The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-05-21

to me,-he'll come :" And she pressed my
hand in both of hers and looked up to my
face with a pleading expression which wen,
to my heart.
"I'll tell him. l said, rs turned to leave
the room.
60! don't 60 away" said she; ''tbe
light is so pleasant,-please don't take it
away, please don't.
told her | would soon return, and sooth.
ed her to quiet and left the chamber.
went up to my room, pondering upon
the strange secret which James carelessness
had revealed. That young creature, whose
face would lead one to imagine that the
engraving 90 Longfellow's Evangelne had
copied from it, wild maniac IN that elegant
mansion! There, where had heard merry
voices, and happy girlish aughter-where
pleasant preparations had been going on for
Il. .tete, where the rich and the gay were now
assembled, while that poor distraught lay
on her ragged mattrass, her best covering
her own abundant and beautiful hair! Who
was she? What could it mean? Was this
eart-aching sight, in its madness and tear
full woe, a terrible evidence of woman s
cruelty would it be possible had gazed on
such picture in the kind Mrs. Wnwood's s
house? O, world! 0, sin! 0, human
heart
But, let me be charitable; let me be gem
erous; let me-judge not.
stood by my window looking upon the
spot where the white form had first attracted
my attention, while various sorrowful fan
cies floated through my brain; but over all,
the question Constantly repeated itself, :,
"Why is that mad girl here p
put a few Goals Oh the fire, and seated
myself before it to await the dawn. In a
little while | heard the light hearted guests
departing, and shortly after, the girls Ade-
laide and Lill came bounding up the stairs,
Iuil of glee, to my door, to comfort me,
dare say, for my loss o. the evenings en- Joy
ment. They found it locked, and received
no answer to their calls: for was not in a
mood for .Ioyousness, and much preferred
to sit alone in the dim light of my chamber
| fire.
Two, three, four O'Clock struck-the
young Indies ln the outer room were sleep
ing. the house silent still sat, watching
the forms that hickrrcd through the red
Goals, and longing for my own home. Sud
denly there was quick rap at the door.
My heart rose to my throat as | thought Of
:. the maniac, but the next instant Mrs. Win
woods voice whispered asking adm:ttancc.
! opened the door, and thcre stood the la
dy still attIrcd in her robe Of velvet, as she
appeared in the early evening. 81 thought
YOU would not sleep after your visit to that
room. Jane has told me cverything," said
she, seating herself by the fire. 81 have
walked my room for the last three hours,
wishing, y fearing 10 come to you. Don't
you remember the day You called upon me
not long a@o, when was so il! and when |
| begged your counsel, your advice :" |
| bowed my head. 81 wished then to tell
yOu,' continued Mrs. Winw00l, "a.l about
this sud business, but you would not listen
to M. You have been looking upon Il mel
anchOly sight, it is tru"; but don't blame
me for that; don't th'ik me such n fond as
! to willingly keep that poor creature in such
a wretched condition. But let me tell you
the whole story anl tlcn perhaps you will
, advise ne how 10 nct.''
Mrs. ". then proceeded % tell me that
aEolt two years q o, when her hu ,bani left
the South, having large house upon her
hands and income considerably below her
wants, she advertised for a b0arLer. Her
advertisement was answered by gentleman
who wished board for his wife during his
absence. lie WAS stern in his appearance,
reserved and hnughty in his manner, and
told me-. said Mrs. W., after our arrange
mcntS We're made, that his wife was an invn
! lid, ANA eccentric in her manners, and that
s. c must keep constantly in her room and
furnished only with the simplest food twice
n day. lie came in q carriage with the lady
the next day and left her-handng me
upon his departure a letter inclosing Il
months pay in advance, and repeating the
iniunctions he had already given me rs to
the treatment she was to receive.
Weeks and finally months rolled away,
and Mrs. w. heard nothing further from
him. The poor lady proved to be hopeless
.ly insane. She was quiet aud for a time
bad lucid intervals-when she would say
her name was Anna Ruby, and speak Of
some ono whom she calls "Robert," who
cannot be her husband, as his name was
Matthew Uin. Gradually she grew more
and more dcrangrd, and ut last attempted
to set fire to her room; and nee that time
it had been absolutely necessary to confnc
her in the room where | had frst seen
her.
"She has never,' said Mrs. Winwood.
'',nadr the least in the noise and is the most
gentle and aTcctionate Of human beings. |
love her and wish to do something for her,
but know what Is best. 1t is for this
want your advice. Mr.. Ulin never returned
until about three months ago. but | received
regularly every month during his absence
an envelope containing one hundred dollars.
On his coming to the house after his return,
h.. was as cold in his demennor and us un-
communicative as he c uld possibly be.
ak d him to take his wife away as it made u
very unhappy to have her here. lie an
swcred briefly, mentioning a time when be
would do so, but has ALWAYS found some
business excuse to put it off. took him
that day up to his wic's room, where she
Law in lust the same state as YOU have to-
night seen her for | told him how necessa-
rv it was to keep everything removed from
her that she could burn, lest she should be
the means setting the house on fire. He
said nothing to me as he looked at her, but
sighed, and, and putting his arms around
her, said, slow is my poor Blrdle' and,
after Il moment, desired to be left alone
with her. lie remained that day about two
hours, and seemed particularly gloomy
when he left. The next day he sent the
usual sum of money, but has not been here
since. \ few days ago when Lii told me
that You had asked her who occupied that
room, felt sure that you had se,n her at
the window, and so removed her down stairs;
for, often as have wished to tell you this
history, have dreaded to do it, and more
than all. have feared to let you see her,
Is she not pitful object? Every day she
eats less and less, and gets thinner and thin
ner. Eve been to blame, | know | have
but what could do:'
"Have you never discovered who this Mr..
Ulin really is? 2" asked.
"No," replied Mrs. Winwood. 81 sent
to the address he mad given me in his note,
but found that no such person had ever
lived there. never inquired why he had
deceived me so, because, to tell YOU the
truth, am little afraid Of him."
"Will you let me take this young girl away
from your home" | asked, as Mrs. Win
wood ceased speaking.
'Let you take her! Why uhere?' ex-
claimed Mrs. Winwood, almost losing her
breath with astonishmcnt at my question.
| eyes, Jet me take her," repeated. That
man has no claim to her. cannot and do
| NAT believe that she is his wife. will take
. me where she can have the free