Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-02-17
NAf,E 4 LIFE.

= X II My husband was more devoted
than ever my lever had been. lie seemed
never happy save in my presence; hurrying
home at night so that he might not lose an
heur of the pleasant evening.
Six months passed away ere a cloud an
pesrcd in my sunny sky, thenthere came q
| change. My husband Mas the same, and yet
not the same--the same passionate tender,
ness, the same stormy way Of showing his
love, but mingled with sudden, iitful changes
OF temper foreign to his own nature at one
mon1cnt multiplying kisses upon my lips and
eyes, thenext s,riding moodily off without a
word Of explanation. This, with my sterious
absences from home every few weeks, occa-
stoned me some anxiety ; but not yet WAS the
| full measure Of my trust to be brokcn, for
trusted Paul as | d d the angels "Busincss
calls me away" he said, and | grew morc
tender after each absence, fer feared his
affairs were becoming embarrassed, and that
fearing to grieve me, he-was trying to con.
ccal it.
Oh, those golden, happy years! Looking
across, it seems but yesterday; and yet the
grass and flowers of eight and Thirty summers
are sown between the "then and now" Paul
was still good and kind rrodigsl of caresscs
and tender pet names, AID his great dark
eyes grew heavy with tenderness, as he pres
sod me TO his heart. ... -.
should have been very happy with all
this tenderness Of paurs; with my pleasant
home, and the little baby that cano by and
by to help halve the love bore for him
But was hot for with all my wild lcve 70,
Paul, With all my tenderness for my baby
there was Tantalus fear in my beart-u
dread Of somo coming calamity. | scarcely
knew when ceased TO be happy and learned
TO be sad. Something impalpablo grew up
between us--not coldneSS, not careleSsness--
simply that we were far drifting apart.
| In the spring Paul had business that called
him TO Philadelphia. lie vas gene from us
two months. Ii seemed like an eternity;
thought | should have sorrowed my soul out
during those long weeks, or grown blind
watching down the lane.
He had been i'll, he said, and lost heavily
by unfortunate speculation. That was all
no explanation Of his mysterious absence, nc
word of regret at my loneliness, no tender
ness for baby. The gulf between us widen
cd, till even hope could not bridge it over
1t was in October, when the crimson ma
pie and golden tassels OF the shumac made
"y i'isSt HVhic ~ SoiEtDuS, Wnen tnl
knowledge came to me that Paul was learn
ing to love the red wirc. denied il fierce
ly when my mother first told me il was
whispered about. turned boldly away, ro
fusing TO listen further; Paul, my husband
and baby's father, was dearer to me than The
mother that bore ma.
A few weeks Of rcstleSsncss, Of watching
and prayer then knew that my idol had
| fallen.
could not give him up. hssirgcd hcav
en- with my prayers that he might bc saved
from that fearful fate; that baby might be
spared the wretchedness Of seeing my re
spect and love die out, and De powerless tc
save it.
The fatal habit grew upon bin. coming ai
intervals of two or three months, like some
blasting simeon, bringing anguish and desc
lation in its track. Nhen reason would
again resume her sway he would mourn ovol
his sin, and weep in bitterness oE soul.
Paul was as yet no vulgar drunkara, reel
ing home night after night, making his hom,
hideous with his presence. Months went by
during which the fatal cup never passed hi
lips. and once, whole year. Baby had lonI
paSsed into Master Willie, md q baby broth
er held his old place. They were fine bows
handsome and brave, and thought, as year!
went Oh, how they would reclaim their IA
ther.