Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1866-08-16
THE WOMAN I LOVED.

! Perhaps my story is common one IN the an
mails of the world yet it seems to me very
strange experience. | cannot recognizeit asin
any way just or right, or good for me. lloyed
her so aud had long been so in need of low
ing deeply, purely, fervently. thoughthera
! true woman. Why could not have been al
! lowed to believe that there was one tsle woman
| in the world?. But forget Mary, my sister
! Ali am a bitter, cynical old man, perhaps
but was thwarted so cruelty in my youth
It's romance, as have hinted. Hook in
! the mirror at my wan old face and ! think the
romance ended almost with tragedy.
I am not a poor man. I walk on velvet car
pets. dine off silver have the most luxurious
house the handSomest carriages, the surest fl
nancial resources of any man in the city. Yet
out of my life, | never was happy but one half
year. Comfortable had been before that time,
but never in my whole life was happy but one
| short half year.
Once lcds poor man. At twenty-five /
had an income barely sufficient to support me
| decently. Perhaps it was because had ne
| elected the study OF my profession, to take care
! of my invalid sister, but in those days | was
very poor indeed We rented a little house in
| the suburbs of the city. | walked into townto
| the Office of Black & Sterns every day. There
/ was clerk. read law with Mr.. Sterns every
day but was not permitted to practice, not be
! ing well up in professional knowledge, for
/ had never studied very hard, not being natu-
rally ambitious and energetic and having no
incentive to exertion while Mary declared all
her wants supplied.
Ny sister and lived very plainly, yet, still
nicely. at Brookside Sometime in the future
! IL. al.
was very remote Mary went quietly about
our little home, making it comfortable andpret-
| ty. She, poor girl, had no aim III life but to
minister to me- | am afraid never sufficient
! " valued her 1t was her choice to perform
herself our little housekeeping, for she did not
like to have any third person dwell with US
But at last another person. did enter our house
md my heart.
One night Mary and sat together by tho
| hearth; it was winter weather. ] rcnIeHii,cr
that there was no sound in the room but the
swapping Of the Goals in the CRATE and the rat
tie of the hail against the window-panes. My
sister was silently reading; sat with my book
on my knee. gazing at a beautiful face which
saw among the yellow Goals, that looked like
pile of gold,
Suddenly heard The garden gate unlatch.
/ L lSlcutu,
Laying down my book, prepared for the sum-
mons TO the door, but there was none. lis
tened, thinking detected instead, faint cry;
| but the next moment ] believed | was mis-
taken, and took up my book again. All the
evening l sat reading.
On preparing 10 retire went to lock the
! hall-door, as usual. Before doing so, opened
it, and looked out into the night. A cry Of
surprise broke from me. The dark, mufled
! figure of a woman lay across the step. call
ed to Mary to bring a light. Lifting the wo-
man, brought her in. As the hood fell back
from her face we thought that she was dead
but soon we found that she was only senseless.
She had beautiful face-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, she lost her way. After wandering a.
bout for hours, bewidered, she turned TO our
| lighted cottage to 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 low
hest eyes ! ever saw. She had no home or
| friends, and she staid with US. Ny sister liked
! her. ! loved her May came. The sunshine
looked to me like LIQUID gold as It fell on me
! as | came homeward at night The birds sang
! me an argosyi Tenderest breezes came to WOO
me to the beautiful face which awaited me-
And one Of those jeweled May days told her
that loved her.
And love you, she said, simply. "And
will you be my wife, Cecilia, when / can take
care Of you ?" "I will" l looked into her
! eyes. think she loved nc then had but
one relative besides my sister--a wealthy bach
| elor uncle who had once offered to favor me if
/ I ever wished to make decided start in the
world. Planning for my future, resolved TO
apply to him for counsel and assistance 10 rem
der my circumstances thriving. Proud Of her
beauty and sweetness, asked Cecilia 70 accom-
pany me when I visited him, He welcomed
/ me cordially, and even politeness could not
! conceal his surprise and admiration as he OBJ
served Cecilia. He showed every attention,
conducting us oTer bis superb house to display
| its latest improvements. ordering luxurious re-
! freshmcnts TO be served, and displaying hun
dred objects, rare and costly 10 otr admiring
ewes. talked with him in private, and he
| promised me every assistance ] needed.
| The next day ne came to our house, and
/ brought my sister and Cecilia gift Of costly
books. did not see him, but he bad made
! them promise, / learned, to conc and spend
week with him. was ilattered by the request,
saw them go, and took up weeks abode in
/ the city.
| did not see them during that time, and e
very lonely evening seemed insupportable.-
But upon the seventh day l received note
from nv sister, bidding me come directly to my
uncle's house, in LennoI. When met her
she was fearfully agitated.
Mary, what is the matter y asked with
terrible pang Of fear.
..Cecelia has gone away" she said. "Be-
fore going, she gave me this package for you
She kissed me and bade me good-by. snd Oh,
! Weston, | fear"