Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1856-02-23


tied back into my seat and held my reins as
coolly and firmly us if L had been driving in a
race with a friend.
"As we opened on the common. could see
that the pace was telling on the horses ahead
Of me, and | watched my chance and took it.
AS flew alongside pistol ball went by my
head ard heard a woman scream at the
same instant the next moment ] saw them
both. 1t was she
II knew 1t when saw the dog had q
stout, strong wagon, and did not hesitate.
The two carriages flew q hundred yards side
by side. and then locked the wheels togeth-
er and threw my horses on their haunches.-
The other carriage went into hundred pie
ces, and | wheeled my own around and was
away. l did not drive rapidly, 1 let my hor-
ses walk to cool themselves. and / was FIVE
minutes in recrossing the common. Before
| reached the hill, heard the long bay of
the hound that most mournful cry that signi-
fies the grief of dumb animal. 1t thrilled
through me. The storm was at hand
a gain the wall of the dog went over me.
paused. Was she not my wife ? Was she not
young, beautiful, tempted Could let her
lie out in the tempest on the ground, on the
lonesome common ? Had she not lain in my
arms, on my breast on my heart Of hearts ?
Il turned the horses into thicket and
went back on foot. l left the road and took
to the common, until l approached the scene
of the disaster Flash after fash oflightning
revealed TO me the state of affairs there.
"The driver lay in the road, motionless and
apparently senseiess. George Gray lay near
him rs motonless. She was sitting in the
middle OF the track among the fragments of
the carriage, her head bowed on her hands,
her face concealed, and | could see that she
shuddered constantly.
Then came the tempest. as if the food
gates Of heaven were opened, but she did not
move. She was soaked with the rain. Her
gay laces hung around her dripping and drag
gled, but she did not move. The thunder
was constant and terrible, but she did not
seem to hear it. thought only Of her-not
of myself-tbough |, too, was standing IN
sheltered in the storm. 1t was pitiful sight
to look at her, the child of luxury and ease
the petted fondlcd, beloved one-sitting in
the mud and mire, exposed to the pitiless
rain. needless Of tempest or thunder, with all
that wreck around her.
Il advanced to lift her from her place. She
did not heed my touch. She did not start
nor give any evidence that she knew even
that she was touched She seemed as sense
less us the bodies that lay in the road before
her, and as l lifted her by main force and
held her up on her feet, her head fell forward
on her breast, and her heavy breathing SEEM
ed more like sobs than respirations. took
her in my arms. Again. once again, felt as
] had felt of old when l held her, pure and
uncomtaminated, in my arms, and the same
old thrill went through me when her head fell
on my shoulder. | carried her away from
them, through the darkness and storm, half a
mile over the common, to my wagon, and pla-
cling her in it, held her with my left arm, still
lying on my breast, as drove turiously into
the city.
81 carried her up to her room, undressed
her with my own hands, and laid her in her
bed. She was still silent, senseless, dead all
but for that heavy breathing, and the sobs
at intervals that seemed to burst from her
breast.
Il sent for my family physician, and told
him all. No one but he knew it, and he
agreed to keep the secret and attend her
faithfully. The servants knew nothing of it
till they were reused to wait on her, and the
whole affair was kept in profound silence.
"But she was forever lost; the Doctor told
me within q week that the brain fever would
kill her or leave her hopelessly insane. In
her rawlings she seemed to be struggling with
some terrible enemy, fighting constantly with
n fend, aud sometimes she would call on me
for help in pteous accents that pierced my
brain.
AT length the fever left her, and she lay
for weeks feeble but gaining strength, and, as
the physician had prophesied, her intellect
was gone A year went on with heavy
wheel. Oh, those long days of bitterness !.
those nights of agony!
"Philip, never believed that she was sin
full in heart. | never believed that she was
wanton. | never for an instant admitted to
my soul the idea that she had meant to
wrong me. | could not explain it, and she
was not able to explain it to me F; but | be-
leved in my heart that there was some way
of removing all suspicion of her guilt, and
waited my time patiently, but in heavy woe.
Gray was not heard Of from that day
The driver of the carriage was found dead on
the road. The public accounted for the
strange circumstance ola broken carriage and
the dead man by supposing that fash of
lightning-one of those myterious agencies
that sometimes strike and leave no trace of
the blow-had destroyed them No one
dreamed Of connecting the illness OF the
beautiful Mrs. CRANKY with that circumstance
"She failed as the year passed. Her phys.
ical strength grew weaker and weaker and
could sometimes see corresponding gain in
her mental powers Once she smiled She
had not smiled IN months. 1t was like ray
of light from heaven 10 me. / had watched
her day by day sat by her. talked to her.
iondled her, kissed her, held her on my heart
hour by hour, but all in vain until now. She
had been silent, idiotic, until that evening,
aud that smile was to me a promise OF heaven.
She smiled when kissed her lips. 1t was a
token that she remembered me.
81 took her up to the old place, and often
drove out with her, through all those old ia
miliar scenes. But she did not smile again
until time of which | shall tell you.
at was summer evening, pleasant, cool
aud calm. Her nurse had walked out with
her. for she was able 20 walk and they had
gone into the grove which was between my
house and her fathers. i watched them from
my window, and shortly after they disappear
ed observed at distance a man who SEEM
ed to be going toward the same grove. al
ways avoided having her seen by strangers,
and started to follow her.
IL overlook them at the very spot where |
had first seen her four years ago. As walk.
ed slowly along the memory Of that day grew
on me, and recalled all the beauty and splen.
dor of my young love. She was scarcely less
beautiful now, though sadly changed. ]
heard a cry and rushed forward. She stood
in the same spot where first saw her, erect,
with flashing eye and outstretched hand. A
man, George Gray, was at her feet, and saw
her spurn him with her foot He sprang up
| and looked into her face with ewes full oil