Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1858-06-24

But Of course it can't be anything he would NJ
want me to see--of course not" and with th
reflection she took the letter in her hand agair
The first glance caused her to turn deadly pale
and In an instant the mere suggestion of idl
curiosity had become transformed into intens
anxiety. Her lips were apart, her eyes wer
fixed with stony glare upon the paper, he
form trembled violently, and the poor it'll
thing came nigh swooning under the pressure
of feeling that overpOwered her. There was
letter, written in female hand to her husband
beginning with /" My dear, dear, dear w." ant
ending Yours, alone, Anna" 1t was ofthe mos
tender character, burning all up with its OWL
tervor, glowing with loving intensity, and pro.
posing meeting at little cottage Just outside
of the town, the next day-the evening of the
day following that on which she had made the
discovery. She was frantic with the passion
the discovery awakened. She pattcd her little
foot on the carpet, she crumpled the letter in
her hand, she cried like a child, and would have
screamed, probably, had she not been restrained
by latent idea oil the absurdity of such
course. She clenched her little hands till the
nails almost cut her palms, and at length re-
solved, as any other woman of spirit would have
done, to be third party at the interview in the
cottage, whose location she well knew, from
the fact that Mr.. Watkins had admired it once
as they were riding by it.
Mr.. Watkins walked back to the store in
mood of mind the most complacent, little dream
ing OF the tempest that was raging around his
into irremediabIc ruin. " Insatiate Watkins,
would not one suffice I" Wilkins came back
to the store, and after idlng around for about
an hour, said he had an engagement, and went
away again. The afternoon passed, and Wat
klns left an hour earlier than usual, giving the
clerk to understand that he was going home.-
All, Watkins ! perhaps if we were to look into |
That heart thrObbing beneath its encasement of
oroadcloth, we should find it black duplcty-
perhaps. Watkins, the vows and protestations
hou hast made to that pretty little wife at home
may be at this time as far below par as PewaLIe
shares or Ogdensburg second mortgage bond
perhaps even now the object nearest thy heart
this peridous meeting with "yours alone "
n the lsltle cottage outside the town-und Fer.
laps not.
Mr.. Watkins went out.
Towards the close of the afternoon, Il Ettl,
woman, hooded aud yelled, might have been
cen ha silly walking through the street Of the
own where the house of Wilkins & Watkins
vas located, and her steps were evidently d.
ected towards the outer limits Of the town.
Gould the disguise which concealed her have
'een penetrated, and the purposes which filled
he brain of that hooded liltle figure been read
certain pretty coltage i'll the outskirts would
ave been found to be It's stmulant, and a Ger.
ain James Watkins, whose ears were to RING
With the voice Of her reproa ches. 1t was Mrs
much outraged woman-and
Ter Indignation was earnest aud complete
The distance, however, from her home--hcr
uned home, the scene of her blasted hopes
md eXpectatlons-to the cottage was very long,
md fatigue Of body, whatever novelists may
ay to the contrary, excrts a controlling inAu-
'nce over all feelings Of the human mind, ex-
'ept love, which nothing can change have
consulted proper authorities on this point, and
I'M sustained in saying that loye-thc real ar
lcle, | mean: as different from the spurious
ort as the bottled cider they sell at the shops
S from real apple juce-neyer changes Fa-
igue worked a change in the temper of her
niger, and by the time she had arrived in sight
f the cottage, she felt more like crying than
colding, and sitting down upon a stone in the
gathering dusk, she INDUCED in a few tears,
eemng herself at that moment about as wret.
he'd little woman as could be ina gned. She
cit very lonely, and any one seeing her thus,
Who would not be disposed to cowhide the per.
idious Watkins, must be devoid of chivalry in
Iced.
A light g leaned from the window of the cot
age for moment, and beautiful figure was
seen to draw down the curtain. Mrs. Watkins
the quassi widow, who felt as if she had al
-eady embarked on her solitary voyage over
he stormy waves of times, looking back to
pleasant bay brim full Of lighthouses, from
which her bark had been swept by the ruthless
gale OF mans falsehood-started I'd, and felt
new resolution steal into her little heart as she
gazed upon the form of the one she was con-
Vinced was her rival She dried her tears with
her renewing strength, and stood looking at
the house--at the window--where the light
still shone upon the curtain. moment after,
and a chase drove past where she stood and
stopped before the door. She saw the man get
out and secure the horse to post, and, the door
within revealed to her gaze the false man whose
heart she had deemed her own exclusive pro-
Perty. All, Watkins! She saw him trip up
the steps that led to the front door, and 10
moment her ears were assailed by volley of
sounds denoting a welcome more warm than
platonic feeling would prompt.
Sha Ii