North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1866-05-30
gelert gtary.
THE WOMAN LOVED,

q very strange experience. cannot rec
ognize it as in any way just, or right, ol
good fer me. loved her so and / have
long been so in need ofloving deeply pure.
lv, feryenilv. / thought her a true wo-
man. Why could | mol have been allow
ed to believe that there was one true wo-
man in the world? But forget Mary,
my sister. All! am a bitter, cynical old
man. perhaps but was thwarted so cru.
ely in my youth! r.E a.
1t is romance, as / have limited.
look in the mirror at my wan old face, and
/ think the romance ended almost with a
tragedy.
| am not poor man. walk on velvet
carpets; dine off silver; have the most
luxurious house; the handsomest carriages;
the surest financial Iomances of any man
in the city, Yet, out OF my life, never
was happy but one bali year Comforta-
bic had been before that tine; but new
er in my whole life was happy but. one
short haifyear.
Once was poor man. At twenty
five had an income barely sufficient to
support me decenlly. Perhaps it was be-
cause | had neglected the study of my pro-
fes<ion to take care of my invalid sister /;
but in those days I was very poor indeed
We rented little house in the suburbs of
the CITY. walked into town to the office
of Black ana Storms every day. There |
was clerk read law with Mr. Sterns,
but was not permitted to practice, not be
ing well up in profession al knowledge
| / had 81 L
ing naturally ambitions and energetic, and
having no incentive to exertion while Ma
ry declared all her wants supplied.
NV lister and | lived very plainly, vet
nicely, at Brookside Sometime in the fu-
ture planned to buy the house; but the
execution was very remote. Mary went
quietly about ourIittle home, making it
comfortable and pretty. She. poor girl,
had no aim in life but to minister to me.
am afraid | never sufficiently valued her.
1t was her choice to perform herself our
little housekeeping, for she DID not like to
have any third person dwell with u. But
at last another person did enter our home,
and my heart.
One night Mary and sat together by
|
menber that there was no sound in the
room but the swapping of the Goals in the
CRATE and the rattle of the hail against the
window-panes. My sister was silently
reading; i sat with my book on my knee,
gazing at beautiful face which saw
among the yellow Goals, that looked like a
pile of gold. '.r a|. 49, .-,
Suddenly / heard the garden-gate un-
latch. listened, and heard footstep on
the walk. Laying down my book pre-
pared for the summons to the door; but
there was none. listened. thinking d =
tected, instead. faint cry; bnt The neXt
momen: believed | was mistaken, and
took up my book again. All the evening
| sat reading.
On preparing to retire | went to lock the
hall-door as usual Before doing so l op-
ened it. and looked out into the night. A
cry of surprise broke f:om me.
The dark, muff1ed figure of a woman lay
across the step ,......
Icalled to Mary to bring light. Lift
ing the woman brought her in As the
/ hood fell back from her face we thought
she was dead; but soon we found that she
was only senseless. She had beautiful
fsce-why did ever look upon it?
Her name was Cecilia Montaign; she
was a poor sewing-girl, and was returning
from the city with work, when, blinded By
the storm, size lost her wav.
After wandering about for hours, Devil
dered, she turned to our lighted cottage tc
ask for the road, and fell, exhausted, at the
door. So she told us when she could
speak. and lift up to my face the LOWEST
eyes ! ever saw.
She had no home or friends, and she
stayed with US. My sister liked her;
loved her. -E....
Nav came. The sunshine looked to mt
like liquid gold as it fell on me asI cam,
homeward at night. The birds sang ms
an argosy. Tenderest breczes came TO woo
me to the beautiful face which awaited
me And one of those jrwelled May days
told her that loved her. as..r
"Ard | love you." she said simply.
"And will you he nv wife, Cecilia, when
can take care of you !" ..... 81.
a will" .
looked into her ewes. think she low.
ed me then.
had but one relative besides nv siste,
"a wealthy bachelor uncle. who had once
offered to favor me if | ever wished tc
make decided start in the world Plan
ming for my future, resolved to apply tC
him for counsel ard assistance to render my
circumstances thriving t
Proud of her beauty and sweetness,
asked Cec ia to accompany me when
visited him.
He welcomed me cordially, and ever
poiteness could not conceal his surprise
and admiration as he observed Cecilia. =
He showed US every attention, conductin;
us over his superb house to display its Ia
test Improvements, ordering luxurious re
freshments to be served, and displaying
hundred objects, rare and costly, to our al