The mountain Democrat., 1865-06-17
. TWO LIVES IN ONE.

learn to submit to younger judgments,
even as in my youth l submitted to my
elders. In some cases extremes meet. !
ask attention to my story only because it
is true. Whether it is strange or not,
hardly know it is strange enough to me.
More than fifty years ago, my brother
Stephen and lived together. in a village
about ten miles from New York, where
he was in practice as surgeon. Stephen
was thirty-two; | eighteen. We had no
relations but q sister, five or six years
older than myself, and well married in the
city Stephen was a solitary and studi-
GUS man, living somewhat apart from his
neighbors, and standing almost 10 faith
erly position toward me. Through the
years we had lived together, no one had
thought Of his marrying. Thus it was
when the events have to tell began
The house next to ours was taken by q
Mr.. Cameron, q feeble e-lookiRg man, rather
past middle-age. with one daughter, Ma
rion by name. How shall ! describe her
the most beautiful creature ever sawS
She was, perhaps, twenty years old;
never knew her age precisely. A tall,
slight forpl, fair complexion, dark chest
nut eyes and an expression more like that
of an angel thaO human being. Though
/ vas much struck with her appearance,
Stephen seemed not to notice 1t; aud we
nigh have remained unacquainted with
them iIrev sr, but that he was required TO
help Mr.. Cameron over an awkward stile
opposite our house. Acquaintance once
made, they soon grew familiar; for they
had two feelings in common-a love Of
tobacco and Sweden borgianism. Many a
summer evening diG they pass, smoking
the one and talking the other, Marion
sometimes joining in, TO-" she generally
walked with them, while ny chest, which
was weak at that time, kept ne at home.
One day they quilted Stephen at the gate,
and us he entered the door said to him ::
uow lovely Marion is! am never
tired of looking at her,"
Look at her while you may" said he;
she has not three years to live"
Ii was only too true. She had some
dreadful complaint aneurism, | think it
was-which must carry her off in the
flower Of her days. Stephen told me that
he had consulted the most eminent doc
tors without getting any hope; and the
emotion, rare enough in him, that be dis
played, told me that he loved Marion.
said no word 10 him about it, knew bet
ter but saw with what dreadful doubts
he was perplexed. Excitement might
shorten Marion'S lile-such an excitement
as declaration Of love from him might
be Of material injury; and even if it did
not prove so, how could he condemn him
self 10 the prolonged torture Of seeing the
life Of beloved wife ebb away day by
day. Besides, he thought she did not
care for him. who bad watched her
ceaseleSsly, knew that she loved him with
ber whole heart He struggled With him
elf 6ercely; but he won the fight. lie
looking older and paler hut he had learn
ed 10 mention her name without his voice
quivcring, aud TO touch her hand without
holding his breath hard She was pining
away under the influence of his changed
manner, and ! dared not help my two
darlngS to be happy. An unexpected
aid soon came. Mr.. Cameron, who was
IN bad health when we first saw him, died
suddenly. Poor Marion's grief was terri.
Die to see. Her father was dead, Stephen,
as she thought, estranged and there was
no one else in the world who cared wheth.
er she lived or died, except myself. ]
brought her home with me, and was with
her hourly till Mr.. Cameron's funeral
How We got through that time hardly
know. Then came the necessary inquiry
into his affairs He had died, not alto.
gether poor, but in reduced circumstances,
leaving Marion an annuity that would
scarcely give her the luXuries her state
Of health required. And where was she
to live and what TO do? Stephen was the
sole executor, the one adviser to whom
she could look. lie took two days and
nights to consider, and then offered her
his hand and home. At first she could
not believe that his offer arose from any
thing but pity and compassion /; but when
he had told her the story Of the last few
months, and called me to bear witness to
it, great light seemed to come into her
eyes, and wonderful glow Of love, such
as had never seen, over her face. left
them to themselves that evening, till Ste
bhen tapped at the door of my room, and
told me all--nothing, in fact, but what l
knew long before. In their case there
was little cause for delay. TrosSeaus
were not the important matters in ny day
that they are in my grandchildren's; and
Marion was married TO Stephen in her
black gown, within o month OF her faith
ers funeral.
The next few months were happy
time for al Of US. Marion's health i'm
proved greatly. The worried, frightened
look she used to wear left her face as she
recovered from the depression caused by
her constant anxiety about her father, and
the loss Of rest she suffered in attending
upon him at night. 1t seemed as if she
was entirely recovering; and Stephen, il
he did not lose his fears, at least was not
constantly occupied with them. How
happily. We used to look forward to tue
future, for Stephen was beginning to save
money and how many we're our day
dreams about professional eminence for
him, and fashionable life in the metropo-
lis, partly for Marion, but mostly for me
I have tried fashionable life since, but |
never found it SO happy as our days in
that dear old village.
Well, our happy time did not last long.
Marion caught q cough and cold as the
winter came On, and was soon SO i'll as to
have to be taken to the city for advice
Stephen came back alone, with a weary,
deathly looking face. Marion had broken
small blood vessel on the jOurney-not
Anything serious in itself, but ominous
enough. They were to go at once to a
warmer cIimale-not day to be lost -
+SOrreyfufy. | packed up the necessary
things, and went with Stephen to New
York the next day, to say good byS to
EMStio1e VINO, had been forbidden to go
Y hama :. Tho sn,na Afternoon theY were on