The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-11-05

our lives must be separate, though our
house Is one. On these conditions, and
these only, l will givo you my hand.
Are these accepted.
The young man stood for q moment
bewildered. There was no mistaking
her words or manner. Those clear dark
eyes, that scornful lip and naughty brow,
assured him that she had spoken the
truth and 20 love was there /; but he had
long cherished passion for her and
hoping that bis fervep. love might win
some affection in return, when they were
tne in the eyes of the world. he clasped
the small fair hand iu his, raised it to
bis lip, and answered.
i accept. And it shall be the study
of my life to make you happy
BE it so' was her unmoved reply aud
then she left him.
The engagement was soon made pub
lic aud all eyes were cnriously scanning
happy pair They could find no fault
with tho ill-concealed devotion and the
calm unmoved way in which Alice receiv.
ed his attentions, or listened to his whis.
pered words was acknowledged to be the
very perfection of high breeding "A
queen could not be more TRANQUILITY SELF
possessed was the general verdict, as
all looked eagerly forward to the bridal.
1t came ere long, ou bright sunny
spring day. The splendd parlors were
filled with the fashionable friends Of both
parties and murmer of congratuatiou
greeted the lovely bride as she turned
from the altar, with checks and lps as
white as snowy satin robes she wore.
Her husband pressed his lips to her
cheek. She received that first caress as
calmly as though he were but one of the
glittering throng around her, and When
all had wished her joy. she retired to
her own apartments, preserved her un-
broken silence. while her dressing maid
robcd her in her plain travelling dress.
and joined the party once again. attired
for her journey.-Calmly aud coldly
were all her farewclls, spoken but when
she came with her father her forced COM
posure gave way, and then throwing her
arm, around his neck, she clung TO him
moment, in silent, fearless agony l.
was her last display of weakness. She
heard his parting blessing, and sitting
by the side of her husband, was whrled
raridly away from the home of her child
hood
A month elapsed before the pair re-
turned to occupy their elegant mansion
far up town. But in that mouth a
strange change had taken place IN Grand
isop. He seemed restless, uneasy, and
igitated he followed the stately movs-
ments of his wife with anxious eyes he
was unhappy in her society and wretchcd
away from her side in short he was
unlike the merry hearted bachelor his
doarcst friends had known, and one and
all foHeswore matrimony on the spot,
since it bad altered him so
1t was not long ere Madame Rumor
reported the startling fact that the
pripcely household va. carried on upon
the European plan, that the gentleman
anu lady occupied separate apartments
aud only mot at stated hours 10 the
great drawing rooms below. Great was
tho wonder Of the upper ten : many the
surmises Lazarded upon but no one dared
question the parties most deeply inter
csted and held their peace In public
and in private Alice was uniformly kind
and polite to her husband but this was
all, and the wondering city had an op-
portuuity of witnessing that anomaly
q man violently in love with his own
wife, and seeking in vain to win her.
doubt if Alice saw the struggle in
his mind. Her own feelings were bc-
numbed-her own heart seemed cold and
dead. judging his nature by her own,
she doomed him satisfied with tho rigid
observance of oil wfely prepriety and
dignity-it was all he required of her
she was true to the letter Of the vow, and
her spirit was at rest
Two years had passed away. II was
the Anniversary of her wedding night,
and Alice Grandson sat in her boud0,r,
robed for party and only awaiting the
arrival Of her husband, who was TO es-
cort her. Two years had changed her
little. She was fair and proud as ever
Her robe of azure velvct--her corpet of
pearls ard diamonds-her necklace, with
its heavy diamond cross. her bracelets
and the single ring she wore, were fit
adornments for an empress, and right
well did she become them. She was a.
lone, and touching secret spring in her
private eScroilOire, she took from small
drawer, two miniatures easeo in gold,
aud laid them side by side. Ono wos
that of her dead lover and the other
Of her hvsband.-Leaning her head up
on her hand, she gazod long and earnest
ly at the two, and her dark eyes dimmed
with tears. she could not but aoknowl-
edge the shadowy likeness that existed
between the loved AVID nn'orcd. l. was
Il faint aGd sh.d,,nj uue, tut , al 1t
was no fancy. A something Oh the lip,
cheek and brow-the same careless ar
rangemcnt of the waving bsir-and
more than all the same earnest, loving
intensity Of look and expression in the
deep blue eyes This, never seen before,
was what now claimed her attention to
both.
The small pendule over the mantle
piece struck the hour of nine, and with