Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-04-23


speak kind to the poor darling, Il ! meet ~
her Of her fault-but no, ney:h9est was fn1l ol
bitterness Lecauss shS had disOtevSd ne; and
it always did put me out Of humOr to see q
woman cry. -.......,..
81 don't want to hear any more about II.
Take your dress away, don't wish to look
lection that in buying It you disfeRarded aN
ure. ------ : -
think this last cruel speech hurt her more
than all the rest II makes me furious against
myself whenever think Of Il. But | had
opened my heart to venomOVlx, Hntirical
demon, aud he sat there securely thronrd de.
flying all my efforts to expel him, and grinnine
with malicious glee, while he pointed the barb.
ed.wOTdS which fell like poison IlrOps from my
tongue. had never spoken 70 to my wife
before. Oh how hated myself for it. But
the demon had lne in lis pow = aud droxe ine
on.
watched her with a flcrcc singing pain
at my heart as she crossed the room and sat
down AWAY from me in the recess Of a win
dow, with tears dropping last over her pale
checks. How longed to 60 and bring her
back, and kiss away the remembrance Of my
harshnCss; but the demon held me FAST lie
would not let me goA and turned moOdily to
the fire, and took up Nhc paper. don't know
how long we sat thus, Stid I did M0t know
what was reading. was only conscious Of
being very remOrsefil and unhappy, when q
timid, faltering voice startled ple out Of my
abstraction, and caused me 10 look up. Sic
was standing before me with the tears not
yet dry on her pale face, and the gSieyed look
palmer than ever in her a0ff eyes. 49,. l.,,,, =
| II don't care about having the dress, George.
I'll take It back tomorrow. know they viii
allow me to return it Only please do NOT
look SO. can bear anything but seeing you
so displcased."
Did not fling down that hateful paper and
sent the trembling pleader on my knee, and
kiss the poor, pale face till Il bloomed again I
Alasl the demon whispered, forgiveness,
easily obtained, is not much valued Hold out
only a little longer" And ] did, and lost
the opportunity which the wealth Of worlds
cannot buy nOW. 7ei
l steeled my heart against those pleading
tones. met Ahe prayerfnf glance wiFh one 90
cold that it iroxc down the upspringing tears,
and then said, coldly,
-" No, you shall not d. that. II there is q
thing hate, it is carrying thing back after
it has been taken. Nov you've got It, keep 1t.
Ill pay the bill when 90 down in tho morn
ing" And that was ell. Then turned tc
the other side Of the paper, and appeared deep
ly engrossed in the Presidents Message.
could have cursed myself e watched heI
move wearily back to the window and sit down
with her forehead pressed against the pane q
deSpairingly, and when one or two conVulsivC
sobs, but half stiGcd, reached me, l fairly start
ed and rusticd the paper nervously. But thu
demon only grinned more hideously as ttrug
glcd, till the hateful chain CALLED me, bat 4
could not break away. 'f '''9
Seven o'clock. Alice arose and dmoved acrOsI
the room. She stopped afew moments bcses'
the glass, and I watched her unseen: Ire
member now exactly how she looked uKdowai
dressed. never can forget It. / knOw no
then, as gaEcd ct her 90 intently, that itiWai
the last time ! should ever zee her with tn.
current Of lifc warming her veins and flushing
her face. She wore . black dress. Black va
always my taste. And II set off her pure com
plcxion and golden brown hair 90 beautifully
high and plain, with no ornament but the deli
cate lace about her throat and arms. On
thick braid passed across, her head, and !
suited her better than any corOnct And q
she raised her arm to smooth the brown rip
pies about her forehead the sleeve fell bacl
and the prcttiest' round arm you ever saw
cleaned out so bcwitchinglY. | knew yer,
we'll why she had dressed with SO much tast
on this particular evening-wc were going ou
together to birthday party given by yOun,
cousin Of hcrs-and Nora Thought nothinI
could 60 right without" Cousin Alice"
She got the hood and dclOak, making nOia
purposely to attract my attentions but l. di.
not hear-Of course, Then she came and stOO.
before me, while she wAs tying on hara hood
and waited some time. for. me to.aNeAlk. but
would not, and ct last she said .timidly i.
"We were going to uncle Williams to
night"
"Wcl."
That was all I said. Then she went ava,
looking very sad. A dusky face peered in a
the door.
"Carringc ready. Missus"
George, arc you going with me tonight! :!
| "NO."
Oh! It was the demon that said it an,
not me, or l must have been insane!
&c l am very SORRY" she said mcckly, "bu
| must go, or Nora will be so much disap
pointed"
Every WE'LL"
did not look mp till heard the door clos
after her, then flung the paper aside with
muttcrcd curse and StrOdc ticrcely to the wir
dow. l watched her enter the carriage, an
saw it drive oil, and then camC back to tn
fire, kicked over . stool, and kicked II agai
when it fell, flung the paper into the fire.
which I punched savagely for want Of som
more substantial object on which to vent m
fury, and then sat down with my face in m
hands and groaned bitterly through my clencl
| cd teeth mt The herman ,s.aa c~n,ua q,
and having glorious jubileel I was angr
with my suffering, IlnOfcnding wife, becaui
she had gone out without me. Thought "a
ought to have staid At home, and broken b.
} engagement to humOr my absurd caPsic
when she did not even know that wiShc
her to do 90. ] was angry with myself
; treating her in such = shaHlefnl manner, o.
angry with the demon whose accurSed SpS
, held me in thFalL Ny heart was . perfect b.
as sat there. Never before. in ell my u
had l felt 90. .,. .t,.,
While sat there with the fierce tempe
: sOrgling within my breast; unconscious
. drew, from my finger the ring / aIways NO
there. ! held It up, e was often n the bel
Of doing, to read the inscription within, q
the words =" Grieve NOT The heart that lOv
. thee" flashed on my gaze, flashed ikt6 u
D heart with such painful vividneas that Thlnl
J cd and looked around % ~ who he'd usafl
them. There was no one there. ] We al5t
q for the demon had iled 3WAy and IelG me. "a
quered by the talisnAn q he Efnk. . Gle
: not the heart that Iotes Sleefr IEwaSu
b tgifc They were the WSsda - wasI d 3
= 10 mursnur, lying with eloesa 60 ana ~
L hands RESTED II mine; ana ~ DR. hes4on
n lowed On ny heart; NHbA Aher sseue III