Des Arc citizen., 1866-09-22
"A DEED OF SEPARATION .
BY MRS. ABDY.

BY MRS. ABDl.
 Emma Wilmot. a blooming sprightly girl of eighteen, was reading the news paper to her mother and uncle ill the boudoir of the former and had just fin- ished the account of an alarming fire in London. "Uncle," she said, ''I think there are very few sights that you have not seen; pray were you ever present at tremendous fire 2"
 "Yes, Emma" "replied Major Hervcy !; '1 was once present at a fire tremen- dous enough even to gratify young lady's taste for horrors: it was the most awful description of fire, because it was the work of an incendiary, and combustibles had been laid to give it's progress artificial rapidity it was not London fire either, where the spring of a watchman's s rattle acts as the wave of an enchanter's, wand ill procuring engines and assistance from every quar- ter. Ii took place in retired country situation, ten miles from any town, and, to sum up the horrors, it was at the house of my most dear and valued friends
 "Will you tell mo tho particulars,
 
 not make you sad to do so !'%
 "It will not make me sad, Emma, for that fire is connected with the most pleasurabe event in my life, and most happy am I, for the sake of my friends that it took place!"
 "Perhaps your friends were poor, said Emma; "had insured their house much beyond its value, and were glad of the additional money ?"g'N924a 2.
 "No, Emma, you are wrong; the house of my friend was certainly in surcd, but the insurance was beneath its value, and they lost many little ar ticles of use and ornament endeared to them by circumstances, and which no money could replace; however. they found an articleemorc precious than any they had lost" ."ar ad' as"H D 'Oh now guess the mystery-thcy discovered concealed treasure ill the sIins.p ssss te q 'fs'ss@ss lli~You arc at once right and wrong: they certainly gained treasure, or rather they regained it, for they had possessed it once, and wantonly cast it away" .,e,., as, .tI,,, Irsi..t..,1
 "Now, uncle, you speak in riddles; do tell me the story."a haa .'nIa4.
 Major, IIeryey looked at Lady Will mot, who gave nod and smile of as sent, and he began his. narratiNc.. "A bouttwenty years ago, Emma, wentto paya visitto q young married couple, for whom I had a sincere regard {; they lived in beautiful country house, surrounded by spacious grounds. It was spring; tlic whole ncighborhood sconcd one sheet of blossoms, and the clustering branches of the lilac and la burnuln, gave beauty and fragrance to- my walk through the avenue leading to- the residence of Sir Edgar and Lady Falkland. They were young, hand some, wealthy, intellectual, and yetmy visit to them was of melancholy na- ture. They, did not live happily to- gether. They had decided on 3 sepa- ration, and the purpose of my journey was to. inspect, and witness a deed of separate maintainancc. 's ln aHow very shockingw said Emma; "nothing can justify the separation ofa married couple" il8Ip oI&
 q do not agree with you there, my dear. "-said her uncle {; sthefe,z may be eireim stances which justify this pain. fIl measure: such. however, were not the circumstances of my friends; the moral conduct of each was uni1npeach- able, and they were free from eXtrava- eance and dissipation; but they were unfortunately. too much alike in res poets where it would have been most. desirable thai they should have differ ed: they were both naughty. eNactinS, irritable. impatient of sights. and ner- vously perceptible of sights where no one else would have desired them. l think the faults were as as nearly as n5ssible equal to each side. The lady complained of the want of attentions of . lover in her husband, and the gentle man complained that his wife would not condescend to dress, sing, or smile, for his qualification alone, as she was wont to do in days of courtshlp. They became contradictory, peeyish, and sullen,, and a fatal want of confidence ensued on every affair of life, whether trifiing orimportant." eipn
 "How different from my dear father and mother" said Emma, Hwho can. never keep anything a moment from each other.~~, si sao..e.i .yi.s. .a
 aThe confidence which they withheld from each other,Y pursued Major Her vev, sthey reposed in various quarters, and several of the friends. thus injudI- ciousTy distinguished made use of the idle and commons place phrase, "When, married people cannot live happily to-, pether,. it is. best for them to separate. This advice had an effect which sound CT advice often fails in having It was