Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-09-28
THE PRIDE Or LIMA ROBERTS, AND ITS FAIL

THE PRIDE oF LIMA ROBERTS, AND ITS FALL.
Some twenty years ago, Deacon Rob
erts was accepted in the village Of NJ. as
the elimination Of all excellence, pecnni-
AIRY, social and religious. Public opinion
has usually little truth in Il /; in this case
il had good deal. The deacon really |
was intelligent, upright and well-to-do.
He was also forty and bachelor: bat be
was human, and be fell in love. Of
course this contingency had been pro
vided for, and scheming mammas had
any quantity Of deaeons' wives got up to
order, TO meet the hoped-ior demand.
Not to his order, however. He married
a beautiful girl made by God and herself,
without fortune or so-called accomplish
ments. He gave her the position of Mrs.
/ Roberts, and she gIided gracefully into
It's duties, and accepted her new honors
with timid and grateful heart
The baiiled mammas congratulated her
with the lips they had bitten in yexation,
, /" and all went merry as a marriage bell.
} But marriage bells cannot ring forever,
nor do they invariably, as Tennyson has
! it, "ring out the false, ring in the true"
The good people of nj. acknowledged
Mrs Lima 0for that was the name Of the
: new bride) as one OF the supper ten"
: On this case, the three cyphers usually
{ supposed 10 belong to the numeral are
I not understood). The sisters of the
j. deacon, all married and members of the
] feminine decemyirate alluded to above,
4 were not, however, quite cordial in their
}, recognition. There could be no doubt
( that the gentle girl was really the wife OF
their brother, and entitled, as such, to the
d most distinguished consideration. Yet
:, those who have stake in life are natu-
IS rally conservative, and the sisters whis-
Y pered TO each other their fears lest the
If untaught rustic might prove unworthy o.
+ her new position. Perhaps they were
n secretly conscious OF another lear, thor.
r oughIy feminine, and not without found
q alton. They might have feared that hei
.e native refinement and ariless grace would
contrast uniayorably with the high-bref
At stolidiiy with which it was allied. Sc
a far as the two lovers were concerned, th,
= marriage was happy one. but as re
ic garded remoter connections, il was obYi
y ousIy unequal. So the allied powers
d kept yigilant watch over mistress Lima
:" criticised her short comings, real or sup
d posed, and whispered waFily IN their pri
g vate conclaves that pride would have
Is fall"
The prediction was verified. Th'
n whole Of Mrs. Lina's pride was eentere'
. 10 her true, manly, afeclionate husband
III If It was an error IT was one seyerol.
punished, for he fell. Not morally, 70
:, be left stainless record il was only th
\ physical man that sank beneath an unex
pecsed blow. He sckened and died, ani
the broken heart Of Lima beaved wit
>, eonvulsiye sobs, and the sorroving sister
n robed themselves in lugubrious drapcry
IA IN mute acknowledgement Of the treas
a nres they had lost. Their brother wa
a. dear to them. and justly so; nor coul
~ they forget that, by what they eonzidre
g an ill-adgised marriage, be bad alienaie
4 from his person9l relatives a respeclabl
:, portioa Of bis estate. He lei, a viii, J
i which he made ample provision for b
no > idosy, and gave substantial tokens Of n
ii gard TO thoss who, for his sake aud be
"a own, still owed hor The kindness of a sH
|, ter. Indeed, whatever might have bee
= their previous feelings, her present COT
di,ioa appealed foreibiy 70 their eompa.
be sion. Originally frail, and exhausted
:, anxiety aud grief. her giriish beau
~ wasted to 3 shadow, aBd across the dial
!, her blighlsd life that shadow pointed {
!. ward the new-made grave.
smi Close 10 her teas-ssained eoaeh dFe
he near the pfovideat danes A rave
- gather about = stricken deer, 20 gaibef'
4. their sable forms about The bedside Of 9
L dsspairing Liua. They spoke Of ll''
!, fears that she might soon reyosn The BE-
bard sbe bad ioss. she replied thai ibs
A. fear was Der most eonselsag bope. .
- thsg had other fears also whieh i =
{. tbelr psrposs % aekaowiedge. WITH
he maeh aelleaey - ihe sub)ses admit
81. an sheir enaawuaeass aapp'ief. they