Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-03-18

bed of him upon whose face she had thought
she might never look again. But he was total.
ly unconscious Of her presence, and raved con.
tinualy of his darling wife, who, in his wild
imaginings, seemed threatened with some great
danger, which even his love could not avert
Then lie would beg of Irene to forgive him the
great wrong he had meditated against her, and
part from him in peace. The guilty sufferer
knew not that in the next room lay the mutila-
ted remains of the once peerless Irene, whose
soul had been so suddenly released from its clay
ey tenement.
On the night Of their fight, when about
thirty miles from Browning Hall, their horses
had taken flight, and becoming unmanageable,
had overturned the carriage, and thrown its
occupants to the ground with such terrible force
that Irene never spoke again. Both were taken
up as dead, by some countrymen passing, and
Henry only recovered from bis stupor, some
hours later, to rave in the widest delirium. 1t
was by the merest accident that the persons
about him learned the name of the wounded
man, and thus Annie was apprised of his situa-
ton.
Not trace Of the brilliant beauty-for the
possession of which Browning had so fearfully
prepared for burial. Her face was so terribly
cut and bruised that even her own mother
could discover no resemblance to her idolized
child, in the swollen and discolored lneaments
which met her agonized gaze, and she exclaim-
ed, in grief, "Bury my dead away from my
sightw
For many weary days Henry Browning's life
seemed suspended by a single thread, which
every moment threatened to snap asunder. But
the crisis of that fearful brain fever passed, and
the physician confidently predicted that be would
recover. Then for the first time did that devo-
ted wife take an hours time for rest. She had
been constantly at his side, with her own hands
administering and applying every remedy, till
exhausted nature almost gave way. But love,
strong and imperishable, sustained her through
the hours Of that dread vigil, and love was her
reward.
"Annie-my wifem They were the first
words he had spoken since consciousness return
ed, and she bent her head close to his face to
listen, for he was feeble as an infant. 81 have
had fearful dream, my darling. I shudder
even to think Of it"
"Sleep now, dear Henry, and do not let it
trouble you. You will be stronger when you
wake" And kissing his eyelids as they closed
wearily, she held his hand in hers until he slept
peaceful, healthy sleep.
After some hours he awoke, stronger in body,
and with clearer perceptions.
"It was no dream, ANNIE" he groaned, as
she stopped to press kiss upon his brow. May
God forgive me l dare not ask your forgive
ness, my cruelty injured wife. . that had
died ere I awoke to consciousness Of my sin and
shame!n And the miserable man wept and
groaned in, his sore agony. - =.
Low and soothing were the words sweet An
ME Browning uttered, as she bent above her
suffering, repentant husband, and pressed soft
kisses on his brow.
You have indeed sinned against God, my
Henry; but be is merciful, and ready to forgive.
U let us pray to him TO blot out the transgres-
sions Of the past, and grant US renewed strength
that we fall not in the future. Look up, my
husband look deep into my eyes, and read
there my truth, when say that do forgive
you, freely and entirely, and will help you to
forget the past. Fearfully have you suffered,
and God will accept the sacrifice of contrite
heart"
"N1y wife my angel" burst from Henry
Browning's full heart, as he claspcd his recover
ed treasure to his bosom, while the tears rained
over his face. {" thought you would spurn Inc
from you-for deserve even that-but You
take me to your heart again, and forgive the bit
ter wrong have done you; My God, l thank
thee Help me to be worthy Of such love-"
Gently, in reply to his remorseful inquiries,
Annie told her husband of Irene'S fearful fate.
The fevercd dream of his passion for her had
passed away in the light Of his wife's pure,
selr-forgetting love, and he sorrowed for her
only as he would have done for any erring child
of humanity, to whose wrong-doing he had cen
accessory. The secret of his connection with
her Was known only to himself and his faithful
wife, and so he had nothing to fear from public
opinion, when, after weeks Of suffering, he re-
turel to his home.
Years have passed since the occurrence of
the events which have recorded, but Henry
Browning is still the lovcr-husband, still is his
sweet Annie the pride and joy of lis heart.
And is she happy? As happy as mortal wo-
man may be, when loving and respecting him
with her whole heart and Judgment, she feels
that she is tue star of her husbands life.