Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-07-31

Nv '"u "o''V oah 4tikQsttle hlgnt air.
She threw herself the bed, intending at
first to go back to Bis side in moment, and
" make it all up." Bot asshe heard his re,
treating footsteps, a new resolve flashed upon
her mind. She would undress and pretend to
be asleep when he came; that would punish
him properly for attempting to resent anything
she might say. 1t was scarcely an instant's
work; the pile of snowy skirts the light lawn
dress, were crushed into needless mass of
drapery, the little slippers flung carelesslgaway !;
and before Alfred could have reached the gate,
the white-robbed figure was resting as calm as
If never distcrbed by an angry or fretful emo
ton One thought troubled her, notwithstand
ing this outward composure Perhaps he was
seriously angry, and might stay away for long
walk /; but no, whatever his intentions, he re-
turned almost Immediately, and sat down be-
meath the shaded light. Her heart tbrobbed
with secret exutation he evidently wished her
to come back and allow him to read He should
try little suspense. She glanced beneath the
hand that concealed her face. He looked
sad and troubled but he had resumed bis book.
Perhaps he thought she would return by the
time the chapter was finished but she would
teach him lesson; he should ask forgiveness,
for be had spoken as Grossly as herself.
All, what had become of all the loving fears
and anxeties of that little heart, the fond rest
less yearnings Of the afternoon. when she
thought that to see him safe and we'll again
would he all she could ask of earthly happiness!
Where was the self sacrificing devotion that had
then been ready to nurse him through the most
frightfu Illness regardless of fatigue, exposure,
or contagion! She knew he was not happy /;
she heard him sigh unconsciously as he turned
the pages, and that one word, ore sign from her
could made him cheerful again; and yet she
withheld it, She did not feel really angry but
he would be sure to come and sue for u recon-
cilation, and then she would tell him she WAS
very sorry, and it would be ten times pleasanter
than before Still he did not come, and she was
growing very sleepy. She had promised herself
never to sleep at variance with her husband,
and never before since their marriage had she
missed the good ght kiss upon her forehead,
or the whispered blessing, their last parting
word. She would doze a few minutes, and then
90 to him perhaps, she thought; he surely
would not think of sleeping 30. She was very
tired and it was very warm and then one
white round arm was thrown over the fair linen
sheet, and with flushed cheek, and lips slightly
apart, the little lady forgot her i'll l-temper and
vexation together.
She woke from an unhappy dream with fe-
first. But the rooms were quite dark, and
there was no sound but a mon0tonous ticking
of the watch nnder the pillow. A rush of rec
objection succeeded the troubled waking, and
she put out her arms to be sure she was not
dreaming stll-that it was really so late. Her
husbands pillow was empty She thought of
the lounge by the window in the dressing room :
he certainly could not intend to sleep there,
away from her, all night A grieved, sorrow
full feeling took the place of the first rcsentful
thoughts and then pride came back again. as
q sound from the next room confirmed her sus-
picions. 1t was her husband turning restlessly
upon the lounge, with long sobbing sigh, as
if even in his sleep he felt their cstrangement.
The first impulse, to 60 to him, to kneel down
and wind her arms around him, and ask his for
giveness, was resisted. 1t was certainly unkind
in him to % to sleep without kissing her good
night she should have wakened if he had, and
then it would have been all right. A long, roll.
ing crash of thunder broke in upon her reverie
the glare of lightning which accompanied il
revealed the lounge and its occupant; and ther
came deuge Of rain, and she heard the vino
beating down the shrubbery before the window
The easements were both open, the rain cam,
drenching in upon the new Brussels carpet, tn,
books upon the re-teble, her work basket
and there was Alfred, for whose health she hat
been 80 anxious, exposed to the wind and damp
ness Should she go and close the easement
No that might wakcn him, and he woult
think she had given up to him besides, sh
shrank from crossing the rooms at midnight
lighted only by those lurd flashes in the black
angry heavens. Poor, wretchel little wife
miserable indeed in her self torture, lying upol
her '' widowed marriage pillow" and listenin,
with straining eyes to the crash Of the storm
without and the heavy breathing of the sleepe
near her Harder than all to bear was the M
braiding conscience, and the dreary lonelines
of the empty room. But, with all this, sh
sank again into disturbed, unquiet sleep, an
when she woke again, the cold sickly dayligh
was stealing through the room.
AT first she could scarcely rccollect what ha
happened; but, as she sal leaning upon her c
bow, she saw her ornaments thrown iu confu
sion upon the dressing-table, her dress upon til
carpet, Alfred deserted pillow with the snoot
fold of linen undisturbed, and there he wa
lying, breathing so heavily that her fears ovel
came her self will, and she called him to be
side But there was no answ er but q half-moa
of pain Us he threw bis arms out wildly, as on
in deirium. She was at his side in momen
lifting the damp masses of his hair, kissing h
eyes, his feverish cheeks calling him by ever
endearing name but the submission had con
too late-he did not know her and though |
opened his eyes, it was only to close them agail
as if the light was painful, with an indstinc
incohcrent mutter. She had never seen violel
illness before but she realized in moment th
the fever she had so dreaded was upon him.
The headaches-and be had been detained
town only by visit to his physician, which