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


It and hence tragedy was out of the question
S There was, amid the whirl of emotion tina
!. filled her, strange to say, no feeling of hatreC
D, for the false Watkins. The reproach INTENDED
: for him she had already transferred to the wo-
2 man whom she felt had drawn him from his al
: legiance, but she could not be brought to hate
the man she had loved so well, that she felt she
; still loved maugre all his duplicity. The clos
; ing door left her standing in the shadow-in
mind as well as body.
Mrs Watkins brought her body from out the
shadow, but she thought the shadow from her
heart, like the beak of the raven in P0e's poem,
would be lifted nevermore. AS she stood ga
zIng upon the window where she supposed her
Infamous lord was sitting in guilty dalliance
with his DalIah, white hand reached outside
the curtain and raised the sash. AS the bee
pounces upon a rose in June, as a hen-hawk
dashes among flock of chickens, as Il horse
lily darts upon his prey, as a mosquito with an
cry importantly thrusts in his bill, so did Mrs
Watkins avail herself of the opportunity Of
listening afforded by that open sash, and she
crouched by it as a cat might be supposed to
watch by a mousse hole. There was u sound Of
tInklng glasses within, aud other indications
OF an agreeable evening, while soft voices un-
dulated TO whisper, and many tender and I'M
Ineligible things, word here and there OF
which alone she was able to make out.
"What if my partner knew of this ~ she
heard him say.
Now that "partner she knew meant her. |
and that moment she would have given all the
world not 10 know what she did, and all the
world to have known it, provided she had not.
mo maRter about your partner," she heard
the female voice say, little pettisIIy; think
of me now"
e Think of your he replied "you are al
ways present in my thoughts by night and day."
Do you love me better than IA n ybody else Z"
the female voice asked.
"By those lips vow you are the one of all
others that can love-
And then followed sounds as though. to seal
The vow he had made, he had kissed the book
he swOre by. This was too much for the nerves
oi the widow Watkins. She went to the front
door, turned the handle, which made no no Sc
ana stood in the entry. The light streamcd
through the kcy-hUlc of the room door in which
the guilty ones were seated. She hrsitated
not moment, but bursting open the door VIC.
IenlIy, she stood in the snug little Illuminated
parIor.
"Oh, James james," cried she, in n tone
OF anguish, as she saw the two sitting Oh
sofa, he with his arm around the woman's
waist, and table before them set with luxu-
r'ous regard for good cheer She sunk into
char, buried her face in her hands, aud indulg
ed IN another meal of grief
"Mrs Watkins - cried the gentleman, start
ing to his feet.
AT the sound Of his voice, Mrs Watkins lift.
cd up her face, illuminated with glad surprise,
and met the gaze of Mr.. Wilkins, who with a
perPlcxcd air stood gazing upon her.
." To what are we indebted for this visit
Mrs. Watkins - asked he, in a manner far from
delighted, aud turning to the lady, he intro.
luced Mrs. Green to Mrs Watkins" very
formally.
AT once the shame Of her position broke in
upon The mind of Mrs. Watkins. How couId
she account satisfactorily for her being there
lowior the violence Of her entrance! how for
ler excitement! But the honesty of her nature |
would not allow her To- excuse herself bv false.
hood, and she told them with MANY tears the
whole story, not concealing even the fact of the
letter that she found in her husbands pocket -
A light at this seemed to break upon Wilkins.
who stepped to the corner where his coat re.
posed, and holding it up to the light felt in its
pockets and drew out several papers on OPEN
ing one, OF which it proved to be bill of rro.
ceries against James Watkins, and others of n Z
kindred character against that peaceful indi. =
vdua {
GA slight mistake here" said he, smiling,
- Watkins and have changed. coats, by which
means you have become possessed of my letter.
aad of his bills; and since you have become
acquainted with part of my secret, may as
well tell you the whole that on Tuesday next
am to become the proprietor of this little cot
tage and its charming occupant---the widow"
The widow blushed, but did not deny the
statement.
Poor little Mrs. Watkins Overjoyed at find
ing all her surmises blown to atoms, now seri.
Ously thought of her deserted home, and won.
dercd what Watkins would think on coming
home and finding her absent. Wilkins horse
was at the door, aud Wilkins. good natured
soal, left the widow with promise of coming
back soon, ard placing Mrs. Watkins in the
chaise, he drove away towards Watkins home
"What ~H be say! what wW he say Z"
sobbed the poor little woman as they drew near.
Be easy, my dear madam" So i'd he, "about
that; he shall never learn from me the secret.
Allow me to put you down here, when you can
go home, and things may go on as before, and
he be none the wiser for it,"