Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-05-31

should have wakened il he had, and then il
would have been all right. "A long, rolling
crash OF thunder broke in upon her reverie
the glare of lightning which accompanied il
revealed the lounge and it's occupant: and
then came deluge Of rain, and she heard
the wind beating down the shrubbery before
tae window. The easements were both open,
tne p ram came drenching in upon the new
Brussels carpet, the books upon the centre
table, her work basket; and there was Al
ired, Tor whose health she had been so any
lous, exposed to the wind and dampness
Shoulo she go and close the easement No !,
tnat might wsken him, and be would think
sue nad gwen up to him besides, she shrank
rom crossing the rooms at midnight, lighted
only oy those lurid flashes in the black. angry
heavens Poor, wretched little wife. miseyn-
bic indeed In her self torture, lying upon her
widowed marriage pillow" and listening
with straining eyes TO the crash of the storm
without, and the heavy breathing of the
sleeper near her. Harder than all 20 bear
was the upbraiding conscience, and the dreary
Loneliness of the empty room. But, with ali
this, she sank again into disturbed, unquiet
sleep; and when she woke again. the cold
sickly daylight was stealing through the room
AT hrst she could scarcely recollect what had
happened; but, as she sat up leaning upou
her elbow, she saw her ornaments thrown in
confusion upon the dressing-tabIe, her dress
upon the carpet, Alfred's deserted pillow, with
the smooth fold of the linen undisturbed. and
there he was lying, breathing so heavily that
her fears overcome her self will, and she called
him to her side. But there was no answer
but halfmoan of pain as he threw his arms
out wildly, as one in delirium She was M
his side In moment, lifting the damp masses
OF his hair, kissing his eyes, his feverish cheek
calling him by every endearing name ; bat
tne submission had come too lste-he did not
know her, and though he opened his ewes, IL
was only to close them again, as if the light
was painful, with an indstinct. ipeoherent
mutter- She had never seen violent illness
before; but she realized in a moment that the
fever she had so dreaded was upon him The
headaches-and he had been detained in town
only by visit to his physician, which he did
not like to explain to her, fearing to alarm his
darllng-had been the precursors Of a threat
enting malady, which the heat and sudden
change of temperature, lying since the mid.
night by the open window, had deveIoped ran.
Idly. The curtains, the couch, his clothes, his
very hair, were drenched in the driving show
er, through which he had slept heavily.
Poor little wife indeed, fearfully punish
ell, as she watched many long day and lonely
night ere reason returned listening 70 his be.
seeching tones, begging her not to turn from
MN, not 10 be angry at such a trife, to kiss
him once more. And she did rain tear, and
kisses upon his burning forehead, his Iips. his
hair, without hushing those pleading entrsat-
les that almost broke her heart 1t was a long.
long trial but reason came at last, and she
sobbed with joy and thankfulness, as she had
done with anguish and remorse, when she
caught the first conscious glance, so full Of
love for her, the FIRST faint murmur, My own
precious wife,
Henceforth they lived more wisely: and
years after, when the wife was tempted 10
give utterance to impatient moods. fretfuI and
angry words died away on her lips, rebuked
by the remembrance Of that terrible agony.
lest her husband should die with the words Of
forgiveness unspoken.