M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1857-11-19

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awakes in the breast of the suffering
poor. Nellie Milden, like you, could
remember, in the long-ago, a sumptu-
ous home, smiling lover and fond pa
rent; like you she had warbled to those
dear ones, "Home, sweet home, there
is ne place like home" but a desolate
place is that she now calls home.- -
Tired and heart sick, she again enters
the battered door; her husband is lying
on the bed apparently asleep; she
may relieve her oyercharged mind
without his knowledge; sob after sob
shakes the wasted frame, though the
violence of her emotion is restrained
for fear Of awaking him; suddenly he
moves, starts up. She dsshes tears
4 from her face, and ayerts her head.
| "Nellie, You are weeping; what is
the matter; has any one spoken harsh
ly toyou?" and his brow lowered,
his hand clutched fercely The truth
rose to Nellie's lips, but feeling 'twere
best to tell only a part, she merely
said she could not receive the sum
due till the morrow. The fixed pur-
pose Of despair settled on his face, as
he listened to the grief that could no
longer be restrained. Starting up, he
snatched his cap from the nail on
which it hung. d. ..
They will not give me work" he
muttered, "they Ghaii give me mon
ey. Yes, the tide of fate shall en-
gulf me ifmy hearts idols can be saw
ed" ... .. ........ -. r.,
His fierce looks and strange words
frightened Nellie, and she would have
sought to detain him, but he was
gone. With a shudder and half
shrek, she fell senseless on the bed.
Lena Marcy sat in cosy arm
chair, gazing abstractedly into a bla-
zing CRATE fire. A soft light beamed
in the halfcloSed eyes, a sweet smile
rested on the rosy lips. She was
drinking the first Intoxicating draught
OF love that night, when, gliding
through the quadrille, Walter had
pressed her hand, and whispered
so softly that the ears of love could
hear, "My Lena"--simple words, yet
how full OF meaning to her trusting,
loving heart Young and inexperi.
enced, she knew not tnaU tnU sauI0-
words had been breathed over and
over again, to a dozen Lonas, by lips
whose tlatteres arose from vanity and
self-love. Yes, though we blush to
own it, there are sons OF America
who breathe in eager ears words the
Heart never sanctioned. Few they
are we hope, scarce worthy Of notice
ofour pen, and only for the sake Of
sisters about to embark on this false
ly-placid lake, do wO mention them.
The striking Oft French clock be-
fore her aroused Lena from her reverie.
Gathering the diamonds from her lap,
where she had abstactedly placed
them as she removed them from her
neck, fingers and arms, she advanced
to the bureau and laid them in their
case; then kneeling by the bed she
breathed the prayer her mother had
taught her years ago. AS she arose
sue lancied the face, that looked so
kindly from its gilded frame, smiled
upon her. ooh, my mother" she
murmured, 81 would not call you
from your heavenly home, and yet
long to lay my heaa upon your bosom,
as did when a little child, and whis-
per in your ear the sweet hopes that
cluster around the future of your pet,
as you so often called me-" Reno
wing the cashmere robe the waiting
maid had thrown around her, before
she left her to the communion of her
own pure heart, she advanced to the
golden bracelet, on which a single lily !
daintily rested, and turned the little
knob, till the bright light was subdu-
ed to soft mellow tint; then seeking
her couch she soon slept the fearless
sleep of innocence, When the low
breathing fell regularly, like soft mu
sic OH the midnight air, dark form
crept stealthily from its hiding place
behind the curtains. Cautiously it
approaches the glittering trinketS.-I
The casket was already in his hand
when the sleeper moved; crouChing
down, be anxiouSly watched the fair
girl; again she breathes regularly, he
rises, the soft light discloses the un-
conscious form; a luxuriant mass Of
ringlets have escaped from confne-
ment, and ebony setting around the
sweet young tace; long silken lashes
vail the eyes and rest the cheeks,
while the small hands are clasped
above the geDtly-heaving bosom. An
angel oflight and beauty she looks, as
she lay there unconscious of the gaze
bent 50 eagerly upon her, As Arthur
Milden-for he it was--gazed, his
mind wandered to the far off past
He remembered a face the very coun-
terpart of that. 1t had belonged to
his only sister. There was now that