The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1862-01-24

A favored wife could seat herself on bis
knee, entwine bis neck in her arms and pen
citrate his very heart but l, alas, should
only disgust by such freedom !" She drew
a sigh, and summOning all her courage, said
in timid voice
&" | fear have unwittingly offended
YOU"
Mr.. Westbutry looked up in some sur
prise, and assured her she had not.
I" You have assented youself from home
SO much of late," said Julia, that feared
your own fireside Was becoming less agree.
able to you OF late than ever"
Business of Importance" said Mr.
Westbury, =" has of late demanded all my
time, and tomorrow l must start for New
York"
"For New York v' said Julia. "To be
gone how long ?"
"That," said Mr.. Westbury, "must de.
pend on circumstances. | may be absent
some time"
1" May not hope to hear from you occa~
sionaly?" Julia assumed courage to ask.
Yes'-I will certainly write from time
to time"
"He does not ask me to WRITE" thought
Julia, with sigh. /" He is quite Indifferent
how she fares whom he calls his wife,
The following morning witnessed the de
parture of MIR. Westbury, and Julia Was
left to painful coDjectures as to the cause ol
his dejecti0ns. Three weeks passed away
in each she received letter from him, cor.
responding exactly with his manner towards
her; friendly and respectful but neither
friendly nor coniding.
At the close of that period, Julia was
one day alarmed by the unceremonius call
OF sheriff officer. He was the bearer of
writ of attachment with orders to seize
all the furniture.
s"At whose suit do you come'' Julia asked
the officer.
"At Mr.. Eldon's, madam. He holds a
note of some thousand against Mr.. West.
bury, and thinks no time is to be lost in
making it secure. You have jewels of value,
madam, which I was ordered to include in
the attachment"
"Will you allow me few minutes for re-
Election" said Julia, whose faculties seemed
benumbed by the suddenness of the blow.
"Certainly, madam, any accommodation
in my power, shall be happy to grant,"
"What can do what ought l to do ?''
thought Julia. "Oh that Mr.. Westbury
were at home Mr.. Eveleth, yes will send
for him he can advise me, if the officer will
only wait:
"Will you suspend your operations for
half an hour? 2" asked Julit. "that may send
for friend to advice and assist me ?"
"Why, my time is precious, madam and
my orders to attend were peremptory;
half an hour will make no diff.
ference: so to oblige you I will watt"
The pale and trembling Julia instantly
servant for Mr.. Eveltb, and IN
twenty minutes that gentleman arrived. He
was instantly made acquainted with the
business in hand, and without hesitation re-
ceipted for the furniture, and dismissed the
officer. Julia felt relieved of an enormous
burden when the officer left the house :;
though in her trepidation she scarcely com
pretended how be was induced to 20 and
leave everything as it was. As soon as she
was sufficiently composed and collected to
take up pen, she wrote to her husband,
giving him an account of all that had trans.
pired. Her letter dispatched she had moth
ing to do but wait in torturing suspense till
she could see or hear from him. On the
third evening she was sitting with her eyes
resting on the carpet, slternatively thinking
of her husband, and her own embarrassing
times raising her heart to heaven
for strength and direction as she was thus
sitting in deep and me ancholy musing, Mr..
Westbury entered the apartment. Quick
as thought she sprang toward him, exclaim.
ing, "Oh my dear husband, how glad am
that you have come! But what is the mat.
ter :" she cried as he sank into chair !;
Is you are very II"
find that I am" said Mr.. Westbury.
My strength has just sufdced to bring me
home."
Julia took his hand, and found it was
burning with fever, and then instantly des-
patched servant for physician, while she
assisted her husband to bis chamber. The
medical gentleman soon arrived and pro-
nounced Mr.. Westbury in confirmed fe-
yer. For twenty days Julia was in an agony
of suspense. With intense anxiety she
watched every symptom and administered
the medicine with her own hand, lest some
mistake should be made. 1t was in vain
the physician entreated her to take more
care OF herself; she could do nothing but
that which related to her husband. When
nature was completely exhausted she would
take an hours troubled repose and then be
again at her post. 90 every account the
thought OF death was terrible. Z" To be
lost to me-" thought she, sis unutterably
dreadful, but oh, it is triAe to bis being
lost to himselfl He is not ft for heaven.
he has never sought the intercession Of the
Great Advocate through whom alone we
can enter on eternal life How ,fervently
did she pray that his life might be proloDg
ed /! that be might come forth from afflics
ti0n like gold seven times re6nedp g . Z.
Mr.. Westbury was exceedingly reduced
but there had been no signs Of delirium
& .lagaas8 Z.