Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1856-06-14
PLAQUEMINE PARISH OF IBERVILLE La JUNE H. 1856.
apparently the bode of great wretchedr

ness.
The following morning Mrs. Bray
brooke and her guest, Mrs, Clayton,
were in the window of the parlor,
which commanded a full view of the
dwelling of the unhappy Mrs. Will
liams, when the door quietly opened,
and was quietly closed again by the la
dy herself.
'There she is poor SOUL cried Mrs.
Braybrooke; only look how carefully
and noislessly she draws the gate after
her. She seems always afraid that the
slightest noise she makes even in the
street may wake the fellow who is
now, l dare say, sleeping off the effects
ofthe last nights dissipation
Mrs. Clayton, with all the genial
warmth of a truly womanly heart,
looked over, and followed with her
eyes, as far as the street allowed, this
quietrlooking broken-spirited wife, in
vesting the whole figure. from the
neatly trimmed straw bonnet to the
tips Of the bright little boots with a
most intense and mysterious sympa-
thy; then fixing her anxious, interest
ed gaze on the opposite house, she
said. 'And how do they live? How
do people under such circumstances
pass the day? 1t is a thing | cannot
comprehend; for were Clayton to act
in such way, l am sure couldn't
endure it week
1T does seem scarcely intelligible'
answered Mrs. Braybrooke but I'll
tell you how they appear to do. She
gets up and has breakfast by herself,
for without my wish to pry, we can
see straight through their house from
front to back. About this time she of
ten comes out, l suppose to pay visit
or two in the neighborhood, or per-
haps to call on her tradespeople; and
you will see her by and by return,
looking up, as she approaches, at the
bedroom window, and if the blind be
drawn up, she rushes in, thinking, |
dare say to herself, How angry he
will be if he comes down and finds
that I am not there 10 give him his
breakfast = Sometimes he has his
breakfast at twelve-at one-at two;
and | have seen him sitting down to it
when she was having her dinnerp
%, his dinner; | dare say that is a
different sort ofthing from hers-wo-
man! He dimes, / suppose, at club,
or with his boon companions, or any,
where in fact but at home
At all hours. We hear him open
the little gate with his key at three,
four, and five in the morning. Indeed,
our milkman told Susan that he has
seen him sneaking in pale, haggard,
and worn,out with his horrid vigils, at
the hour decent people are seated at
breakfast
4 wonder if she waits up for him 2
20 no, we see the light of her soli>
tary candle in her room always as we
are going to bed; and you may be sure
my heart bleeds for her-poor solitary
thing | don't know, indeed, that |
ever was so interested about any
stranger as 1 am about this young
creature
Dear, dear! it is terrible = sighed
the sympathizing Mrs. Clayton. But
does any one visit them? Have they
friends, do You think?'
4 don't think he can have many
friends, the heartless fellow, there are
many people calling-stylish people
too-in carriages, and there he is, the
wretch, often, with his half slept look,
smiling, and handing the ladies out, as
IF he were the most exemplary husl
band in the world
/ HAS she children | hope she has,
as they would console her in his long
absence
mo, even that comfort is denied her;
she has no one to cheer her; herown
thoughts must be her companions at
such times. But perhaps it is blesl
sing; for what kind of father could
such man make? o | should like
to know her; and yet dread any acl
qrlaintance with her husband; Bray.
brooke, you know, wouldn't know
such a man.
My dear Mary you have me quite
melancholy; let us go out. You know
| have much to see, and many people
to call upon; and here we are losing
the best part OF the day in something
not much removed from scandal
The ladies of course set out, saw all
the loves of bonnets' in Regent street;
all the sacrifices that were being vol
unfairly offered up in Oxford street;
boughta a great many things for less
than halfthe original cost; made calls;
laughed and chatted away a pleasant
exciting day for thecountry lady, who,