Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-03-17
NO. 65


cheerful, fresh, quiet face, as she presided at
the early breakfast, had a soothing influence
over me, which / accepted as vet another sd-
vantage in the meditated bargain. When we
were married the constant presence of that
quiet face would affect benefeially nv daily
life-make my head clear, keep my nerves cool
left the Daltons that morning, and proceed
ed on my journey. Ny business in the north
was accomplished; and two days after, 1 arrived
at Sir Hercules Lowther's, lust in time 10 ioiD
him at his solitary dinner. He was dull and 81
lent; the house had a mournful, deserted aspect.
the servants moved about with mute lips and
noiseless feet. All brought Daisy to nv mind.
but this time not so much in connection with INV
own feelings as in the character of nv friends
dead wife. pitied him for his loss. As we
sat by the fire over our wine, he began to talk
about bis wife, speaking with rough. simple
Pathos OF how coed she had been, and what
blessing to him.
''PoOr Daisy ~ said, using the tender di-
minutive involuntarily. "All you say of her is
true, l know. You were happy in marrying
her. 1t is something to have had her to lose ,
"Yes," he answered, looking at me media.
lively "But only those who knew her can Judge
Of my loss. l feel that you sympathize with
me, old friend, and thank you for it; but Won
did not know her"
"hot know herl Do you think have for.
gotten the old Isle of-Wight dsYsi Whv. Low.
ther, too cnce loved this little Daisy Of yours.
may say SO now. You will not be Jealous of
ma"
"Knew my wife loved my wife ~ he gasued
out, syllable by syllable, with slow horror and
astOnishment
"Yes, you must have known it then" I said
u was wild when you married her But all
that is past long ago; and, remembering what
she was, only feel for you the more"
"Lovedmy wife !" he still muttered IN stolid
sort of wonder; Loved my wife! Daisy!-
hat There is mistake" he said, and his
face frightened slowly into intelligence. s.There
IS mistake You surely know whom l mar
ried Z"
Eyes" cried, certainly do. Daisy Main
waring"
"Never. You are wrong"
stared at him aghast, and pointed to the
ring which he wore. "Whose hair is that"
My poor wife's. married my cousin, Mar
garet Lowther; not Daisy Mainwaring, as YOU
call her. That was mere boyish fancy. Iwould
have married her at one time, but she would not
marry me; and thank heaven for it. Nv wife
only, in ali the world, could have made me so
happy as have BEEN" He sighed and went
on: "How ever did you come by this false notion!
Where did you hear it, How on earth did it
enter your hesdl'
By slow degrees recalled and explained how |
had heard of his marriage It was not easy
for me, having held the event for so long as an |
established fact, to bring to my mind the precise
manner In which the news had reached me-
However, succeeded, at length, in recalling |
the letter from my friend, and also the confirma-
ton Of the former tidings, in my mothers let |
ter, received in Italy. Ilearned (but not wholly
them what had been the true state of the case. |
When my friend wrote of Le-rsher's approach
ing marriage to Daisy, Lowther had been will |
ling enough to make that assertion true 1t
was at that time that she had refused to marry
him; and consequent upon this refusal seemed |
to me to have been his marriage with his cous-
in so soon after. Whether in piqus, or wheth-
er in the way of consolation did not clearly ao-
pear; but, at all events, the marriage had turn
ed out happily. My mothers notification to me
was substantially true: Lowther was married at
that time
Daisy, then, was not dead; but the phantom
of that night--how was it to be explained 1
asked for news about her, and Lowther told me
that he had lost sight of her for some time; that
after her fathers death she had gone out as q
governess; that he had offered help to her in
vain; that she was too proud to accept help from
an old lover.
On my way back called again at the Dal-
tons. As l walked by the side of Amy, in the
winter garden, asked abruptly: "Have you a
governess heret"
"Yes," she answered, little surprised
'What is her namel''
Miss Mainwaring, here she is, coming with
the children"
"Shall l go on any more, little wifel Shall
tell them how hard found it to win you back,
to mel how 1, the Grand Seigneur, did not get
ny wife by q mere throwing of the handker-
chief but was obliged to outrage all foregone
conclusions and determinations about my mat
rimonial needs, and about the proper view and
bearings Of matrimony! Shall I tell them of all
your troubles in those long years of sepa ration;
and how you are changed thereby, and yet the
samel grave, soberer, wiser-equab'e and quiet
but Daisy stilll No. do you say, have writ
ten enoughl' Then 1 will write no more