Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1859-11-04


room, and heard her convulsed sobbing
through the closed door. es
i went out and found my husband Just
ready for me. He helped me into the gig,
aud called my attention to the beauty OF
the western sky. 1t was a gorgeous
autumn sunset; but had no eye then for
its splendor. Tho last words of the hope
less, sad;looking woman | had just left,
seemed like a prophecy to my disturbed
imagination. Charles noticed my deep
depression. LTOT.Z .ZGTT
"You are tired" he said. al should
not have brought you so long ride. You
are cold, too. What lev hands -
The tenderness of his voice and the
caressing care with which he folded my
large shawl more closely about me, were
at that moment just the little that was
needed to overthrow all the self.command
which | had been endeav5ring to preserveA
| burst into tears, and sobbcd with hysS
terical violence. Alarmed by my excited
state, and unable to discover its cause, for
could not subdue my weeping sufficient
ly to speak, lie allowed me to rest an
disturbed on his shoulder, soothing me
only by tender word now and then, as a
mother might soothe frightened child
| felt grateful to him fol his gentleness
and forbearance, for knew he. had con-
tempt for Mysteries; and after time l
was able to control my emotions, and be-
came calm and reasonable again. He was
too wise and considerate to press lust then
for the cause he talked of other things,
and again pointed out the beauty Of the
sunset. ff-aa ets8
1t was late whenwe reached home, and
Charles had not alluded again to my agita-
tion. Indeed, | hoped he never would
ask me its cause, for began to be eashan-
ed of having been so overcome by what
seemed to me, as moro coolly remember
ed it, a very trihing cause. How couldaI
ever make him understand the strange ef-
feet of her cold, monotonous answers, the
utter hopelessness of her manner, and the
change which came over her, as
with agonizing vchemencc she poured
forth the words which seemed to me so
much like the oracle Of sibyl
AS ] sat and unused during my husb-
ands short absence after tea, at last for
got myself in pity for her. and so, as
often happened when l have very much
dreaded the mention of subject which
must be spoken of some time or other, 1
was the first to mention IT, when, after
short absence, Charles returned M h
| described to him as we'll as I could
the scene that took place in the little room
at Oatland, and myffears lest he should
laugh at me vanished as | went on with
my story. -.4.... ...a.. Hfe e-ggss
Poor Ellen T. he said. as 5.n n.u
hot ia bo Of L.,
ness 2" / asked. @ u...H -
81 know much Of her history" he said.
"She was many years seamslress in tho
family of my aunt Sutton, who made
sort of pet of her in the absence of her
or any other object on which to
lavish the not always judicious kindness
of her heart. She kept her much with
her. and gave her a good education, and
the girl, who had aptness and natural re-
6nement, soon acquired the manners and
address of a lady. She married Joseph
Gray handsome, ,ainsinuating man, who
loved her, and whom she loved with all
the ardor of her impulsive nature. For
five or six years they were prosperous and
happy but at the end of that time he was
led astray by set of young men, such as
are always met by those who have not
strength of will to-say NO-and, going
rapidly downard, is now confirmed
drunkard" .,.....,,.
All this, then, was the secret of her
thanked Cod in nay
heart that | need not fear that worst of all
fates. No wonder that her life was hope
less and hateful to her No wonder that
she dared not believe that the sons of such
a father could be aught but disgrace and
ascursc to the mother who bore them -
70 wonder that, for the baby in her arms
and for the little meek girl growing up
under such shadow, she could but pray
for death AS the only blessing in store for
them. Death sole hopc for the drunk
ards wife for that being of whose terri
BILE woes a woman--a wife-7dafes scarcely
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