Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-09-28
Tue am az SACRIFICE.

Deitber expected nor asked me TO love YOU"
"Ah, Maria, will you never cease your
tsunts? F." exclaimed Matthew Ward. "What
TsrveTsity is it that leads you always to refer
t. that time when l thought only Of saving my
cd friend, and 70 have gained the right to save
in would have marTied his daughter had she
Eecn q G0rgOU, instead OF a pretty child not
Ga enough TO love, OF &c inspire love"
"how can you call it pervsrsity, Mr.. Ward p
tie young wife gaiiy answered. "Our marriage
Nas a bargain, as you well know and | see no
wrong Ia referring TO The conditions OF the con-
tract, when, having fulhiled them all on my own
l5art, 1 am prosecuted because | am not ready
t. do stir than you then wished
lie to do"
'Psrsecuted,' Maria - said MIR. Ward,
Ilournfuily. "Is it thus you characterize the
/ rePTessible longings for a return Of my love
tlat / sometimes eXpress?" A succession OF
say little mods anEWeFed HIN, and be went on {:
q will not again annoy you, then. No, Maria;
J. my love is so distastefui Ia its expressions,
the persecution shall cease here and now.
tioOd-bye, my darling. Give me one kiss-it
shall be The last. But, Lemember, whatever
happens, l desire nothing 50 much az your hap
piness."
Sac gave tue kiss with careless grace, then
turned away beating the air OF = tune, she was
Gumming, u4on the window-pane, and never
noticed tie deep, m0urnfui ssze that her hus-
band hEed upon her. He stood for a moment
as il waiting q reply, then turned and slowly
ieft the room. The outer door Changed, and
Airs. Ward saw him descend the steps with
slow movement, and with lingering stems 20
along the street. Once OF twice ne paused and
booked back, but soon went on and disappear
ed around the distant corner.
That evening the dinner waited long, and at
length, lust as Mrs. Ward was about 10 take
her place alone At the table, a note from her
husband was brought her, announcing that be
had been suddenly called to leave town, and
That the period Of bis return was indefinite.
Surprised, but not anxious nor curious, for
she had quite forgotten tie conVersati On OF the
morning, the lady paTtOOk her solitary meal
without diminution % appetite, and without a
thought 10 mar her enjoyment, beyond a slight
loneliness. She bad never known anything Of
her husbands business, and readily accepted
bis explanation Of an absence somewhat ex-
traordinary, as Mr.. Ward seldom left home,
TO which, So we'll as to hisyOung wife, he was
devotediy attached.
But even she, WITH all her real indifference,
became anxious, as day after day passed, bring
inc her no tidings OF the absent man. When
ever he had, previously, been obliged to leave
home, each day bad brought her messages Of
love that showed his continual and thoughtful
care OF her happiness. But now all was a
dead blank, and the days leng9aened9into weeks,
til a meath had elapsed.
$3.50 ~ WIS uECAAtA necessary 70 make
search among his private papers. On the dgy
@heR this course had been decided upon in a
consultation Of Family friends, with MT.
WARDS Esrtner and lawyer, arrived the first
,.,utngs OF the absent. A letter without date
OF address, but bearing the post-mark Of q
sea port town, reached the lawyer. It was
signed Matthew Ward in the well known
handwriting, and merely contained direction
70 the place OF deposit OF certain papers Telat-
Ing to the disposal Of lis business affairs, with
the addition Of an intimatiOn that he should
probably be long absent.
By these papers, executed upon the very day
he left hone, bis wife was put in personal pos
session Of his town and country mansions, ceT-
tain stocks and bank accounts were transfer
red to Der hame, and his business partner en-
ihoriZed to transact business for her benefit.
Il was evident that Mr.. Ward had made all
these arrangements for her comfort, in view Of
d prOtrscted absence.
From that day be seemed to disappear from
human sight. From the clue gained bv the
post-maEk Of his letter, diIigent enquiries
were made at that and other ss2Dorts ut no
where could it be sscertaiBed that the missing
man had taken passage for any foreign shore.
AND thus years passed, and when toe hopeless
search had long been discontinued. Matthew
Ward seemed to have utterly disappeared.
Oaly the memory Of him remained in q few
dead.
The year wore on, and Maria Ward was =
middle-aged woman. She had been beautiful
IN her youth, but there was something grand
and noble IN her aspect BOW. Sorroa scathes
and destroys, or it Strengthens and parties. In
Maria Wards character n had develoned the
germs Of goodness and beauty. She had been
known N her youth as a leader Of fashion, in
middle age the poor and suffering blessed her
name, and her munihcent charities, though only
gVeRGef ar for abe Enffru-nA ufr-ag1u fho o.-rp-
tural injunction, made her a welcome coadjutor,
respected and beloved, in al circles devoted to
The promotion OF the welfare Of human kind.
Mrs. Ward had often been impoUtaRei to re-
enter society. It had even been hinted 10 her
that, legally, she was free to connect hersele
10 3 more suitable marriage than her childish
one. But she turned fTOIa oBe r-epreseEsaaoR
with indifference, from ths other with 15eon-
ceaied scorn. How little did her advisers
know her heart, and the secret that contrqlIedit.
Lonely she mast ever be, but she had learned
precious lessons OF Weldon through suffering.
one OK These Wds, that occupation and an 40
aoIblng interest in scme human creature OF
creatures, was the only partial panseea for the
aHdying crsVines Of her heart. Soc had ac-
coTa'Hgrg charged herself with the care and
educ lion Of several young girls, daughters of
poor but highly Respectable families, whom she
received into her OwB house, and made men-
bers Of her family. Surrounded by these youth
ful and atiectfonate friends, and blessed with
all else that her heart desired, save only the
oEe, most longed for presence, she enjoyed the
present, and looked calmly forward to the fu-
ture, which, in th4Hfe, she believed promised
nothing more.
Mrs. Ward employed teachers, who attended
regularly at her house, to impart their diff
ferent branches OF instruction TO her young
friends, whose education she thus personsllv
superintended. But it CHANGED that one of
these teaehers-an elderly French lsdy-was
prevented by an accident that confined her to
her room for a time, from attending, and the
girls were dispatched to her house for their
lessons.
In a room Of this bouse, which was in the
elder portion Of the town mostly inhabited BY
foreigners, and overlooking the river which
ran beneath its windows, an old man, white
haired and infrm, set listlessly gazing out upon
The tuTbid stream, co 7ered with craft Of ali
kinds, or at the dusty walls and dingy furnj.
tuEo 81 bis apartment. On his face rested an [
expression OF cam sauaeBs, and ali It's INES I
told of sorTow and pain, subdued by the hand
Of time, or the influences Of 2 higher power.
After passing his door the group Of EssTY
girls stayed tueir footsteps, and glazed 81
teAily upon nat placid face, ana the deep, /
daTk eyes that lad hat inward gaze which We
SO often observe in the o., and those VINO
fave suffered and conquered all. until life js
but a memory OF the PAST. Sometimes tbey
mentioned him to their teacher, or their friend
Mrs. Ward but the one had never spoken "a
him, FOR, as she sail, che "loyea not orc a
tTiste = and tie other, sup7ssing him To he
some foreigner, not needy p OF il any way claim
ing her aid, dismissed him erom her mipd.
StIl, when she oDedsy accompanied the girls
to visit their teacher, she confessed to herself
hope that she also miSi4 chance to see this in
t~eresting Old man, and she was not disappciat-
ed. A group OF women and children stood
= about lho eioasd door as Mrs. Ward and her
r,sssd. whispering end gestlculstiDg.
s,Lls WI saw that something strange bad
hIs, L. and she learned that the old man was
o,ita M Her sympathies were aroused and
f1i1f he iris with their teacher, she went
rs room to inquire if all had been done for
him that was required.
Silent and senseless,a mere breathing corpse,
che old man lay upon bis bed, with only p hired
nnrae 10 watch over him-a coarse stranger
,rbo gladly availed herself Of Mrs. Wards en-
rance to slip away for a gossip with some OF
her cronlss upon the landing.
esTbus, perhaps, my husband died, slone,
Min ogIv mercenary strangers around him, IN
= foreign lsnd.7 thought Mrs. Ward, az she
razed ~tearfully upon hat placid face, that, as
e often he case ~ mortal illness, was grsdu-
~ J