The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1859-08-24

Am I to keep the hand, dear Alice, and
call it mine?'
If you will, Francis
1t n as the first time she had ever given
me that name. But she never called me
by any other again until she ceased to
love me; and it will sound sweetly to my
dying day.
We were married not long after, and
for six months we dwelt in Fools Par
adiso.' When | think, that but for me, it
might have lasted to our dying day, can
only sigh, and take up the burden of my
life with an aching heart.
They had called Alice fckle-oh how
wrongfully! No human being could be
truer to another than she was to me.
L only wanted to fad my master,
Francis she used to say, when laughed
ut her about it. 4 was looking for him
through all those long years, and | began
to think he would never come. But from
the first moment when l heard you speak,
and met your eyes, felt that he was
near me. And l am glad to wear my
masters chains she added, kissing my
hand.
And I am sure she was in earnest.
pleased her best when / treated her most
like child. She was no Angela pas
sonate, high. spirited creature. She re-
belled thousand times dag, although
she delighted in my control. But it was
pretty to see her when she turned to leave
the room, with fire in her eyes, and deep
flush on her cheek-it was pretty to see
her with her hand upon the lock, even,
drop her proud head submissively, and
wait when l said-'Stop. Shut the door
aud listen to me- Yet it was dangerous.
|. who had never been loved before, what
could | do but become n tyrant, with a
creature SO noble as this bent down before
me.
She loved me. Every chord of her
most sensitive heart thrilled and trembled
to my touch and gave forth sweetest nu-
sc; vet [ was not satisfied. | tried the
minor key. Through her deep affection
for me [ wounded her cruelty. [ can see
it now. Some wise idea found its way
into my head and whispered that I was
max ng child Of my wife by my indulg-
ent ways, and that her character would
never develop its strength in so much
sunshine. / acted upon that thought, for
getting how she had already been tried
in the fiery furnace Of affection, and, quite
unconscious that while she was getting
back all the innocent gaiety of her child
ISL years, the deep lessons of her woman
hood were still lying beneath the spark
ling surface Of her playful ways.
If, for time, she had charmed me out
of my graver SELF | resolved to be charm
ed no more. I devoted myself again to
my business, heart and soul, and sat por-
ing for hours over law papers without
pcc:a:king to her. Yet she did not CON-
plain. So long as she was certain Thai tt:. ! !
loved her, she was content, and took up
her pen again and went on with the work
our marriage had interrupted. Her wri-
ting desk was in my study, by window
just opposite mine; and sometimes l
would cease to hear the rapid movements
of her pen, and looking up would find
her eyes fixed on my face, while happy
smile was playing round her lips. One
day that glance found me in a most un-
reasonable mood. The sense of her love
half panied me, and / said, curtly:
1T is bad taste, Alice, to look at any
one in that way
She dropped her ren, only too glad of
an excuse to talk to me, and came AMI
leaned over my chair.
'And why? when I love some one
This was bed beginning of the lesson
I wanted to teach her, and | turned over
my papers in silence.
DO annoy you, Francis!
Not much
Her light hand was playing with my
hair, and her breath was warm on my
check. l felt my wisdom vanishing, and
tried to make up for its loss by an increas-
ed GOODNESS of manner.
One kiss she said, Just one, and I'll
go away