Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-08-08
LAST INTERVIEW OF A HUSBAND
WITH A WIFE.

LAST INTERVIEW OF a HUSBAND
WITH A WIFE.
The following is an extract from Nelly
Brackan, a tale of forty years ago, by
Mrs. Annie Chambers Bradford, of Ken
lucky. 1t is an account Of the last inter-
view of husband with his wife, whom he
had driven from him by career of un-
Initlgated cruelty:
The lights in the chandler were burn
ing dimly when she entered the ROOM
The stranger stood beneath them, so that
she could notsee his face. She advanced
towards him, aud said in a digniied
tone.
"What is your pleasure sir.''
Robert Blackburn turned, and excaim-
ed Nelly dear Nelly p would have
caught her in his arms, but she recoiled
from him and with one hand pressed
against her forehead, while the other
she waved him from her, she gazed with
wild fiery look into his face.
He knclt before her.
g See l am at your feet, Nelly. Oh
will you not let me love you again ?''
" Arise" she said mournfuIIy but firmly.
"
might never see you again But since
you have come, must say to you what
l fell, SO that this interview may be the
last"
| He arose and stood before her.
81 left my peaceful home," she CONT
nued, when but Il child, and went with you
to yours, gave heart full of devotion
to you and your family, and life whose
every act was one oi service and self-sacri-
fee; and received in return. coldness and
contempt, and contumely from them, and
severity and neglect from you. But even
after they had cast me off, l clung to you,
and was willing to do and bear anything
for the occasional kind words you gave
me-"
" You remember the rest. You know
how l went to you FROM all knew and
loved, and was denied and spurned and
when [ crept to your feet, and, clasping
your knees, begged you to let me stay, il
only as your servant, for the sake Of The
child l had borne you, you taunted me
with having no pride, and worst of all, told
me you had never loved me, citing as proof
the difference with which you permitted
your family to insult and viIify me-"
" But Nelly, that was done through a
hard and impenitent spirit. Oh can you
not forgive and receive me again ?"
" Forgive - she said, and her voice
trembled, but she struggled and forced
back the tears that gushed to her eyes
Il fOrgave you even while you thrust me
from you; but when you averred to Col
Pontolba, and all around you, that you
did not know me, and called God to wit
ness the truth ofwhat you said-and then,
when they left your room, and you threat
ened that if did not go from Natchez you
would take my boy from me and have me
imprisoned as insane, every vestige ol
love died out Of my heart, and l fled from
one whom l trusted, as if the Arch>fend
himself had been on my track
" Where did go ?" she said. ''It mat
ters not to you. have lived honorably,
if Obscurely. But, until year ago, have
never lost sight of you; and if you had
ever striven by one act to redeem the past,
might receive you differently now. AT
ter casting me off. however, you went to
your old home, and with mock sorrow told
them of the death of your wife and child
and your own incurable grief"
" But my boy-our boy, Nelly-where
is he %
"Do not" she said wildly, edo not speal
of my child. tits enough that he is dead
and beyond the reach of human misery
Dead p and the tears rained over hel
face. "Oh my child !" she sobbed, ''my
beautiful. starved, patient, lamb If
might only be one of the dead leaves tha
fall on your grave, and moulder into it:
holy dust! Do not tell me Robert Black
burn, that you loved my child. If you
had ever loved him you could not have
cast him of, nor have been SO cruel to the
mother who borne him, whose brightest
pride was to teach him to lisp your name
and pray for you at her knee, while yol
were disregarding everyvow in the pursui
of something you yourself lfcould not define
But cannot say that l regret your peri
dy. You won me before knew the ne
cessities Of my own nature. When be
came a woman, was a wife already; ant
when the deep, strong voices of my spiri
sent forth their inquiries and hopes, the,
found no echo, but died away into dark
ness and silence, leaving the chambers c
5 my heart so desolate, shuddered at tn
void within me, though did not kno,