Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1860-07-09

| May Darling had been for three years the
happy and dearly beloved wife of George Den
nison, when one afternoon, on coming out OF
a dry-goods store, she suddenly stood face to
face with Ralph Upham.
| The meeting was demonstrative on his side,
and embarrassed on hers, for May had not
looked on that graceful figure, and those rings
of bright brown hair since she watched him
60 out of the old parsonage one May morning
seven years ago, when she was the betrothed
wife of Ralph Upham.
No wonder she was Huttered and embar-
rassed when she looked into that handsome
face that the old memories arose and knock
ed mt her heart
Mrs Denison had known little of Ralph Up
hams career subsequent to their parting, save
that he was practicing law at the West He
congratulated her on her marriage, and to her
inquiry whether she should respond with like
sentiments he answered, half gayy "Oh no,
May, ] am an ordained old bachelor, you
know"
But the glance which accompanied the
words could not be misinterpreted, and Mrs.
Denison knew that Ralph Upham meant her
to understand ii was for her sake that his
heart could never hold another love
He accepted her invitation to call, and the
next day-but you know this, reader.
Ralph Upham was a skillful reader Of hu-
man nature, and he was a bad man. Per
haps not exactly so, as the world goes, but he
was bad in comparison with n truly good and
noble ideal Vanity and selfshness were the
great underlying motives of his life lie was
impulsive and susceptible, capable of rising
into temporary appreciation of all that was
good and true in man or woman, but incapa-
bic Of a noble, persistent life. The stream
was corrupt at the fountain and his was the
more dangerous because of his fascinating So
cial qualities, No man was q greater favorite
with woman, and no man ever studied their
hearts and characters, their hidden lives Of
emotion and feeling, with more ANALYTICAL
shrewdness than he did.
He had conversational powers of no ordina
ry kind, and as he was sympathetic and reAec-
tive, he had remarkable degree Of social
rlianey and adaptation he could be brilliant.
tender, gente-whatever the time and crcum-
stances demandeds-and nothing stimulated
his vanity so much as the knowledge of his
success in awakening an interest in the hearts
Of women, and wicked and contemplate as
was this object, it had become a habit, and
n passion. with Ralph Upham.
There is no question but something of his
better nature had awakened in his interview
with Mrs Dennison--for all that was freshest
and best in his heart had loved the beautiful |
girl with whom he had passed his boyhood and
youth. But he was resolved TO ascertain |
whether his old power over her was entirely |
gone, and he was bad and base enough to sit |
beneath the roof of another mans dwelling, and |
leave no effort untried to awaken in the soul of
his wife those feelings and associations which
It could only be wrong to him for her to cher.
ish one moment
"Is il possible one o'clock I have been
here three whole hours Ralph Upham
glanced at the French clock ON the mantel,
whose silyery voice had just swung through
the air.
Where have these three hours gone to p
exclaimed Mrs Denison ard no idea il was
eleven"
"Neither had l. You win pardon me, May,
for engrossing so much of y .ar time They I
have been pleasant aud precious hours tome;N Il
and now he took her hand with the freedom
Of brother, and something Of the Tenderness
Of lover, and clasped the soft white fingers
in his own But there is no use, l must