Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1866-08-17

In like Q person undergoing some horrible
surgical operation, the pain of which ia 20
frightful, bat ssthe knife sharp and swift
For the rest with woman's keen intuition,
she NV that to punish him and save her
self, she must battle him. She had been In
THE little country town before now, and she
renssEbeeed at what hour the return train
used 10 DO due. She glanced at her watch !;
II lacked twenty minutes of the hour now.
fhen II was that she turned upon him. yet
In words 60 passionate with pain, that they
thrilled him almost with horror OF himself
| she swept from the room, regal with beau
" and triumph, beckonsd with her hand to
passing hack, promised the driver fabu-
lous sum II he reached the station In time,
and was whirled away amid a cloud of dust.
They had race for Il. The train was in
sight before they reached the station; IL was
puhiug away ss she mounted the platform,
but she was In time; safe, safe--for she could
get home now before she was missed, Yet
not quite--for she had resolved to confess all
there was TO confess to her husband, the in
slant she saw him.
John Barry heard her through; she did
not spare herself Little as be deserved her
love himself having never tried to win Il.
his vauity was touched in her caring for an
other more than himself and avowine that
she had cared. In words he fergave her, in
heart he never did.
He bscams ffom the hour of that frank con-
fession, ~ ceaseless In his surveillance of his
wile, as he had been careless. of her doings
before. It was not . loving tqsveiliiance; Il
became cruel despotism. Hs Withdrew his
wife almost utterly from that fashionable
world in which she had once delighted, he
made hcme-life as uncomfortable as sneers
and persistent crossing could make it.
watching from afAr, Leonard Hastings
knew perhaps that he murdered the peace
OF the woman who had loved him, almost q
he had meant to.
But tone day John Barry disd--died bless
ing his wife at the last. She had watched his
long sickness IKE an angel, and had con-
sciencs enough to be touched BY her devotion.
Florence Barry kept to her widow-h hood
faithfdlly one year. But she had not for.
gotten. She gradually resumed her old re-
lations 10 the world-the old relations--yct
unchanged. She had been the butterfly be-
fore, gay, childish, fitting She was the
woman now, matured and beautiful beyond
any ioveliness that had ever been hcrs in the
Old days Il was the soul Of q woman that
looked nom her great lustrous eyes. The
smile which sat on her lovely lip was such
as Cleopatra might have for Antony. Was
Florence Barry looking for her Antony7 IF
50, he was slow in acknowledging her spell
slow, yet yielding BY degrees. Leonard Has
tings IN trifling with Florence Barry's heart
had trifled also with his own. He had been
desperately In love with the woman be had
been 20 ambitious to punish from the mo-
ment she % promptly defed and bafled him.
He was more desperate yet when he beheld
her in her royal widowhood. She thralled
him, but be remembered what she owed him,
and feared her.
FloIence smiled to herself She meant de.
deliberately 10 humiliats him as hs had
mocked her. She calculated all her steps
with nice adjustment TO that particular end.
"l,et him love me as loved him once, and
| shall be content" she repeated 70 herself
constantly. And the day, came when she
knew that he did-wheu her triumph lay In
the dust ut her feet. @a
Leonard Hastings plead his csse with all
the old eloquence, but he meant more than
be could possibly say this time.
Florence listened, with her beautiful face
him on to speak, but she was In no haste
10 answer No oamount of suspense could be
more cruel than he had been to her. He
seemed TO understand her at last, TO oonject-
ture that he pleaded to deaf ear, and he
dropped the hand he had so passonately pos
scssed himsel Of. He stoodup before her, sad
and humble.
"You are quite consistent Mrs. Barry he
said sorrowfully, IL deserve to love you as
madly as do IN vain. long ago discovered
that had been presumptuous, wicked and
idiotic. II was not for me to presume to
teach any woman lesson for the sake of SO
insane a piece of humanity as Lewis Pass
more. Did you know that he was married."
Florence was looking away from him now.
He could only see her profile, but her lips
twitched little as she said.
"Ah' How singular that Mr. Passmore
should marry"
~ haven't had my answer yet" pursued
Leonard Hastings.
"True, let see, you were asking me-nay,
you asked mo nothing, sir. Yon were COM
ing to that perhaps" in silvery, quiet tones
Leonard Hastings bit his lips. ~ was
going to ask you to be my wife; ask il
now, Mrs. Barry. You see accept my pun
ishment. deserve any humiliation YOU
may choose to mete out TO me-"
81 accept your proposals, Mr.. Hastings"
said Florence, abruptly turning her back
upon him.
Leonard Hastings started, but Florence
was weeping. He sprang to her side.
"In mercy's name, Florence, don't mock
me-"
She lifted her beautiful fearful face, and
looked at him.
"Im not mocking you, Leonard. ] love
you better than / love my revenge, that 10
all" she said, almost sadly.
"Do you2 Oh, Florence, and you will
be my wife after sll I"
| "After ALL"
~ don't deserve II now, but II shall not
be my fault If do not hereafter" he said
humbly, and that was what came of Flor
ence Bary's hate.
IeA. DR.. T. s. Bell, an old and eminent
physician of Louisville, q man Of vast ac-
quirements and wide observation and expe-
rience, said the other day at q meeting Of
lsL- II ...l