneath, and her very hands were thin and
pale, and shadowy like the hands of spir-
1t. Walter Hines loved her still very
dearly. He would brush the sunny tresses
away from her pure brow and kiss her pale
cheek with tenderness as gentle as Of old,
but he was seldom with her. There was
something in Edith's character to which [
could never give any thing but mesmeri-
cal explanation. She absolutely enchain-
ed and drew away after her every one who
came within her reach every one on whom
she once turned her great, magnetic eyes
1t was drawing toward the close of the
November afternoon when Edith entered
the apartment with Walter, as usual, by
her side. They had been walking in the
shrubbery, and Edith threw herself wearily
into spacious lounging-chair, pointing
Walter to seat at her feet.
Look out, my friend she exclaimed,
pointing to the enstAan ssi..dovry -lrUnu WHICH,
alone the curtain was drawn aside. DO
you see those heavy gray clouds The
evening will set in early, heralded by wind
and rain. This comfortable chair, the
cheerful fire, and the crimson silence all
round this room, have given me confden-
tial and communicative mood. lam going
to tell you something which will shock
you. 1 did not lo0e my husband! There,
you are looking just as l expected. You
great brown eyes are saying, just as plainly
as if your lips uttered it, Shocking un
Q womanly marry for wealth sell you
Il youth, your purity, your truth, for posi-
tion = There, that was what your eye
d said, and I've saved you the trouble of re
peating; but now listen!
n Il told you once before, remember, @
rs my lonely childhood. 1t was the first da
4 we met. Well, I will tell you my stor
now as if it were another's. An orpha
1T girl who had never known what it v.os
le have mothers kiss upon her GROW. or
to mothers hand to point her toward heave1
u u was sent away to sch.Jol. It did not ma
y y ter much to her, Tor her heart craved lov
u u and she was nt loved anywhere. From h
- parents, she inherited great deal of powe
! br.C little energy.
II 'She was constitutionally disinclined
en- exertion. At the school whittier she .
le- sent she gained friend-a young o;rl
IS, very opposite; as mild as she .,os 9assi,
rd ate, as slow as she was luic' anJ as n,e
zee as she was proud. We, H. "4~ fu;omd 40 ~ :
Id vorv rich and an o. Ill, this 1rieno
er- roi1e & Of NV stc, fphan also, and tins
[3lhe WLe VI III ny >" ,fy became very dear to b
10 non 0n0 Ieft school there was che
nd SNen % our orphan. Her wealthy trl'
w. n"' married and besopght her to share
!: nome. She had no means of support
- Should she accept this offer and become
he inmate of her friends family, or go tc
ears into the world as governness? On
Viii one hand was q spirit Of pride and self
nendence, on the other her constltutl
your love Of ease and delight in luxury; re
wor tance to 90 forth among strangers
God by no means least in Importance, her
We tachment to the friend who alone had
loved her, and these latter gained the
MS tory.
sin ;Then there came that crushing sen
AIDED bondage-the feeling that for the
bread one eats, and the clothes one W
ewil- one is dependent upon another.
heart friends husband was Virginia gentle
1t his and senator. Never once did he 6y
Ooatd or look betoken that the homeless or
'Ooatd was not welcome to his roof, and yet
Y; his painful sense of dependence grew on
once aud every day became more and NOR
5e un- tolerable. At Washington she wou
/, IL al admired at first, for her grace and be
own, and then when her position was
;, pure known. passed coldlv by. What W
She that such an existence became cur
seldom But she was loved at last-loved fo
alone, self alone, aud by one whose inhuer
werved the Senate chamber was second to
toward and whose power in his native Stat
almost absolute. When this proud,
Iun rose man wooed, and would have won hel
ed, like long time she avoided his presence,
toward she was too truly proud to give hel
west where her love could not go with it
/, when for her there aOas no independents
J wife's she argued with herself whether it
feel at humiliating to be protected by an ,