North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1864-07-20


of love, but there was none. He stopped 1
moment to hail a passing car, jumped quickly
upon the platform and was beyond her sight
Soraow and anger were mingled in hel
heart for moment, but the latter quickly
gained the ascendency, and returning to the
breakfast room, she commenced clearing the
| table with such a resolution as to cause the
little maid, who was the only servant in the
and gaze eagerly into tie troubled face o
her mistress.
Oh, what hard, bitter thoughts rolled over
in the mind of the young housekeeper, as
she went about her morning duties
| To thinkShow have to drive and delye,
were portion of her thoughts. 81 don't
get time to read or prac ice, and my hands
are getting so black and dingy, and grow
old and faded every day OF my life. Oh,
dear, and then to think, after all ] do for
| him, cah't have anything | want"
But when The work was al nicely com
pieted, and a cheerful fire lighted in the par
lor,s Etfie went in and sat down to her sew
ing. 1t was dress for herself she was max
ing, of costly pattern which Frederick had
placed under her pillow few nights previous
| and had proved such welcome SURPRISE
Now it had lost all its beauty her thread
knotted, her stitches looked long aad uneven,
and at last she threw it down impatiently
and taking book which was lying upon the
table, tried to interest herself in It's pages
Frederick had heard her wish for that too,
and 1t was his hand that had traced the low
ing lines upon the fy-leaf the day prev ious
Somehow everything she touched seemed to
prove that her husband was not such a
hard hearted wretch after all but she was
hardly ready to acknowledge it to herself
just then, SO she petted and nourished the
hard, revengciul feelings, TIL she dropped
asleep upon the sofa.
The vision of an elegant. home rose before
her. The hangngs upon the wall were choice
and costly the carpet was of the finest tex
ture the rich furnature and all accompanl-
ments of wealth and luxury surrounded her;
while before the windows hung the Identical
shades which had filled her waking moments
with such anxious wishes. But she, the mis-
tress of it all. was still unhappy. A vaguc c,
undefinabe fear found its way through the
mazes of sleep. Her husbands affections
| seemed aenated from her, and she was alone
at nighttail anxously awaiting his return.
confused murmur Of voices ran through her
dream; heavy footsteps Were heard treading
the hail; the door opened md the lifciess body
| Of her husband was borne into her presence
So sudden and terrible was tie shock, she
only gazed in speechless agony upon the
wounded body OF her beloved companion
The strangers who had borae him thither had
withdrawn and she was left alone with the
partner of her husband, who approached her
and grasping her arm firmly, said in tones Of
deep sternneSs:
woman, behold your work in your fool
ish pride and ambition you have V; 2cked he
happiness Of that noble, generous soul. One
hour since he came into the store with pale
face and agltated frame Walter, he said
feelingly, II am ruined man. TO crafty
EfIie's ambition and have peace in the house
hold, have bartered my soul and body and
now the end has come. am oycrPowere
with debt | cannot meet the eyes of the
world, nor the reproaches of my wife, and
before could detain him he had taken his
own life in his hands and ended his miserable
existence You have sent him uncalled and
unpreparcd into eternity. His blood be upon
your head"
In agony E(ie awoke from her troubled
| Sleep and sprnging up, gave an eager glance
around the apartment.
"Thank Cod broke fervently from her
| lips, sit is only dream
Never before had her own little parlor
looked SO sweetly in its plain, substantial
dress and even the despised shades wore a
changed look, now that she no longer saw
them through distorted vision.
"near Fred. what naughty wife | make
you. ought to be ashamed, and am truly
You are yet hardly started in business, and of
course want to be prudent till you know how
you are to succeed and | am burdenng you
with reproaches, and teasing you for every-
| thing that comes into my little, wlful head
| Oh! if that dream ha been true. 1t must
! serve me for lesson at any rate. [ was no
| happier in my sleep that had all those beau
tiful objects around me for which have been
wishing so constantly. And would they be
worth if friedrich did not love mc2 While
have him and the wealth of his deep affec-
lion, ought and will be satisfied"
The tears flowed dlwn the flushed cheek
not the bitter tears of unsatistied pride, but d
hearty, generous repentance. Before the tear:
were wiped away the door bell rang. The
shades had come. -
| fhnu, In xphirh