The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-03-03
ing in an enchanted spot, and that some hor-

books. | took them up carefully, for have
reverence for books, and turning to the fly.
leaf Of splendidly bound copy of Shaks
|peare, read
ITO Mary Frances F --, from her de-
voted husband, Henry +. -"
A thrill Of surprise and anguish ran from
vein to vein. Ny thoughts seemed paralyz-
ed. y Tho trutl, had burst upon me with sucl,
S lddsnncs: that the blood rushed with a
shock to my herrt. @
knew Henry +. F.; had known him
intimately for yars lie was :, friend, to-
wards whom all my sym2athics had been
drawn, for he had seen such sorrow as makes
the heart grow old bstore its tine
His wife, whom he loved, hal .,deserte
hin. she had taken with her his only child.
Sae had desolatel household and forget
ting hon,r, shame, everything that pertains
to virtue and to God. had fed from the coun-
try with tn, ,n,n waose arts had wol her
wantoa love
How could | re NUN unl,r this roof that
now see n a ac:lrsel? How meet the de-
stroyer of virtue--th, f,nl w.lo had reyelled
in such a conquest? ASH ..-s s..
| could only think Of the evil they had
d,ne-not what they might suffer throu,h
tac tortures of remorse. 1t was some time
before the sedncer cam, into the room where
| still sat with the child, deter mined to m ,et
hi once more befor, left the house.
0. how guilty! how hsart-stricken his
Appearance! R,m,rse sat on hi, forehead
boksd ont from his eyes-spoke when he
was silent. .... a
"Will y,u con, to dinn,r?" h, asked.
h'sitat.d Sn,u'i partak. of HIS hos
pits'ty--the hospitality of one Of those Fl md,
il hl.nan shape whose steps take hold on
he'll? knew his guiit-vhy delay to de-
cure it? Why not at once, in burning
" ,rls, upbraid him for hi. villainY, and H.,
a fr, a pc 'tiler,n his sin-cursed house p
tn. nal noticed ny hesitation He could
not, Of course, interpret its caISe. As he
repeated his r,llslt, IL, lo,k of distress up
"A his face excited a feeling of pity, which,
i)r tn. mon-ht, sli ;htiy 'iisarmsd ny resent
,n.nt, a IT, uni.r tn, inhu,ac, of this feel
ias, almost ulc nsciously pr;s.l into the
i,ning-roon.
II an sor-v litt!e N.lly's m,nn.''-I
was glad h, did not use the sacrel name Of
! vie Ills not abl. to sit doyn with rs" h
| aid. ut is many months since we have
| aad har presence at our meal. s ie is su:-
f'riag from tn, effects Of SLOW fever, iniuced
hy the clia'atc,' n ai l"l, graTe'y, as ne mo
toned IN. t, /. seat b.fore HAN. . -
rls table slittcr.l WITH silver plate. Obe-
lelt servants br,ugnt on. the m ,st costly
servers d 'iicacieS such As | had never seen
| before. .-
But the skeleton sat at the feast!
could not talk, save in monoSyllsblcs.
Ny most ate hastily ,st carclessly-wait.
ing unon IN. with many abrupt starts AMI
apologies.
Wine cam. H. drank free'y. Soon hc
sent the little girl AMI tn, servants from tlli
room anl seemed striving to nerve himself
t, conversation.
You are from - City, I believe" h,
sal | nervonsly. -.
answered an Affirmative.
''Dd YOU ever knov gentleman there ,y
the nane-,f-H Il. F-?"
81 knew him, sir" said sternly, loos lc
II, man steaiily in tn. face, "anl kn,,
him also ruined, hesrt-bro.en man"
With an ejaculation Of anguish he pat hi
han fksrchief to hi, eyes 1t would hav,
scenel hypocritical, bat the sutf f.rng on hi
face was unmistakable.
perhaps you have suspected then''-h
began in a qniverin5 voice
Not calmly, bat with the words of an az
cuser, told him what | had seen, AIN.
thought, and felt.
"Sir," said he, in tones which shall neve
: forget ''if have sinned, God in HEAVIER
knows have suffered; and if in F's bereav
ment he has cursed me, that curse is fearful
ly fulfilled! Poor Mary is dying-has bc,r
dying for months AMI have known it. /
has been for me to sec the failing step--th
dimning eye; it is for me-, now, to see tn,
terrible struggles of her nearly worn-ou
frame; it is for me to listen to her lang,ia.
of relnorse, that sometimes almost drive. m
mad. Yes, mad--mad--mad ~ he said, il
frenzy, rising and crossing the floor wit
long, hasty strides. Then burying his fac
in his hands, he exclaimed, "Too late--to
late-I have repented." There was q lon
pause, and he continued more calmly, IN
human means can now restore my poor CON
3 panion. Her moral sensibi.ities becom
more and more acute as she fails in strength
). so that she reproaches herself constantly"
A weary, mournful sigh broke from hi
!. lips, as if his heart would break.
:. 20! fho knew" he exclaimed again, g
he krew hsw bitter penalty she is payin
!. for the outrage she has committed upon hi
a-he would pity her-and If it could be, fo
= give"
"Wn you see her, sir ?' he asked, after
pause.
/ shrank fiom tho va, Y thnn,ht