The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1857-08-12

mands;-I was married! Nothing is want
ing to complete my misery, but your curse, Ed
garp' and she sank, sobbing wildly, at his feet
Edgar lifted the pallid form and dropping
head, that, in the white evening dress, resem-
bled crushed and broken lily.
"This marriage is a sacrilege, Alice! mere
bargain to retrieve fallen fortune. You are
not this old mans bride; you were mine before
you ever saw him! claim you; and away
from those that would seize you from me,
will bear you'll have now that wealth to gain
which left you. To some far off, distant isle,
to some villa on the shores Of France, shall
take you where you will forget that you ever
were but mine, wholly mine!"
These words, like poison to the taste, came
sweet to Aliee's wounded spirit; all that night
and through the long hours Of the next day,
she counted the minutes as they dragged along.
Her courage rose, her pulse quickened as the
hour of midnight the hour of escape from a
golden prison, drew near!
Alice sat waiting at the curtained window;
ready. .-
The full moon looked calmly down upon the
scene; the young wife sat there holding in her
arms child ike form.
Minnie, my little sister, 1 am about to
leave you: the happy moments you and ] have
passed together will never come again; anoth-
er's hand will smooth your pillow; at another's
knee you will lisp your evening prayer. Will
you always remember me when l am gone?''
"Why do you go?" wondering the child,
clasping her arms around her neck, as if that
hold could retain her.
"What if you we're in loathsome prison,
Minnie, shut out from life and happiness, and
there were two ways of escape offered. Fyou
chose the first freedom was immediate; but
though the way, when you entered, would be
beautiful and inviting, as years past, 1t would
darken, the flowers would fade, the sunshine
change to gloom, and at last you would fall in
darker dungeon than the first"
"But you remained long in that prison, ruin
would prey upon it's walls, loose its corroded
bars, your chains would drop off, you would be
free, with life, love before you. Love! loved
better for the suffering you had endured
Il would be loved forever" repeated the
child.
4 would be loved forever repeated the wife;
she heard tread upon the gravel path without.
1t was Edgar's step. She glanced at the clock
the hands pointed to that fatal hour. In a
moment she would hear the signal, in mo-
ment it would be too late, all would be lost.
Alice turned from the window chill terror
seized her quivering limbs.
Il must fly from this happy present, to avoid
future gloom"
Q She hurried from the apartment, and sought
her husband S room; he was not there, she went
into the library; there he satin his accustomed
place, and next it was the low seat where she
had passed SO many quiet evenings.
Judge Harcourt did not move as his wife en-
tered, or turn his eyes to meet hers, though he1
quckened breathing and tottering step must
have reached his ear.
A dimy-lighted candle burned on the ta-
BILE, the lurid flame cast a pale, wan light or
his calm face; his eyes were open, but seemed
gazing, with glazed unearthly stare, beyond th'
present, as if, in a dream, another scene hat
opened before and entraced the sleeper.
Alice took his hand in hers. Why did sh
drop it so suddenly? Why did she tremble SO
as the blood recoiled to her very heart?
He was dead.
On the table was an open book; upon tn
white paper was dropped the ink filled pen, a
if that dread messenger Death, had come steal
ing on, and had sprung from ambuscade upo
the unwarned victim! .y
Alice bent over it; it was diary, the dali
record of the old mans life--qute ordinary
yet she read with ayidity:
II thought, when mine, could by kindnes
rouse her dropping spirit, by unhring love rem
der her life endurable; but no, was fool
worse than fool. As well might Winter thinl
to WOO to his chill embrace bright, howery May
as l, an old man, to become the husband Q
that young girl.
"She will soon be free! this pain that chill
my limbs, staynates my blood, and pals!ss M
strength, will soon release her. have know
it long, yet would not tell her, for fear witt
the view of freedom before her, the few month
that she will yet be captive, will seem years
that the few days that are mine will be count
ed as they pass! She loves another, yet whe
l am dead, she will remember my love, an
drop tear on the old mans coffin. l bles
her!--may these months of suffering be requit
ted by years of happiness with hir she loves.
Alice dropped the leaf, and sank upon he
knees before the corpse as its spirit yet haunt
ed the room, and stopped over her.
An arm was passed around her waist; he
: head leaned OIL her lovers shoulder.
Edgar she said, "the hour of temptatlo
is passed. / was about to commit sin. fle
: from evil. I sought refuge here; Death ha
entered before me- am free.'
The morning light streamed in through tn
window; the gray beams rested on two knee]
ing forms, and it seemed, as when the shade
of the night fled from the earth, voice cam
: from the gloom:
Il bless her! may these months Of suferin
= be requitted by years ofhappiness with him sh
loves!"
The sun again dawned on Alice's weddin
day; she was again decked with orange flower
and the mystic veil, and she gazed at her happ
self in the mirror, the phantom bride Of yean
gone by, foated past with noiseless tread an
death like brow Alice did not turn away, fc
themournful spirit of the past only rendered th
reality of the present more delightful.
The late Mr.. Henry St. George Tucker, i
his well known work on the financial situatio
of the East India company, in noticing the RI
ot-war system of revenue, which prevails in
large portion of the interior said: ''My wis
is, not to exagerate, but when find syster
requiring multiplicity Of instruments, survey