Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-10-01
| shook nv head. / said" No %

The warm tone panied me- I said, sadl
enough
" You have had little cause to bless me
Fred. But, if you are willing, let us be friend
now.n
L gave him my hand again, and it was clasp
ed cordially. believe that, in truth, he bor
me no malice.
1t wanted fortnight to the day fixed fo
their marriage. During that fortnight Mr.
Hallam was all that we could wish i ther,
were no more fits of gloom He was cheerful
sensible, affectionate, and my father and
: Caroline frightened daily The marriage da,
came, and she was welded to him. | badt
farewell to them on bright crisp February
morning, and saw no more of them for nine
months.
At the close of the nine months, was
suddenly made an orphan. My father had
long suffered from disease of the heart one
evening, as we sat alone together, I heard a
half cry from him, and saw his head drop
on his breast. When | reached him he was
dead
| sent telegraphic message to London to
the HallamS, begging that Frederick might
come down to me. Sometime upon the fol-
lowing day hoped to see him and trusting
to him to spare me all the arrangements for
the funeral, shut myself up alone that day
with my grief But waited for him in vain :
the day passed and he did not come. 1 had
to to rouse myself then, and give directions for
what had to be done. A second and third,
and fourth day elapsed, and | was still
alone. On the fifth morning, when was in
deed utterly alone, for the house was empty
now, | at length received a letter from Caro-
line, with the poStmark of a country place in
Devonshire, whittier they had gone, she told
me, on her husbands account for rest and
change of air She had neither received my
message nor my letter. nor could | write to
her now, for she gave me no address.
waited patiently, in my lonely house for
long fortnight. One evening, when that
time was expired, at last Frederick came He
came into the room where | was sitting-the
bthe bridegroom, whom | had parted from
nine months ago, changed into wan, worn,
haggard man.
heard his entrance, and rose up He ut
tered my name as | approached him, then
seized the hands that extended to him, and
held them in convulsive grasp
"You have been alone" were the only
words that burst from his lips, "aIone through
this whole time"
" 1t could not be helped knew you would
have come if you could have known"
Alone !" he only repeated, shivering,
without a creature near you! How could
you bear it | could not live one day
alone"
Frederick, you have tired yourself with
your journey. You are not strong. Caroline
told me you had been unwell"
He raised his eyes, with sharp suspicious
look, to my face but they staid lifted only
for moment. Suddenly changing into the
old, incompre hensibe expression of subiec-
ton, they dropped. He did not speak a
word
"Come to the fire will order supper for
you Come and take this seat. 1t is cold to-
night"
He came and sat down I seated myself
beside him, and asked for news of Caroline
He had nothing to say but that she was well.
| tried to make him talk of other subjects but
the effort was vain. His mind seemed entire
ly filled with that strange haunting horror
of my loneliness again and again, as we sat
like one who had lost all self-coutrol, he broke
out into the same trembling exclamation,
"Good God how could you bear it ?"
| sat at last quite silent, in deep wonder
and distress. | thought it was we'll that |
had been alone could i'll have stood COM
panionship such as this three weeks ago.
With woman's instructive love for manly cour-
age and strength, | began to feel strange
pity and contempt for this weak nature-theSe
unstrung nerves. | gave him food and wine,
but they did not restore him to himself He
came back when he had eaten, and crouched
again in silence over the fire.
1t grew late the clock over the chimney
piece struck eleven. Then l spoke once
more.
"You must be tired, Frederick. After your
journey you had better go and rest"
He looked around with wild shiver.
NO. no the house is so lonely" he said
Let me stay here. Stay with me, Anne"
owe cannot stay here all night"
1t would only be for one night. You will
be ready to come tomorrow"
!" am not going back with you, Frederick" !"
Anne ~
He looked me wildly in the face then
Anne you must come |" he cried. "All
our hope is in you. Ifyou will not come to u.s.
we are lost''
He seized and grasped my hand his manner
was excited in the highest degree. l drew
back and shook him from me-
" Mr.. Hallam, what do you mean ?" l de-
manded sharply. sit still and speak ra-
tionally."
lie WINGED strangely, and shrank back
There was few moments pause then, in a
voice entirely subdued, he asked me
"Did | give you letter? There was one
from Caroline"
"No"
He searched in his breast pocket, and
brought it forth.
/" beg your pardon you ought to hav e had
it before"