Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-05-22
From Dsckess' Household Words.
LOST ALICE.
IcoscLuDED.]
CHAPTER THE THIRD.

~ s-S DHiNSh VI III y iiic Will III oShih5
heart.
They had called Alice fickle-of, how
wrongly! No human being could be truer to
another than she was to me. ~ Z
II only wanted to find my master, Fran
Gus, she used to say, when i laughed at her
about it. Il was looking for him through
all those long years, and began to think be
would never come. But, from the first mo-
ment when | heard you speak, and met your
eyes. | felt that he was near me. And am
glad to wear my masters chains" she added,
kissing nv hand.
And am sure she was IN earnest. pleas
ed her best when l treated her most like
child. She was no angela passionate, high
spirited creature. She rebelled thousand
times day. although she delighted in my
control. But it was pretty to see her. when
she turned to leave the room, with fire in her
eyes, and deep flush on her cheek-it was
pretty to see her with her hand upon the lock
even, drop her proud head snbmissively, and
wait when | said-"Stop. Shut the door, and
listen to me.o Yet ii was dangerous. I.who
had never been loved before. what could | do
but become tyTant, when creature so no
BILE as this bent down before me!
She loved me. Every chord of her most
sensitive heart thrilled and trembled to my
touch, and gave forth sweetest music; yet /
was not satisfied. / tried the minor key.
Through her deep affection for me | wounded
her cruelty. / can see il now Some wise
idea found its way into my head and whis-
pered that / was making child of my wife
by my indulgent ways, and that her character
would never develop its strength in so much
sunshine. l acted upon that thought, forget
ting how she had already been tried in the
fiery furnace of affection; and. quite uncon-
scious. that while she was getting back all the
innocent gaiety of her childish years, the deep
lessons of her womanhood were still living
beneath the sparkling surface of her playful
ways
If, for time, she had charmed me out of
my graver self, / resolved to be charmed no
more. l devoted myself again to my bust
ness, heart and soul, and sat porting for hours
over law papers without speaking to her.
Yet she did not complain. So long as she
was certain that loved her, she was content,
and took up her pen again. and went on with
the work our marriage had interrupted. Her
writing-desk was in my study. by window
just opposite mine; and sometimes | would
cease to hear tie. rapid movement of her pen,
and, looking up, fSwould find her eyes fixed
upon my face, while a happy smile was play
ing around her lips. One day that glance
found me in a most unreasonable mood. The
sense of her love half panied me, and L said
CURLY:
g t is bad taste, Alice, to look at any one
in that way"
She dropped her pen. only too glad of an
excuse to talk to me, and came and leaned
over my chair.
"And why? when love some one"
This was bad beginning of the lesson.
wanted to teach her, and turned over my pa
pers in silence.
"Do annoy you, Francis? ~
''Not much"
Her light hand was playing with my hair,
and her breath was warm on my cheek. l
felt my wisdom vanishing, and tried to make
up for its loss by an increased GOODNESS of
zone kiss she said. Just one, and I'll
go away"
what nonsense, Alice What time have
| to think of kisses now ~
She stood up, and looked me in the face.
"Do tease you, Francis!"
very much.n
She gave a little sgh-so faint that /
could scarcely hear it-and left the room.
bad scared her gaiety away for that morn
ing.
This was the first cloud in our sky.
1t seems strange, now, when look back
upon il after the lapse of years, how per-
'everingly | laboured to destroy the foun- |
lation of peace and happiness on which | |
might have built my life. The remaining six |
months of that year were months of misery |
% me, and. | doubt not, to Alice, for she grew |
hin and pale, and lost her gaiety. | had |
only too well in my plan, and she |
lad learned to doubt my affection for her. 1 |
cit this by the look in her eyes now and then
md by the way in which she seemed to cling
o her dog, as if his fidelity and love were now
Ter only hope. But / was too proud to own
myself in the wrong, and the breach widened
lay by day.
In the midst of all this estrangement the
log sickened. There was IA week of misgiv-
ng on Alices part, when she sat beside him
With her books, or writing all the time-there
ves day when both books and manuscript
we're put away. and she was bending over him
With her tears falling fast. and she tried to
ush his means. and looked into his fast glaz-
ng eyes-and there was an hour of stiffness,
When she lay on the low couch, with her arm
round his neck, neither speaking nor stirring.
And when the poor greatness last breath
vas drawn. she bent over him with a passion
tie burst of grief. kissed the white spot upon
lis forehead, and closed the soft, dark eyes,
hat even in death were turned towards her
nth loving look.
She did not come TO me for sympathy. She
Watched alone. while the gardener dug
rave and buried him beneath the study win
ow. She never mentioned him to me. and
ever paid her daily visit to his grave till /
vas busy with my papers for the evening So
illness, came to its close.
sat in the study alone, one morning in the
following, looking over some deeds
hat had been long neglected, when | heard
Alice singing in the balcony outside the win
low. 1t was the first time that had heard
Ter sing since Fred's death, and laid down
nv pen to listen. But hearing her coming
through the hall, took it up again, and
ffected to be very busy.
Il brio nj 1axv
he seemed to bring a burst of sunlight and
appiness with her as she opened the door,
Ter own face. too was radiant. and she look
d ike the Alice of the old farmhouse, as she
anne on tiptoe and bent over my chair
''Well, what is it?'' l asked, looking Up.
She laid pretty little bouquet of violets,
led with blue ribbons, before me.
II have been to the conservatory, and have
rought you the first flowers of The season,
'rancis. And something else, which, perhaps
on may not like SO well.'
She bent over me as she spoke. and leaning
err hand lightly on my shoulder, kissed me
vice. She had been chary of her caresses,
,r some time and, when she did this of her
wn accord, wheeled round in my chair, and
)oked at her.
You seem very happy to-day, ALICE
ut is somebody's birthday" she said, sta
oning herself upon my knee, and looking in
, my eyes. "And / wish somebody very
ANY happy returns her voice faltcred n
ttle-"and if there has been any wrong
cling, Francis, for the last six months, we
i'll bury il to-day, now and forever"
She clung to me in silence, and hid her face
pom my breast. | was moved, in spite of
yself, aud kissed the brown hair that was
ALTERED over my shoulder, and said | was
ute willing TO forget everything (as il had
iything TO iorgetg AT which she looked up
it'll bright smile, and daresay thought me
cry magnanimons.
"And we will make new beginning from
lis day, Francis"
III you will, my child,'
She caressetl me again after n oneer LITTLE |