Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-06-11


consequence. He too carefully guarded them
to permit them to be a subject Of remark.
we VIII not follow, step by step. poor Ellen
III her narrow path. As yet she was pure, in
the vulgar aceeptation Of the word; but the
love vowed at the altar to her husband was
darkened and almost obscured by the feeling
which had taken its place for Mr. Lester
UnsOphisticated, young, and lovely. she had
launched out upon the world without compass
chart or helm. No wonder shoals and quick
| sands should have made shipwreck the better
part Of her woman's nature
Mr.. EllwOod, unconscious of the dark cloud
hoyerIng aud about to burst upon his home,
(no, we will not misspply that word, there is
no home in the house where master aud mis-
tress seek out Of its hallowed precincts the
happiness which should be centred there still
continued to enjoy himself at the Club with his
friends 4 =
One evening, not being well, and without
being able TO account for the feeling of OPP
preston which had come over him, he con-
cIuded TO go home rather earlier than usual
Upon reaching his residence he smiled at the
surprise he knew his wife would feel ut his
early return. The servants had retired, and a
stiffness as of death was around and about him
Lit seemed as though he breathed with difficult
ty- For the first time he felt the desertion of
hls house. Hitherto he had always found his
wife upon his arrival, which prevented him
from feeling his present loneliness, and as this
pressed upon him the thought arose in his
mind If he was really as wise as he had
deemed himself in permitting Ellen to be
separated from him so much. But dismissing
such ideas as foolish, and caused by his not
being well, he concluded to 90 up stairs for a
book he had left in his wifes dressing room in
the afternoon
Upon entering he found the gas burning, the
table placed Immediately below the drop light
writing materials and an open letter upon it.
1t occurred to him Ellen had been writing to
her mother, but the commencement of the
letter soon banished this idea. His own name
arrested his gaze, and it would be vain to en-
deavOr to tell with what feelings of agony he
continued its perusal. 1t ran thus:
.MR. ELLwOOD: l dare not address you by
the sacred name of husband, for have even
now forfeited my title of wife forever, and ere
you have read these lines shall have laid aside
all that made that title sacred. We shall never
meet again-l cannot live under your roof, be
the recipient of your generosity, if not Of your
love, and make 1T the scene Of my shame and
your dishonor. Do not think of me too barshly
If my love laid aside by you as a thing of little
worth, has found another abiding place, guilty
though 1t be. OF one thing rest assured-so
long as have kept the title Of your wife it has
been unsullied by any impure deed, now that
l. resign II, and like the poor moth, fly to a
passion which / know dazzles but to DESTROY
shall not be worthy even a thought from you
| sometimes think this might not have been if
you had not so utterly left me to myself-but
no, will not, eOward-like, blame you for nv
perfdy; let me rather feel did not merit your
unlimited confidence. God bless you, Harry,
oh, think if L could only hear the sound of
your voice my purpose even now would waver
And yet why should L wish it would With
this passion for another engrossing every feel
ing, L am really As criminal in the eve of
Heaven as shall soon be in deed You will
Aar Qt tray thr,S II
Mereifully eau it madness, for my brain does
seem on fire, Think of me sometimes as was
when you first knew me, and in our young
days Of love, and pray as Heavens richest
boon to me an early death. God bless thee
Mr.. EllwoOd sat like one stricken suddenly
by death-immOyable, the letter in his hand
then came long, deep breath, and with COM
pressed lip and blanched cheek he hastily
looked st his watch. She could not have been
gone long, 1t was not yet very late. He would
pursue her. and as he thought of her seducer
his lips muttered words which we will not re-
peat here. But alas! he had taken 80 little
note of his wife 6 NOV ements that he knew not
whom TO suspect. He would search her cham
Der for some clue, and if not successful in find
ing il, he would repair at once to Mrs Stuart
from her ne did not doubt Of receiving some
information.
He opened the chamber door, the light burned
brightly, and articles of dress which his wife
the bed. He passed around it, and upon the
floor by its side, with shawl thrown around
her, which she wore when travelling, lay his
wife.
The reaction of feeling which the sight of
her caused, occasiOned him to cling to the bed
stead for support, and for the first time in his
life probably, he bowed Lis head in silent
heartfelt thanksgiving TO his God. He ap-
proached her, and found she was insensibIe.
This Occasoned him 10 distress, had she been
dead he would scarcely have mourned then, SO
much moro horrible had been the fate to which
she was about to fee. 'l
Carefully taking from her the shawl, and
replacing all articles that told of her inten-
ton, he raised her upon the bed, and endeav-
Ored 10 restore her with the aid Of such appli-
ances as he could find, but in vain. Then be-
coming alarmed, he aroused and sent one of
the servants for a physician. lie feared to
leave her himself, lest in his absence she might
revive and say something which would commit
her in the opinion Of others.
The physician came, felt the wrist asked
how long the insensibiity had lasted and pro-
nOunced it the result of disease of the heart,
brought on by some excitement.
With great difficulty sensibility was restored,
but a high fever attended by constant delirium,
succeeded. For days and weeks Mrs ElIwood's
life was despaired of, and during that period
Harry had ample time for self-examination,
which proved to him how more than wrong,
how criminal his conduct had been Had he
not sworn TO love, honor, and protect his wife
And how had he fulfilled his vow! Had he
not recommended her intimacy with Mrs Stu
srti Aud had he not felt proud of the admi-
ration bestowed upon her by his friends? Had
he not laughed over and over again with these
very friends at tales very much like his own
would have been had his wife acted the hypoi
critics part and assumed a virtue which She
had not ?" When he looked back and saw what
an escape they had both made, he resolved
that If upon her recovery she could restore to
him the love he had SO recklessly thrown from
him, he would endeayOr by his whole after life
to prove his gratitude to that Providence to
whose mercy alone he was indebted for being
saye ed from a fate worse than death, and from
having his hand stained with the blood of
fellow man. ....' -E.s g.. ID, =
Ellen's illness proved long and tedious one,
At times the physician feared her brain was
hOpelsssly affected. She still raved, hut not
of the circumstances Immediately preceding
her sickness. They all seemed blOtted from
her mind, and in imagination she had gone
tck to the home Of her girlhoOd, and con-
stantly spoke Of her husband as her lover,
Harry |"tl . y : ti.-- -
At last the physician assured Mr.. Elwood