Weekly Clarksville chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 185?-1857, 1857-02-27

his former quick, Joyous gait
And they met again, and the old demon
pride came back to both hearts, and
neither Of them dreamed of the bitterness
which each was melting out to the other.
Il am going out little while tonight.
Nellie ] shall return early She bowed
her head-that was all, for the tears was
comming, and she would not that he should
see them.
And he could leave me thus--all alone
without one kind word; murmured the
now wreched wife, as she heard the door
close, and the footsteps grew fainter in the
distance.
Then she threw herself Oh the lounge,
and burying her brown head in the Grim
son cushions, wept long and bitterly, and
between the sobs that convulsed the figure
of Ellen Howard, came to the self-accus-
ing words, "Oh, if had only told himl'
At last exhausted with her violent weep
ing, the lids closed over her eyes and Mrs.
Howard sank in heavy slumber.
She started up quickly, for the silvery
voiced time piece had broke it with its
story of ten o'clock, on the hush which
filed the room. -.
And he has not come yet! He who
never left me alone an evening before!-
Oh, if harm should have befallen him +
And pang shot through her heart which
had been heavy before with its weight Of
shadows. ft
She went to the window, and looked up
at the clear, cold stars. She went to the
door, and listened for his footsteps; then
she went to the CRATE, and stirred up the
glowing beds of anthracite, until golden
light filed all the room; but still he came
not. r+.r Ice.
Eleven o'clock came, and he was not
there. b Tas
Twelve o'clock, and Helen Howard sat
alone. a,, .-.
One o'clock!--what pen shall record the
sufferings, which during the two long hours
had been the portion of Mrs. Howard.
The bell rang-it was loud, startling
peal; she sprang up, and hurried to the
door, for the domestics had retired.
There were three gentlemen thcre--she
recognized them as acquaintanances; but
the third-one glance and she grasped the
door handle, or she would have fallen.
Don't be alarmed, Mrs, Howard, said
one of the gentleman; your husband has
not experienced any injury, and a good
nights rest will restore him. He was at
supper given by one of our club this
evening, and unfortunately, drank rather
freely They carried him in, his wife
leading the way with faltering steps !;
laid him on the bed, and Immediately de-
! parted. She was alone with him; and
the scale had fallen from her mental eye
sight.
She saw then how truly he had loved
her, how the pride of both had driven
him from his home that evening, and to
the sin of which he had been guilty, and
she shuddered at the brink to which both
had been drawing nigh. 'a.
She put back the thick hair from his
broad, burning forehead, moaning all the
time over the uneoncious man words OF
love and tenderness, which, had they been
spoken earlier, would never have found
him there; and at last, when he had fallen
into that heavy slumber which is too fire.
quently the accompaniment of inebrity,
she went into the parlor, and knecling
down in the fre-shine, prayed the Great
Father to forgive her sin, and grant unto
her thas meek and quiet spirit which is
the chief ornament of a woman. r
During all that long night she hung
over his pillow, bathing his forehead, and
watching his restless movements in his
troubled slumber. The woman's heart
was awakened now, and the pride had all
gone before its holy whisperings.
The grey dawn was streaking the east
when, weary with her nights Watching
Mrs. Howard once more repaired to her
parlor, and throwing herself on the lounge
was soon in heavy slumber.
The sunlight laughed brightly through
the muslin curtain that draped the win
dow, and Henry Howard opened his eyes
= a moment--the story of the by-gone nigh
} flashed through his mind--he closed them
Il shall never be able to look Helen in the
face again, he murmured,
At last he rose and went into the parlor