The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-11-12

were laid out regular auu heaIIy' hhe
coach stopped before noble mansion
brown stone, the great steps of which
were heavy and imposing, while the
great door of dark, carved oak. with its
silver trappings, gave forth an air OF
wealth which could not be mistaken.
Here ?" whispered Mabel, gazing
up at the structure. s
"Yes. A friend of mino is expects
ing ms here,r remarked Charles,--asssie
alighted, and then handed her out.
Tho coach drove away, and as the
young couple assembled the steps, the
great door flew open. An obsequious
servant bowed them in and Mabel was
conducted into parlor, the sumptuous
trainings of which fairly struck her with
awe. The carpet let her foot Eoiselessiy
into its soft, rich fabric; the furniture
was of oak, and marble, and gold, and
crimson velvet; the ceiiDg high and
elaborately wrought in pure w:.ite stuc-
co; the walls hung all around with su-
perb paintings; and the heavy chandeliers
seeming to throw sort of majestic halo
over all.
"Suppose we walk over the house !"
said Charles.
"But will they like it ?" said Mabel,
timidly.
ooh, yes My friend told me to feel
perfectly at home. He likes to have
his house shown to his friends"
So Mabel arose, and having passed
through the long parlors, her husband
conducted her up the broad stairway
The rooms above were not whit behind
those below in point of sumptuous fur
nishing and arrangement; the young wife
was fairly bewildered with all she saw.
Her husband showed her the principal
chamber on the second floor, with its
great oaken beadstead, and its canopy
of rose colored silk and white gauze; it's
costly paintings, and modest statpettes
it's great easy chairs and full length
mirrors and then adjoining this lie
showed her the capacious bathing room
with all its fixtures for comfort and Gu
joyment.
ooh % murmured the half bewilder-
ed wife chow much real comfort the
pure and virtuous in heart might enjoy
in such a place. Is the owner good
man ?'
"He is happy man, Mabel. And
yet all this wealth gave him no joy until
he found one pearl of great price which
was wanting. 1t was nothing to him
is was but"
The husband stopped, for his lips
trembled, and his eyes filled with tears.
Mabel-Mabel he cried, opening
his arms and clasping the noble being
to his bosom, "can you not guess the
truth ?'
With an overwhelming power the
light broke in upon the young wife's
mind. She gazed up through her tears.
and her wishful looks bore all she would
ask.
Yes, yes" whispered Charles, it
is all ours! You are in your own house
in your own house. am Charles
Hoffman's master, and shall henceforth
see that his wife does not want am
al that [ have told you-an orphan,
left without father or mother, and with
a million of dollars. 1 sought wife
who could make me happy, and love me
we'll and truly-one whose heart was
pure and noble, and whose soul could
hold my faith with returning truth and
integrity. An old aunt-NIrs. Orne-
perhaps you know her ?"
"Yes" whispered Mabel. "Shc
spent the spring in our village, and Of
ten called upon US.
eyes. Well she had a mission to per-
form for me, aud she performed it in
learning your true character and report
ing the same to me. resolved to see
you-to read your very soul and then
win you if I could. You know the rest.
And now will we not be very happy
But Mabel could not answer then.
She could only cling to her husbands
bosom, and wept in the excess Of the
strange JOY that overwhelmed her soul.
"And STILL" whispered Charles, you
lack one thing yet to fill your cup ofper-
feet joy"
Lack one thing" she repeated, ga
sing up into her husbands face"
Yes Is it not so ?''
"Ah," che murmured, while a soft
shade filtered DER her lovely face, 81
dare not say so. And yet,
"Speak on, loved one."
"You know what l would say. And
yet, Charles, tits not for myselfs so much
as for her. She has always looked to
me for joy-always since my father died
and I cannot shut out the thought
that she will be very, very lonesome
without me-"
As she spoke she gazed up, and saw
happy smile npon her husbands face.
What did it mean? He was not ga
zing upon her, but upon something be-
hind her. Instinctiyeiy she turned-a
low cry burst from her lips, and the
next moment she rested upon the bosom