The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-11-13
NUMBER %.

so her insubordination was endured
and her pirate and caprioes passed owe,
as necessary evils. ...
There came a time, however, whel
Philips yacillating pnrpose became
| liked, though probably in an opposite
direction to whag The real balance Of
mis- confused feeling inclined him. On
\ quiet winter evening he and Honor
met once again. 1t might he she was
kinder to him than usual, or he himself
more susceptible. However that might
De, hel buty and The scarcely conceal
| I'd favor with which she regarded him
50 far conquered, that before they par>
ted he had asked her to become his
wife. And on the morrow while his
mind was filed with conflicting emo~
tons Of love and remorse, Honor wrote
him, conserving. 1t made him very
happy, of course. Poor Philip Stour-
| ton. ..... ...... ....a
He had taken a step, however, which
seemed irrevocable, and he rushed
blindly on to the end. Like man en-
gagged in the commission of crime,
| ne resolutely evaded reflection on the
course he was pursuing, though he
could not prevent his thoughts from
playing at distance, as it were, round
the forbidden point. In ineessant labor
he endeavored to escape sefNexamina>
ton, indemnifyiug himself with long
evenings of delicious companionship,
when conscience, which should then
have stung the sharper, was laid to
sleep by the all,powerful Establishments
of the hour. t-. ..
After while the marriage day was
fixed, and the preparations tor it were
begun. The fact was whispered about,
and finally reached the ears of Philips
housekeeper; but, strangely enough,
that ready tongue of hers for once was
mute, though her feelings were any.
thing but placid, to judge from her
stormy face. .ors. -..I
One evening, after laughing dis
pute about some intended matrimoni>
al arrangement, Honor suddenly re
marked. .. ... .ats.s ..a
''By the way, Philip, what was the
nature Of that promise you made your
late wife ? | have received q curious
anonymous letter about you, which |
suppose ought to show you"
Philips face grew white; he was
not able to affect unconcern, the onset
was SO unexpected and so deadly. He
remained silent, breathing hurredly,
like a man in pain. ..a ..a. .
Honor was rather started when she
observed the effects produced by her
words, and said: rs. ~
81 am sorry, dear Philip, if l have
grleved you by my question, but l
have indeed received letter contains
ing some vague accusation or other
against you. give not the slightest
credence to it, however; neither do I
ask you to explain anything, if to do
so would be disagreeable to you. |
can trust you, Philip
You have trusted me, Honor, more
than deserve" sad Philip; Get me
look at the letter." .a.-..
She handed it t. him, Il contained
but few words, penned evidently by
an illlterate person, and ran thus -
You are about to be married to
Philip Stourton, hear. You have no
right to him. Ask him about the pro
mise-the oath he took to his wife who
is dead, God will visit you both"
There was no signature. Philip
read it thrice, and fingered over it, as
though endeavoring to take some reso-
Il L., IL, -
Honor at last and said:
"Could you marry me, Honor, if you
knew | had broken promuse such as
the letter mentions 7" E.t
Honor trembled little; but, after
a short pause simlingly said:
wv ell, perhaps / could, provided it
were not very bad case"
ga death bed promise--a solemn
oath % said Philip. .. a /
The lady was silent a moment, and
her eyes began to fill with tears.
"W hat have you been doing, Philip?
What do you mean? Must you break
an oath in marrying me? TaI
81 must" groaned Philip. II pros
missed my wife on her death bed not
to marry again. She had no right
| feel it now-to impose such burden
upon me. had no right SO to pledge
myself; but / did. 1t is irrevocable
no one can relieve me of it."
81 will not marry a man who has
periured himself" said Honor. "YOu
have been cruel, very cruel to tempt
me so far this ! cannot marry you
now, Philip" she repeated; and, COY
ering her face with her hands she Sobs
bed bitterly and left the room. Philip
too, stole away, crushed and mlsera~
bic; III his own eyes hopelessly dis
honofed. .a.s
Truth, loyalty, seIfrespect, you are
but thin shades dwelling in haman
breast, lightly esteemed, seemingly of
little power, but, when you depart,
the pillars of the world seem to have
fallen in, so weak and so desolate are
our lives without you.
If Philip had been less scrupulously
honorable--if in his heart he had att
tached as little weight to the promise
made to his wife as his recent course
implied-he need not have seen his
hopes tall in ruin about him, as they
now appeared to do. 1t was not that
he lacked the ingenuity to avert it,
1t had crossed his mind OF course to
denythe vague accusation contained in
that miserable scrawl--to impute NAL
lice and faIsehoOd to the writer. WHO
wa u know what transpired between
nim and bis wife at such an hour! And
Honor WestwoOd would nave been a
lenient judge, dtnouYh in her secret
heart she had believed Duu guilty; but
when confronted wIh bn 0tfrnce, con-
science reeasser5ed Il,e' ana con-
strained him to admit tJo ruth.
Philip went straight nome t. III"
at,dv and thera sat down. By-and-