Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1857-03-05
THE SECOND WIFE.
CHAPTER. |.


was married. The final vows had
been spoken, and | was no longer Agnes
Park, but Agnes Fleming. was the wife
of a widower OF thirty-eIght and the step
mother of three small children. Not the
Inst chosen. first beloved bride OF young
and ardent lover, such as my gIFllsh dreams
had pictured! onl y second wife!
The reflection was not sweet; neverihe-
less, 1t was the thought with which took
my seat in the carriage which was 10 con-
vey me TO my new home. The short
wedding tour was ended and we were
-homeward bound a long rae was SUI
before u.s. lor the village IN Whlch oap'alh
Fleming resides was twenty miles from
the last ra'lt"ad station; but he had caused
BIS own carriage 10 NEE; US mere so
begun In'y 10 realize mat we were nearing
Bone.
! tie ROAD over "hich we journey ca was
ae'ei ana sin"o'n' ana, lot 'ohS "the
Nound ciose Il 'ie oa"A "l large river
fieldS lay on one Slde' S'Felch'hg !ar away,
until ihey were shIrtcd oy low woods ana
5hills' mere anu mere white farmhouse
stood; looking cheerful ana almost gay III
flIe afternoon sunshine The whole pros
pee was rural ana very beautiful.
Ny gloom oeSah 10 pass away so"'leH
by NE S"eet influences "i 'he "HinI"er
iahdscsPe' an" VISIONS oi iu'ufe usefulness
negan already /" ""a' through ny Dram
had ample opportunity /" indulge III
ihese Gay Gre",hS' 'or captain rlemihg'
iireu WIN me l"ns f'"c, was nall asleep
oy 'lle ''"e o. MS ne" "''e' was weary
81 '"N'h9 ''G lea" III 'oh'eFSa'ioh' and
oohcIuueo l" 'ea'c Il''n 10 lis Lheol'aH"hS'
lie H"u l''' NE l" hil't' amer weaving
i"F n!>'H very Pr"i'aoie '"'"Fe' lo"R-
td' 'of iI'Ie' upon lie past
q" that past: Nine had been no gay
and Pampered chiidh"od; oui looking back,
! saw, on lhe contrary, years oI loneliness,
81 WEAKNESS and 0i sorrow. FOR Iour
Years had watched young beautiful
and glt'ed brother as stricken with con-
sumPtIon, lie had wasted gradually away.
We two were orphans, The last OF our
race, and all IN all To each other
But, at last, | saw him laid IN the coffin,
and all my love and hofe were long buried
with hlm. Not that | became sad and
msanlhroPic. No; life and duty were not
dead; and, looking forward. | saw that
4here Was yet much for ne To do, perhaps
suffer; so | planted sweclbricr and vioels
om llarry's grave, and then went ont to
act aud strive with the rest Of the striving
world.
About wear after my broIher's death
met Arthur Fleming. had been so shut
out from the world By IIarry's sickness
that had no lovers, and very few friends,
and hardly believed ] could ever again
feel All interest III any one; but Arthur
FlemIng's kind, genial manner and deli
Gate attentions warmed my heart TO new
HE UncOnsclousiy, my whole heart, all
Sihe more ardent lor lis long stiffness. was
gwen 10 th's new friend. II was with bit
Ter disappointment that | learned he had
already been once married, Tor | could not
pear me 'ho"gh' OF rival living or dead;
ye' loved him' and when he asked me TO
.snecome motner to MS motherless chill
eoreh' / accepted his hand feeling sure that
- "ouIu win from MN IN tune an affection
as deep ana steadlast as my own. His
house was lonely his children poorly pro-
tec'ed' ana he needed vile; had been
recommended 10 INN as one who would