Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1855-07-10
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Last interview ofa Husband with Wife
TIE following is an extract tom Nci!y Biactda,
tale of forty years ago, by Xrs. Annie Chambers
Bradford, of kentucky 1t Is III account Of the last
interview of a husband will, his wife, whom, he had
driven from him by cnrec, Of nnmitigated cru
Gty:
The lights in TIE chandelier were burning
dimly when she entered tile room. The stran-
ger stood beneath t!ieni, S, that size could not
see his face. She advanced towards him and
said, in n identified tone.
'What is yo.tr pleasure, SIR
Robert Blackburn turned, and cyc]kfnling
Nelly ! dear Nelly!' would haze caught
her IN his arms. but she recoiIcd from linn
and with one HIND pressed against her fore
head, while with the other she waved him
from her, slto gazcd with wild fiery look into
his faoo.--
He knelt before her.
See ! ami it Jour feet, Nelly Oh will
You not let me love you again ?"
Arise, she said, mournlully but FIRMLY
4 had hoped, oh 80 devont!y that might
never see You again! But since you have
come, I NEST Say to you what l feel, SO that
this Interview may be the last,
lie arose and stood before lier,
| left MY peaceful home. she continued,
when bit a child aud went with you to yours
gave heart full of devotion to you and
yorr family; and life whose every act was
one of service and seEsacrifcc; and 1 re-
ceived in return. colness and contempt and
contumcy from them, and severity and neglect
from you. But even after they had cast me
off clung to you, and was willing to do and
bear anything for the occasional Kind words
YOU gave me.
You ferien,lerthe rest. You know how
went TO YOU from all knew and loved, and
was denied and spurned and when / crept
to your feet, and, ctaspine your knees hcrned
YOU to let me atsy.if only as your servant,
for tie sake Of tic child Lad borne YOU,
vod tatnted me nth having no pride, and
worst of all, told me yot had never loved me,
citing as proof, the Indifference with which
you permitted your fumily to insult and vii
lify me-"
But Nelly, thai was done through hard
ana impcnitent split. Oh! can you not for
give and receive me again y
Forgive, y she said, and her voice trem-
bTed, but she struggled and forced back the
tears that gushed uD to her eyes. Il forgave
you even while you thrust me from you; but
when YOU averTed to Col. Pontolba, and all
around vou, that YOU did not know ME, and
called God to witness the truth Of what you
said-and then, when they ieit yo2r room,
and you threatened that if did not go from
Natchez you would take my boy from lile and
have me imprisoned as insane, every Testige
of love died out of my heart, and lied from
one whom L trusted the Arch-fend himself
had been on my track.
Where did you go, Nelly?' he asked for
he had become SO interested in her narrative
he seemed to have forgotten he had caused
the misery Of which She spoke.
Where did l go3' she said. It matters
not to you, have lived honorably, if OBJ
scurely. But, until a year ago, [ have never
lost sight of you; and if you had ever striyen
by one act to redeem the past, l might receive
you differently ioI. After casting me off,
however, you went to your old home, and
with mock sorrow told them of the death OF