New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-05-07


sofas. and. with her hot hand against her achin|
! heart, grean FORTH + This, this + marrying e
money Alas that nv blinded eve aaW nof Y
rnsseyv NM aao,7y vi 4 lOveloss life the wretched
ness Of this fearful widowhood! Why oonidl no
have chosen On humber path--why not have
seen the greater glory il offered me Fool foo
that was, To dream that my woman = heart coulc
live without giving and receiving love s1 "
!. Marion fpr brief space was lnred from the con
temptation Of her nnlosed life BY the sudden intel
ligence impaired to her. one morning By Mr.. We're
that he was ruined man. His career Of reckless
dissipation had brought him at last to the end o.
H that wealth III had not thought Of saving, and he
told Marion they mnst leave their home and all Il
contained nothing in II belonged to them, ant
already the rapacious creditors, most of whom hat
helped to swallow his fortune in his liberal reyels
we're knocking at the doors.
Marion oheyed his every word, almost with 1
sa1se Of relief. The vile tinsel for which she hat
bartered her happiness had furnished in her GRASP
and melted away. She was poor again, but, alas
where was the loving heart to which she coult
4 turn, finding sympathy for every VICE. reward fol
| every sacrifce3 Not Id her husbands bosom die
| it beat. and she struck her hands upon her breas
|
| edness.
! They turned their backs upon their late elegant
1 home, and wendell their way to the far West. Mr.,
We're imagined an out door life Of labor would be
good for him. He would turn practical farmer, and
thus regain his shattered health. They settled
upon prairie clearing, their cabin home not as
large as the one splendid room in which Marion
i We're had been accustomed to attire herself. For
l &hn al fho N cfu
| Mr.. We're seemed really to find enjoyment in his
| prairie life, and even Marion began to see CLEANS
Of rough comfort shining through her humble door.
II was not long lived. The taste for spirituous
liquors, acquired III his days Of luxury, returned
With double force upon the husband she had
chosen, and after brief period Of forced abste-
rniousness, he started for the nearest town to
supply himself with drink. It was the first step
toward long course Of drunken degradation. He
drank TO grow merry he drank to call back to his
mind the faded days Of splendor he drank to for
get He had failed in the brightest days of his
manhood to awaken one glow Of loye.in the breast
Of his wife what was there now to win her to
himself? VI
X She felt like ono chained to some horrid beast
though his long absences from home, when gone
for liquor, left her lonely and unprotected the ter
rors and anxieties she then endured were bliss to
The horrors Of his disgusting presence. Still she
strove to do her duty she remembered she was
a wife and now and then arose the bitter thought,
that had she striyen to love him, she might, per
chance, have marked for herself brighter path
With woman's gentleness, she would battle the
fevered and besotted face, which could only in
spire her with disgust hold the cup Of cool water
to the lips that sftenest cursed her, and uncom-
planning 60 forth in the darkness Of night to
guide tsssa reeling, raying drunkard to his home.
One bitter night in the winter time, winter Of
unparalleled eo.d and suffering in that region,
Marion saf alone Id er cabin, listening TO the wind
1t hoHled over the sh ouded prairie, and looking
DO at the full moon sheda. ng Its hard, glittering
light over the frozen scene s.. re nad mol seen her
husband for three days, and she Wohderea y ne
could be On bis homeWard way this re ~zllg n,gnt
Without assistance, she knew he must ps 1isn On
he way for to stop to rest, as be would be Ii. Sey
o do, would be certain death. :
Wrapping large blanket shawl about her, al
most the only relic Of former comforts she pos
,essed, Marion opened the door to listen and look
or the wanderer. AT this moment her ear caught
he howl of dog. She waited an instant, and it
was repeated She hesitated no longer; ii
weak arms could render no relief, she only felt
some one was suffering and in danger and seizing
! small flask Of liquor from the shelf she
started in the direction of the sound she had
heard. YEARLY wading through the deep snow
which impeded every step, pansing now and
Then to catch again the guiding howl, then
'aint and almost breathless struggling on, she
vas met at last by a large Newfoundland
log, who uttered a joyful bark then running
eagerly to and mo, pulling her dress, and
'yincing every sign Of eager impotence, he
cad her to the recumbent figure Of man
ying partially hidden in the deep snow where
lie had fallen, while near him stood shiyering
lorse, a packsaddle ON his back and his almost
.uinan face bent toward his fallen masters form.
darion paused and laid her hand upon the mans
,eart. II still beat. Oh for help, she thought, to
1T him upon his horse and lead him to the shelter
# her roof She looked abroad over the cold and
lesolate scene-no human being was in sight, and
he furious wind went shrieking like demon past
ler, as II laughing at her Weakness penetrating
Ter garments and tearing her long hair from its /
astenings sending It In dusky drifts over her face
md shoulders. The same blast blew the snow
rom tug iAee Of the slumbering traveller. Marions
yes fell upon III, and with wild shrek she fell
pon her knees beside it. 4 Robert, Robert Ward,
he cried, rouse thee, rouse thee! To sleep is to
lie. Wake, wake implore you.n Her burning
cords fell upon ears benumbed and no response
'reeted her impatient waiting. She sought to lift
i'm ia her arms her pale, thin, weak arms how
ain the effort. She lifted up his head and blew
Ter warm breath upon his face, then remembering
ler flask, she placed it to his lips and poured
portion down his throat. Never for you, oh Ma
lion We're, would those lips part again. Never on
your ears is that well-remembered voice ever to
AL. Never will that heart, which has qnickened
is beating at mention of your name, for all these
ireary years, ease your lot with its sympathy and
care. Long did Marion gaze down upon those
ieyer gotten features Softly with her thin, cola
land she lifted away the hair from his forehead
ind pressed upon it one long, clnging kiss, in
which was conferred all that burning love cherish.
ID from her grlhood, butneyer fearessly fully &C.
until now. Then she cast one more
Helpless, anxious look over the Icy plain. No help
vas near, and lifting up her eyes to heaven she
nurmured, 8" It Is well.n She arose to her feet
ore the protecting shawl from her shoulders and
trapped IT closely round the sleeping form of her
love. Lifting his head in her arms she