North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1865-07-12

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tful rooms of his stately house-how she
would love to wander through them as their
mistress-the velvet carpet hers,-the exqui.
aite painting, the hot house, the carriage, the
servants, all at her disposal She would
have nothing to do but enter tain the visit
ors who came in through those massive
doors. 1t would not be heartIess life
The matter once decided, really married to
Mr.. Massie, there was no reason she could
see why she could not love him. He was
refined and handsome and devoted to her.
He was considerably Older than she was. and
would be his pet. If she had children they
would bring her no care. There would be
servants to attend to their wants.. to take
care Of them when they were fretful. She
need never be distracted by their humors.
She and they could have everything they
wanted. Her husbands affections would
never be tired by the sight of her, sad and
weary, her beauty faded by care. All the
way lay under clear sky. Why should
| she not choose?
She would, Her decision was made. She
was married to Mr., Massie,
| She hardly knew how the first years went,
only she had keen haunting thought that
she and Fred. could never be nything to
each other Besides her marriage, their diff
erence of social position placed a great
breadth betwe en them. She did not see his
face. She only thought of it with kind of
stealthy despair, now all right to love it was
gone from her.
There came summer day when she was
at the sea shore with her husband. She had
no children. The glttering pheton rolled
over the golden sand of Natasket. She lean
ed back among the velvet cushions, seeing
and knowing that the sea and sky wss beau
tiful, yet not caring. They had been to
Europe, and she had seen so many beautiful
sights that her weary heart was satisfied
Her husband sat beside her, silent his face
turned away. She could not love him, and
he long ago OWNED that she loved another.
To the world they were happy man and wife ;
to each other perfect strangers.
There were many who seemed to enjoy
the scene. Groups Of happy faced people
stroIled by. Children bounded past the
carriage. Some bathers, in gay scarlet dres-
ses, were frolicking in the surf, and row.
boat passed near he shore, the party within
singing. Some ladies galloped by on horse
back-the brightest faces she ever saw under
their riding hats. And with the sound of
ringing voices all around her, came the rush
and splash of the sea. Her languid eyes
wandered on. Suddenly her heart gave q
wild leap, and thea stood still.
On low, juttIng rock man knelt bathing
little child in the water. II was
Fred. She saw w'his face, with the fair hair
blowing over his forehead. She heard him
soothing and encouraging the half frightened
| child. 1t was pretty child, like cherub,
with its white, plump limbs. lShe knew why
Fred handled it so tenderly. 1t was his.
He took it out, wrapped it in a blanket
and carried 1t up the shore. A beautiful wo-
man with a little girl by hand, stood waiting
iOt LILO WIG CilIQleu UUlQcu
hair, like her fathers, was blowing in soft
loose curls about the shoulders of the little
! girl. The mother looked calm and sweet,
and had smooth chestnut brads dropping
about her Madonna face. What lovely eyes
she raised to meet her husbands smile To-.
G ether they passed away.
That picture haunted her through many
more cold listless years. She was sick body
and soul. of lfe as she lived il, and more de-
spairingly because she knew .
"That her soul (and this is the worst
To bear as she we'll knew,)
Had cen watching her from nrst
As sadly as God could do;
And herself herself had cursed p' ......
One night she louad herself in the crowded
gallery of hall. The place was all ablaze
wilh lights, and deafening with cheers. The
crowd flung up thusiatic huzza for the ora
tor before them. She could not see his face,
but she could hear his voice. she heard him
say that labor was the rightful heritage of life
and that well accomplished labor was the
glory CT life that God made love to cheer
the pathway of the laboring man, and that
tr ne love never failed to do so. That to the
honors cast upon him, the woman who had
cheered and upheld him-and to whom his
life was bound by the chain of their chill
drer's hearts had an equal right. To her
he owed his success-hcr he prayed the
crowd might praise.
She grew faint and dizzy, and blindness
came upon her. Half unconscious, she heard
enthusiastic shouts ringing to the dome. The
speakers work was done-they were carry
ing him on their shoulders. She saw his
calm face lifted above the crowd, but she had
known before who it was. She realized that
she had seen Fred Dane on the night of his
great snccpss and she had no nart IN /, an