Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-07-10
MY SISTERS HUSBAND.
iCONTINUED.l

hope is in you. If you do not come to us, we
are lost
He seized and grasped nv hand his manner
was excited in the highest degree l drew back
and shook him from me.
Mr.. Ha!iam what do You moan ?' L de-
manded sharply. "Sit still and speak ration
ally
lie WINGED strangely. and shrank back. There
was few moments pause; then, in q voice en-
tirely subdued, he asked me
Did give you letter. There was one
from Caroline -
No;
He searched in his breast pocket, and brought
II beg your pardon; you ought to have had
it before
took it to the light and read it. She had
written mostly about our fathers death but
ut the end OF tho letter came these words
Frederick will ask you to return with him
Anne, no nor rcfHSe him Oh, Anne If YOU
ever loved me, do not refuse to come,''
folded up he letter, and went back to the
hre where he was sitting 1 laid my hand upon
MS shoulder; lie looked eagerly around
Anne. he cried, ''yOu will come p"
Yes since you both wish it''
Thank God ~ he ejaculated and the first
look OF compOsure had seen came to his worn
face.
And now that this is settled, Frederick, 90
to bed =" .
He rose up in silence but the CHASTITY pallor
of his check and lip, as he prepared to obey
me. SO shocked and startled me, that abrupf-
~ checked his departure. Unmanly and pit
tsoic as IL was there was no mstakine his in
tense fear Of solitude and in his weak and
nnslrung state did not feel that dared to
force il ON MIN
- am not going away yeti 1 said. ..U
you prefer to stay here, will wheel this sofa
forward, and you can lie down before the Gre y
lie accepted my offer eagerly.
Il am not used to strange rooms: / am
AFRAID should not sleep he muttered
lie lay DOWN, and throw a cloak over him
= sat down in sight Of him and read. He was
IN reality weary and worn out and before half
b an hour had elapsed ne had fallen asleep.
80 We sat out together next morning and GOT
s.s ' to London by nightfall. My sister met us at
c' her own door, and looked again on the face
hod h no: seen for nine months; 1t might have
been nine gears, it was changed. L could
have passed her in the street unconscious that
she was klth OF kin of mine
restrained my surprise and pain until we
were together in my room. Then 1 stood up
and faced her. -
Caroline, what does this mean %
She had been trying to talk and smile At
my question all ieigned compOsure gave way
She burst into tears and answered me might
havo guessed 1t. She was breaking her heart
over the change in her husband.
He Is never unkind TO me- but all day long
he terrlhes me, she sobbed. Il dare not leave
hlOi he viii never sit alone for ten minutes
from morning to night. He is so wretched him
sell that 1t Kills me to see him. Oh. Anne, what
Is the matter-what is the matter with him?"
L tried during the day that followed to dis
cover the answer to that question. Alas when
thought at length that had discovered IL II
was no answer that L could tell his wife Every
thlng saw forced upon me the conviction that
the crushing weight upon Mr.. Hallam's mind
was some crushing remorse Day by dav tbi,
terrlole belief gained on me. The more L tried
TO forget and thrust il back the more yebe
mentiy 1t forced itself upon me. / began to
i've under the pressure OF a strange horror
We passed a fortnght miseraby enough. Mr..
Hallam never left the house Almost his entire
ums was spent In silence and inaction.stoop-
Ing over the fire. Ii he was reused or spokep
10, face OF such Infinite despair would rise be-
foTo U.s. that many n time its expression wrunp
my neart oometimes a mOmentary brighten.
ing In his look would cheer US a few seconds: |
sometimes, and that alas, more frequently his |
dumb, listless misery would warm into q wild |
and feyeriSh excitement
we never LETT him, for his greatest terror was |
that oil solitude: Day and night Caroline or | |
satwith him. He had been fond of music. and
even yet ne seemed TO take something like |
pleasure in it. Heavy as our hearts were. /
therefore often played, and his nearest ap-
proaches TO content seemed during the moment.
that lie sat listening to me-
fortnight passed thus: at the end of il one
evening this happened
1t was dark, but We had no candle; the fire
was burning brightly, and had gone to the
r.
rsen rom his seat and was pacipo the roonn
Cdroline had come to my side
was playing softly, and suddenly from INV
srsteT lips cry rang through the room Be-
lore could speak, white with terror and with
ouistretched arms, she started from her ssst
sprang up too. L could see nothing tho r,om
was all rs usual; but, while gasping ont her
husband name, she stagge red one step iowa rds
him, and ie'l: Before she reached the ground
caught her IN my arms but she had tainted
X, 1
lie wassssniing before open drawer, look
lnS Wlid and excited; but at my call he came.
What is it -
She has tainted; raise her up."
lie stopped and raised her. Ibads him fol-
low me, and l went towards the door but
~heh reached II ne had not moved Turn
ing round | sdS him still standing wildly
gazing upon and passionately kissing his wifeTs
white face ''" " III
did not speak, and in two or three moments
he came and joined me- and we lief, the room
together. We went up stairs and he laid Car
oline on her bed. Then I rang the hell and
summoned help. servant came to me at
l Daue her see to her mistress and
leaving them L hurried back down stairs
Mr.. Hallam had gone u second or two bsfo-o
me- found him again in the drawing room
when noiselessly re-entered, before his eseri,
tore, where he had stood when Caroline tainted
lie was stOOpiDg towards the fire. examining
the muszle of pistol by its light
L stole up behind him, and, before he was
conscious OF my presence, l had caug ght his arm
with the strength of both my hands lie turned
round, wild eyed and furious
Let me alone" he thouted devil, let
me alOne,'
de trled to shake himself free do not
know whence ny strength came, but against
bis power kept my hold
Lay down that pistol ~ cried
lie kept 1T clutched fast
$ Lay down that pistol"
Our eyes were full and sta Co. N
moment; then his dropped / moved one
hand rom MS arm, and laid it on the pistol
ne let me take it. He stood before me. his will
heIesneSs gone, shaking and shivering like a
then could stand no longer I sank ;n,o
goat. and we neither of us snoke 80 INV a