Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1866-02-17

Eloped Every one was shocked of
course, but no one was very much surpris
cd. am afraid some Of poor Leah's dear
five hundred friends were inwardly delight
ed while they pitied Ihat poor girl from
the bottom of their hearts. 1t was shock
ing, certainly; bridegroom clipping with
bridesmaid, but better sure to elope three
days before marriage than three alter
The newspapers chr onicled the event far
and wide, and the marriage which follow
cd and Leah Kirke, in her own quiet
room, read it all. Read it, as girls do
read such things when the man they love
and have trusted betrays and deserts them.
Read it, with mute, womanly patience, that
is dumb while the heart is breaking, and
that only shows itself in the white face au d
baggerd eyes, and lips that forget how to
smile. What she felt in those first few
days, what she suffered, none but Heaven
and herself ever knew but she came out
of her solitude wasted and wan, the shad-
ow of her former self, and took up the
burden of life Ogaiu with the same un-
complaining womanly patience. She was
Leah the Forsaken, indeed pittied by
her friends, sneered al by her enemies, be-
trayed by the mau she loved and the cous
in she trusted and it was all very hard to
bear, and people wondered how she could
remain so quietly OF home and endure it.
She smiled family when some one told hor,
and looked at the speaker with sad, quiet
eyes
L have only been unfortunate, she said ,
Ihave committed no crime; have wrong
ed no one why then should fly | have
learned at least in my humiliation that
There is love that never fails,
, When earthly loves decay.
Tell them TO let me alone ; l shall not
die Of a broken heart
No she did not die suppose there
e is no such thing out Of novels as dying
o with broken hearts, else the half of u:
. would have been dead long ago. Leah
: Kirke did not die, she lived o very quiet
unromantic useful life, doing good ant
i finding friends wherever she went. Blu
she was not the Leah of other days, will
r the clear laugh the bright face, and mer
,. ry jest. She was quiet, grave womal
l. all at once, very thoughtful and tender tc
q others, and very pitiful to poor human
Y weakness, as those who have suffered dee]
70 ly are aptto be.
,r 1t was hardly possible to forget, hard
- possible she could fail to desire to Lno'
"A something of the life Ralph Gordon lie
~ with bis wife That knowledge was Leah
in revenge, if she had ever desired revenge
.. Mrs. Gruudy declared, Of oil the mad an
-, ilI-sortod unions that ever made men an
women wretched there never was an
,s equal to this. lie had married a doll
80 insane, silly, and frivolous, foolish fir
bo with not enough selt-respect to save he
good name. Mrs. Ralph Gordon was lht
ho most despicable of creatures, a marie
r0 Hlrt, and Mr. Ralph Gordon was, what
deserved 10 be, the most miserable oil mel
or So, while the quiet months Of the tbil
year wore on, and Leah Kirk had four
bo calm content once more, she heard omi
so Gus stories of bluc-eyod cousip Clara al
nj, her unhappy married life. She sat in t
,at old porch one other August night, thin
,at ing of them forgivingly and pityingly, al
Of that other August night when they thr
an had met for the last time. She was thin
ing of them aud of herself, thinking ht
I'M old and worn she felt at heart, few as h
years had been, when shadow came /
I tween her and the moonlight, aud t
man stood before her. She uttered one C
ok she rose up--her face whitening as s
to looked at hiA, ghastly as walking corp
Il have dared to come to you, teat
he said, in q voice that did not sound Ii
ast the voice of Ralph Gordon, "hecnus
an am such an utterly miserable and degrt
the ed wretch that even YOU can pity and
nm. give me. am leaving the country
ST morrow forever, and come to ask ons
the vor of you before we part for life
,st. Leaving the country forever" Lt
gasped "and your wife -
lus. His ghastIy face seemed to grow gh'
ACE lier in the moonlight at that question.
"My wife has gone before me.
ma. eoped once with me she eloped yes
this day with another man. don't kl
sing where sho has gone, and dou't care,
the child she has left me; it must not &C
adv perdition after its parents. Will you t
ned it, Leah Kirkc, and give it your name
sew. They call it Clara now. You women
seat. either angels or devils if you are
don angel think you are, you will do this
weet of mercy for desperate man.