Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-01-01


heart will break"
81 can't bear 1t any lonser-I'ye got 50
| dread to 60 home | don't believe Nellie
loves me rs well as thought she did, said
the young merchant, as he made his way
homcward with a weary step, v,ry unlike
his quick. Joyous gait.
Aud they met again, and the old demon
pride came back to both hearts. and neither
dreamed Of the bitterness which each was
netting out to the other.
- am going out u little while this oven
ing, Ellen shall return early" She
bowed her hcal-,hat was all, Cor the tear.
were coming. and sho would not that he
should SEQ them.
Aud be could leave me ihus--all alone
without one kind word" murmured the
now really wrc,ched wife, as she heard the
door close, and tho footsteps grow fainter
in the distance.
Then .ho threw horsclron tho lounge, aud
huryins her brown head in the crimson
cushions. wop, long and bitterly, and b.
tween the sob- tha, couyulsrd the figure of
Ellen Howard, cimo the seIf.acu,ins words,
Oh, u | had only told him ="
/ AZ last, exhausted with her violent wcrp-
ing, the I'D. closed over her eyes. and Mr..
Howard sunk into a heavy slumb,r.
She started up quickly, for the .ilycry-
toned timc.psc, bad broke in with it. story
or ,rn O'Clock, on the hush which filled the
room.
AMI 10 has not coms yet II, who
never lee M alone an evening b'loro' o,
&c harm should have belallen him :" Aud
q plns shot through the heart which had
b,cn very heavy before with it, weight OF
shadows.
Sh, went - the window, AMI looked ont
at the clear. cold stars. She went t. the
door and liH,en'i Tor hi. footsteps. then
she won't {, the CRATE, and stirred up the
glowing h,l OF anthracite, until a golden
light dlici all the room; but still be came
not
Eleven O'Clock came, and yet 10 wa, not
there.
Twelve O'Clock came, and still Ellen How.
arl WAS alone.
On, O'Clock what pen shall record the
suG'rlu--, which daring ,hos, two hour,
bad been thr p,riian OF Mr.. Howard
tho b,Il rlns--it wa, loud. snr,I.n.
peal and shr hurried {, the door. Tor all
thc dlme.,ics bad retired.
rl,r1 wsra ,wos uiI,men thcr,-.hs rec.
osulaei thgm a, a,quaintanca', but the
thirl--on' glance, AMI as .h, looked sa,
sraspsi the d1,r.handic, or she would have
GALLON.
"Dan'i b. ullrm.l Mrs. Howard, " .lid
uns Of the gentlemen, your husband has
not experienced any injury, aud - good
nights ri,s will restore him. H. wls ata
supper given BY one ol our club this cven-
ing, and, unfortunately, drank rather free
ly." Tucy carried him in, his vi.c leading
%, way, with hItarins stop, hiI him on
Ii, bel and lmmedntcly departed. She
wa, alone with him, anl th' scales had lall-
cn from her mental eyesisht.
She aw then how truly he had loved her,
h1v ihc pride Of both bal driven him from
Li, homo that evening, and 90 the sin OF
which be bad h,,ngmty, and she shudlsr'd
"a, tls brink to wncl both bad been lrIw-
ius mgr.
She pat back the thick hair from his
broad. burning forehead, moaning oil the
time over tie unconscious mans words ol
!1ye aud tenderness, which had they been
spoken earlier, would have never found him
there aud. at last, when hc had fallen into
that hasy sIumbcr. which is too frequently
the accompaniment. of inobriety, sho went
into the parIor, and kncciius down in th'
Grl-shinr, prayed the Great Father to fpr-
give her sins, and gran, unto her that
meek and quiet spirit 80 which is tie chief
ornament ol woman.
During all that night she hung over his
pillow. bathing his forehead. and watching
his rcstlcs, movement. in his troablcd ,lum-
Der. w womans heart was awakened
now, aud the pride had all gone before its
holy whispcrIngs.
The gray dawn was s,rcaking the east.
when. weary with her nights watching,
Mrs. Howard once more repaired to the
parlor, aud, throwing herself on the lounge,
was soon in u heavy slumbIr.
The sunlish, laughed brightly through
to muslin curtains ,ha, drap,d the win.
dow, and Henry Howard opened his oycs u
moment-the story of the by.gone nigh.
dashed into his mind-he closed them ~
shall never b. able to look Ellen In the face
again." he murmured.
\, last he rose and went into the parl0r
She was lying there, her cheek piIlowed on
her hand, and her long, luEuriant curls
sweeping upon tie carpet.
H. bent down and kissed her cheek very
softly; tear fll on her iorchead-sho
opened her eyes and smiled.
30, Henry" aud the white arms were
wrapped aud the white cheek laid on his
own, Z" / have been so wretehed. You Do
not know-you canno, dream Of all have
suffered during the last two days, aud last
night, Henry, it seemed as it it would kali
me :"