Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-12-16

y
cannot help laughing when I think Of
L. They told ne, he continued in .
confidential tom, -sthey told me ha,
hs! think of the thing that you were
married Z Ard hs burst into Wild
laugh.
i knew better be continued !; sbut
they said it was SO; and to satisfy
them, I determined 10 come and ask
you--for I suppose you ought to know,
If anybody. Ha, he / had such .
queer dream /; / thought you seevs mar
ried, and that I was standiag in the
church door As you and your husband
came out, and you wouldn't speak TO
me. Wasn't it queer And I knew 81
the time You wouldn't marry anybody
but me. And zoe are not married yet,
are we? But Who is here tonight ? ]
never SAW you look so beautiful before.
Ah!' he added, striking his forehead,
Il dreamed you wore dressed 80 Of your
Wedding
Thus the wretched man went on,
sometimes laughing, sometimes shed-
ding tears. knew he Was insane, I
tried to stop him, but was too fright
ened to speak. In my agitation I took
hold Of the bell wire and rang. A do
nestle came, and ! sent for Mr.. Bed
ford. )
Bedford! wss.s-is he p cried Gil
bourne, graspingsms arm. They told
me that was the name Of your husband.
ISay-you are not marrisd, are yous'
yes, Mr.. Gilbourne,' I replied,
trembling SO that I could hardly speak.
4 am married, and here is my has-
band
To my great relief | SAW Mr.. Bed
ford advancing into the hall. Gil
bourne started back, and fixed his
eyes upon my husband with . wild and
fierce expression, which caused me to
fear for him. e
But Edward was undaunted. Re-
turning Gilbourne's gaze with . firm,
steady, commanding look, he advanced
toward him and demanded what he
wanted. .
The dangerous spirit Of the insane
man was completely subdued. He hung
his head and burst into tears. y /
Nothing murmured Gilbourne, q
want nothing now. I have been dream
ing |; I will not trouble you again. May
you be happy
s He turned and staggered out Of the
door and I heard his unsteady foot
steps die away in the distance.
Poor wretch muttered Edward as
he took my hand, 'he is to be pitied
But you are agitated. Let us 60
back to the parlor and forget what has
taken place. S
We returned together, and Edwards
presence alone sustained me for the
rest Of the evening. Fear, pity, and
remorse made my heart faint, and my
cheek pale, and I was wretched.
think 1 understand your feelings,
said Isabel, who listened with deep
interest. I know how / should have
felt under . conviction that any
thoughtlessness of mine had ruined .
fellow beings happiness - perhaps
shattered his intellect. But did you
hear from Gilbourne again?
"Listen! He disappeared. For
more than year he was absent, and
nobody knew what had become Of him.
At length there came reports to c.
Of q thin, haggard youth, who wander
ed about the country, begging for his
bread from door to door, giving in re-
turn for charity, the touching songs.
which he sung in . soft, melancholy
voice, and the musical tone Of an ac-,
cordeon he carried with him, which he
played with peculiar and feeling skin.
Everybody trested him kindly, for al
though he was evidently Of an insane.
mind, there was q mildness, melan-
choly enthusiasm, about him which won
all hearts. Search was made for him.
His friends we're not mistaken il their
suspicious. He was the wandering
Gilbourne!''
"Oh, aunt" exclaimed Isabel, tears
filling her eyes.
They carried him back to c..
For several weeks he seemed contented
to remain at home, but at length his
disposition to wander returned, and he
disappeared again.
"One chilly, rainy day, was sitting
alone in my room, amusing myself with.
my first child-then about six months
old-when there wasa ring at the door.
Our domestic had gone out, and there
being nobody in the house but me, II
left ella playing on the floor, and went
to open the door.
/ started back with an exclamation.
Of alarm. Gilbourne, drenched with
the cold and rain, was standing on the
steps. My first impulse was Of fear,
and I would have shut the door in his
face, had he not lookedup to me and
said, in q melancholy Voice
1T rains. May come in?'
s'Iwas touched. Iheld the door open
while he entered. There vas FIRE in
the sitting-room, and I made him sit
down before it to dry his clothes. For
ten minutes not : werd vas spoken BY |
either Of us but his Wild eyes followed
me about the room wherever went. I |
trembled With indefnsblc dread, and |
oh /! how ardently ! longed to hear the |
footsteps Of Edward in the hall. I !
tried 70 speak to the wretched man,
but for some reason / could not, and
his eyes etill followed me in silence.
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