Western Reserve chronicle and weekly transcript of the times. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1854-1855, 1855-03-14

her walking about her own loom for near
ly an hour after, in long, steady steps.
L have often thought, that, had she
told me then, and taken me to her hear
her strong, brave, noble heart could
have derived courage from it, and could
have borne the dreadful truth l was
forced to know afterward. But the strong
are so impatient with US They leave
US too soOn-their own strength revolts
at our weakness so we are often left
broken in this weakness, for want of a
little patience and sympathy.
Harry came in short time after Ellen
had left me. "What has she BEEN say
ing?" he cried passionately. His eyes
were wild and bloodShot; his beautiful
black hair flung all in disorder about his
face.
Dear Harry, she has said nothing
about you," 1 answered, trembling
"She oaly asked what was your profess
sion, and how much we had year. That
was ALL"
"Why did she ask this? What busi-
ness was it of hers" cried Harry, fer:e'
ly. "Tell mel" and he shook me rough
ly; "what did you answer her, little
fool?"
"Oh, nothing;;" and began to cry :
it was because he frightened me- al
said what is true, that L knew nothing Of
your affairs as, indeed, what concern
is that of mine? l could say nothing
more, Harry"
Better that than too much" he NUT
tered and then he flung ME hsrshly
back on the sofa, saying, "Tears and
folly and weakness! The same round,
always the same! Why did 1 marry a
mere pretty doll--a play thing-no wife!"
And then he seemed to think he had
said too much; for he came TO me and
kissed me, and said that he loved me.
But for the first time in our married life,
his kisses did not soothe me, nor did be-
lieve his assurances.
All that night | heard Ellen walk
and unrestingly through her
room. She never slackened her pace,
she never stopped, she never hurried :,
but the same slow measured tread went
on the firm foot, yet light, falling as if
to music, her very step the same mixture
of manliness and womanhood as her
character.
After this burst of passion, Harry's
tenderness to me became unbounded as
if he wished to make up 10 me for some
wrong. | need not say how soon | for
gave him, nor how much | loved him
again. All my love came back in one
full, boundless tide; and the current of
my beirg set towards him again as be-
fore. If he had asked me for my life
then, as his mere fancy, TO destroy, |
would have given it to him. | would
have lain down and died, if he had wish.
ed to see the flowers grow over my
grave.
My husband and Ellen grew more es-
tranged as his affection seemed 10 return
for me. His manner 10 her Was defying;
hers to him contemptuous. | heard her
call him villain once, in the garden be-
low the windows; at which he laughed
his wicked laugh, and said tell her and
see if she will believe your
| was sitting in the window working.
1t was cold, damp day in The late au-
mn, when those chill fogs of November
are just beginning; those fogs with The
frost in them, that steal into ones very
heart. II was day when visible blight
is in the air, when death is abroad every
where, and suffering and crime. / was
alone in the drawing room. Ellen was
up stairs, and my husband, as believed,
in the City. But 1 remembered since,
that | heard the hall door softly opened,
and foolstep steal quietly by the draw
ing room up the stairs. The evening was
just beginning to close in-1ull, gray and
ghostlike; the dying daylight melting in
10 the long shadows that stalked like wan
dering ghosts about the fresh grave of ma.
ture. ] sat working still, at some of
those small garments about which
dreamed such fond dreams, and wove
large hopes of happiness; and as 1 sat,
while the evening fell heavily about me,
a mysterious shadow of evil passed over
me, dread presentiment, a consciousness
OF ill, that made me tremble as ifin ague
at myself though Tor my folly.
But it was reality. 1t was no hysterical
sinking of the spirits that | felt; nor mere
nervousness or cowardice; it was some.
thing had never known before knowl.
edge, a presence, a power, a warning
word, a spirits cry, that had swept by me
as the fearful evil marched on to its con.
clu>ion.
l heard faint scream up stairs. 1t
was so faint that could scarcely distin-
guish it from a sudden rush OF wind
through an opening door, or the chirp of
a mouse behind wainscot. Presently |
heard the same sound again, and then a
dull muffied noise overhead, as of some