Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-12-11

Of clipping from him with young William Gray,
and commanded me to return home. l indig-
nantly denied the shameful charge, and re-
fused to obey his violent command. Many
words followed, bitter and singing on both
sides; for he, in his rage, persisted in his false
accusation, and l, mortified and indignant, re-
fused to turn back with him. At last, in def
aGce Of his anger, babe William drive on with
speed, aud | was soon within the shelter of my
fathers house.
81 had intended to return the next day, but
burning with a sense Of injustice and wrong,
waited for Lewis to come after me, and confess
his error. He did not come. Weeks passed.
and in mental anguish which cannot be told, 1
waited for him to take the first step towards a
reconciliation My heart yearned towards him
with all its early fondness-it yearned with
love and pity, too painful to bear, towards my
tender child; but my ruling passion, PRIDE
would dOmineer over over all my better feel
lngs. / had been insulted; and should l, by
an attempt at reconciliation, apparently confess
that had been in error No! had ever been
true to him when he least deserved it. He
had wronged me- and he, not l, must sue for
pardon,
"A1y father died, and left me the heiress of
all his wealth How l longed to bestow it on
those l loved. The desire overcame my pride
wrote to Lewis, explaining again the perfect
innocence of my abrupt departure, telling him
how | had waited and watched his coming. l
informed him also of my sudden wealth. and
begged him to come for me and share all that
that become mine. The letter was haught-
lily returned without an answer.
"Then all my pride awoke again, and / re-
solved that if ever we were recOnciled, it should
be by his confession of injustice l remained
in my fathers house, living alone, mistress of
its now cherries splendor
Months, years passed, and no word, no
message from my husband, assured me that he
even remembered my existence, till suddenly
came the startling news that he had sued for a
divorce. l scOrned to oppose him; he proved
to satisfaction my abandonment Of him, and |
became that outcast i'll the world-a divorced
wife.
"This crisis past, my pride was shattered,
and remorse alone remained to me. Oh, if
could have humbled myself have gone to my
deuded husband, and by tears and prayers be-
sought return Of his love and confidence, ere
it was too late, But now all my selfreproach-
es were in vain-he was separated from me
forever and the child, as it grew up, was
taught to believe me dead Lewis told her no
talsehood. l was dead to them and all the
world beside.
"Many years l lived alone, shut up like a
hermit in my gloomy mansion. Then came a
deep longing, an irresistible impulse to see
them once more. They had been my idols
through all and though unseen and unheeded,
l must still worship them. l sold all my pos
sessions and went in search of them. AT last
found them-but how changed That terri
bic event had changed my husbands whole
nature. He had laid aside forever his dissipa-
ton and folly, and in silent corner of the
world he was living an obscure Clergyman
Within few years he had married again; his
child was growingup in beauty and intelligence,
and he seemed happy and at peace.
u could not see them face to face, for now it
would only bring to them all misery and sor-
row; but | hid myself under feigned name,
where | could watch them unseen and l
Stunned all friendship or acquaintance, that
might never come in their way. My daugter
thought me dead; my husband call him
mine, for he never truly belonged to another
thought me still in my fathers house
AT last | knew that he was dying. In the
days of our old love we had often gathered
flowers together; and now, one early morning.
! gathered a rare boquet, that l might seem
like Eleanor, Of old times, and watching my
opportunity | entered his chamber. Had a
spirit risen from the dead, he could not have
been so overcome. |, too, trembled in my very
heart with emotion, but felt that my hour had
come-that | had suffered and waited long
and now | must speak. l told him again the
story Of my innocence, as | had told him long
ago, when he was too angry to believe me. /
called Heaven to witness that | loved him I'M
ceasingly, even when neglected and wronged
by him-and that 1t was pride alone that sun
dered us l told him of the years | had lived
within sight of his dwelling, unknown and I'M
loved by human kind His heart was melted ;
he forgave me- and with tears such only as
strong man weeps, he implOred my forgive