Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1854-10-06

lnls was lnt lNuuFHl oI Ice, aa Nt lcll
hi. place Of business TO return home, on the
evening Of tho day on which Mrs Morton
called upon Kate. Why would ho not look
away from this Why would he ponder
over and magnify the offence Of Kate WHY
would he keep this ever before his oycs'
His selfloyc had bocn "onnded his pride had
been touched, The weapon Of ridicule had
been used against him, and to rideulo he was
morbidy scnsitivcs Kate should have read
his character more closely, and should have
understood it better. Bot she Vas ignoran,
of his weaknesses. and bore heavily upon
them ere aware ofthcir existence. II was in
this brooding. cloujed aud unrorgiying state
Of mind that Frederick Ice took his way
homewarJ.
On entering his dwelling, which he did al.
mos, noiselessly. be went into the parls,
and seated himself in tho very place where
he Was sitting when Nate began, 80 unoK.
pcclcdly to him, her unsuccessful work of rc-
formation. Everything around reminded him
ofihAr unfortunate eyeniaC--eycn the loung-
irr position be 80 naturally assumed, sliding
down, as he did, iu the chair, and throwing
onc Of hs legs over tie arm.
1T is comfortable for me-, said he, mooil.
~, to himself, and its my own house. If
she don, like il, let her lie did not
finish the sentence, for no ielt that his state
oC mind was not What il shoald be, and that
lo speak thus OF his wife, neither just nor
kind. Unhappy young man! i it thus you
visit the light oiTrncc-6r il was light, in
rralily-of the loving and gentle young crea.
iurc Who has given her happiness, her
very llio inio her keeping Could you
no, bcar a word from her Are YOU 80 per-
feet, that hor eyes must see no defect lsshc
never TO dare, on penalty Of your stern dis
pleasure. to correct Gull, to seek to In you
hy her rurcr and better taste, above the un-
graceful and unmanly habits consequent up.
an a neglected hoyhood Wha, ir her hand
was laid rather heavily upon YOU What II
her feelings lid promp, her To use words th't
Ind better been lcn unsaid It wac the
Young wife, pride in her husband rha, warm
ed her into undue excitement, and this you
should have comprchcndod.
lrFwdrrck Ice jld not think precisely As
vc have written, his thoughts gradually in
clincd in iha, direction. Sill be felt moody,
and his feelings warned but little towards
Kate. Thus he at fur some ten miuu,cs.
At the end of this ,imc. he heard light foot
STEPS coming DOWN the stars. He knew
them To be those of bis w,fc.
lie d.i no, move nor make \ sound. bot
rather crouched lower in his chair. the back
of which was iuucl turned iowaids tho door
nu, his thoughts was on his vile. lie saw
her With the eyes Of his mInd-aw her with
her cloudcI counicnaucc. IN, heart ihroh-
bel heavily aclirs, his side, and he partial.
~ held hs breath. Now her footsteps moved
along The pa,.s.,. aud nov b. was ,ouscioss
that she hid entered the room whore he sat.
No, the slightest movement did he make
not a sign did he give OF las presence. There
he sri shrinking down in his chair, moody,
and gloomy and very angry with Kate in his
heart.
Wa, she aware or hi, Prcs'ncr' Had che
heard him enter the house Such were the
questioning thought, that were ia his mind.
Footsteps moved acrr's the room. Now
Kate was at the mlnilc.pirrc few feet from
the chair he occupied, for he heard her ay a
book thereon. Nov she passed to the back
window, and throwing it uP. pushed orcn the
shutters, giving free entrance to the waning
lgh'.
\ deep silence followed. Now the still.
ness b, broken by gentle sigh that floats
family through the room. How rebukIngly
smoic iha, sigh upon the cars of Leo How
/, soncncd his heart his heart towards Kate,
the young man ,ni loving wife Of his bosom
4 slower moycmcn, in the current of hs an
CIV feelings succeed, to this. Then it is still.
There is pause.
hut where e, Kate Has she leN tho rooml
lie listens for some movement, but no sound
meets his ear.
kate" 40 he did not utter the word
aloud, in tender accents, though it was in his
heart and on his tongue. Nor did no start
M, or move. No, as il spcll.bound, ho re-
maincd cynushing down tn his chair All At
once she is bending above him aud in the
next moment, warm lips touch his forehead,
gcnlly, hesila,ingly, yet with lingering
| pressure.
kate! Deaf Kate. IIe has sprung 10
hi, feet, and hi, arm, arc funs around his
wife.
Forgive me, Frederick, il | sccmeo un-
kind to you,' sobbed Kate, as soon as she
could command her voice.
/ ,There was no unkindncss in my heart
only love
'Itis I who most need to ask forgiveness,
rcplicI Ice. Il who hayc'---
.nushi No, aword Of iha, now, quickly
returned nate, placing her hand upon his
mouth. Let the past be forgotten
And forgiycn. too. said Ice, as he
very eagerly pres5cd his lips to those of his
wife.
How happy they were at this moment Of
reconciliation. How light seemed the causes
which had risen up to mar the beautiful har-
mony of their lives. How weak aud foolish