Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-08-02

y Y
/ still less satisfied upon reflection. I
I must be deliberate. I would put on nv
hat and shswl and steal away, leaving
1 only a note with the words, "L have
/ gone home, Fred" Then he would
/ come to see me, and could explain my
self more calmly and clearly in my own
/ fathers house.
/ As walked softly across the hall for
] my Overshoes (there had been q show
er), Fred heard me and called out:
DO YOU know it's past midnight,
Rachel %
Coming directly" said I, hurriedly.
So could not get out of the house till
he was asleep I sat down to another
reverie, but the current had been dis
/ turbed; two opposing ideas seemed now
to have found their way Into m ,Jtain.
Either my marriage was sacred, or it
was not. According to some modern
thinkers, Gail Hamilton for instance, a
vnion without affection, or with affec-
ton only on one side, is nothing short
of crime. With others, marriage, how
ever lOyeless, is Of God, and cannot be
annuIled. I had read with pleasure
Calls "NeW Atmosphere, never ap-
plying her pity for Wretched wives to
myself. Now her words returned with
painful force It was easy TO guess
what she would advise a poor victim to
do in my case
Was she right, or was it Just possible
reasoning, and God would not hold me
guiItless for breaking my vows What
does the bible saY7 Does it anywhere
eDiOin il upon woman to leave her
husband because his ''hearJ is not with
her 2''
And stop: what would become of Fred
who was trying his best to forget his
unfortunate attachment? Could he OBJ
tain divorce on. sentimental grounds2
There was Grace Preston: what snare
might not be setting for these two, who
still loved one another?
NY torture was greater than ever, for
I was no longer clear as to the course
ought to pursue. I would inquire of the
Lord.
I started quickly. Some one ap-.
preached with ,stealthy footsteps: it
was Fred, looking haggard and miser-
able.
"I have not been in bed, - said he. ''I
had some accounts to look over. Why
Rachel what has happened ?"
Erred, - cried ]. with a sudden i'm
pulse which scarcely seemed to be of
my own viii, erred, sit down here by
me. pity you now. I could not at
first, for thinking of my own trouble"
"Pity me, Rachel? For what ~
t'I know it all, y said I. "Grace Pres
TOM
The poor man buried his face in. his
hands. 1.-THE Lord have mercy on me !
Who has told you that ?'
'Angelne; and, my dear husband,
believe me, I pity You. -
80 Rachel, II supposed II was a
fancy 1 might forget; 1 thought my will
was strong enough to master anything;
was angry with her I believed she
had ceased to love me I never dream
ed was bringing harm To you; Rach-
el, my wife, can you, will you forgive
me ?''
Strength was given me. to answer
"Yes," F." and that heartily.
i'It was wrong, Fred, very wrong.
No circumstances can excuse your de-
ceptiOn; but, as I hope for pardon,
will not condemn you. We will pray
that out of evil good may come. prom
ised to be your faithful wife: 1 will
you have a conscience. There is a bat
tie before you-yOu will fight it like a
man -
The poor fellow caught both my
hands and covered them with kisses. /
f'God bless You, - said he, Just as he had |
said before when promised to be his.
Rachel, if only she would keep out
of my sight!"
MY brain reeIed for very wrath at
those words. What woman, not quite |
a n angel, ever had ruth for a rival
WEAK girl, - said I as mildly !
as I could speak the words. ''Des- !
pise her Fred-despise her for her
lack of self cOntrOli A high minded |
woman would crush such an unhaIlow- /
ed passion under her feet-erush il as 1
nay husband strives to do"
"Ohs Rachel, you are just to mel |
have strivent'
+ eiI believe it, Fred. The old witchery |
may be strong, but there is hope yet. |
We will go away"
"What, Rachel? Leave Dilworth ? /
:"
"Not impossible, Fred. It Is a sacri- /
~ erTrr
when it is question Of right and /
''Noblest, best Of friendsl But where
can we go?'
I believe had never loved my hus-
band so well as at that moment, when
he, a self-reliant man, turned TO me
with the helpless submission of a /
naughty child.
"f have wrOnged you, Rachel-do
with me as you will.''
"This is a tumble-dOwn house, any
way,'' said Z, trying to smile. clark
hear the rats! There are a thousand
sad associations here, both for you and
Rachel. Let us go TO OOsoola. My /
Uncle John has a farm there for sale,
[ know all about the place. There is
less land than we have here, bat it
has been highly cultivated The soci-
ETY. of OOsOOla is better than this at Dill
worth. Poor Angie, who depends upon
excitement, will thank US for the
"But the outlay, Rachel! Consider"
tsI do consider, Fred, and I remember
that have money at interest. Let the
world say what it may of the plan, we
shall approve our own motives. You
see, Fred, there is really but one course
to pursue"
Well, we talked all night, my hus-
band and [; and the gray morning
found US with a settled purpose. What
.esE-- haF
py wives but had earned the peace
Of a good conscience. The suffering I
could bear now its first bitterness new
er returned.
We removed to OOsOola, for no earth
ly reason, the neighbOrs said, Shut to
please Fred's wife, who took a squeam-
ish notion against the old house. A
woman, sir, with will
Ofher oWn4'
We1aughed little at this, for we
understood one another.
If love was wanting, we were al least
friends.
One thing gave US mutual pleasure:
the magical improvement in Angie. Ia
a few years she repaid our care by re-
covering her health, and with il her
temper; or, more tFuthfully, perhaps,
her long discipline had softened the as
Derities of her nature At any rate, she
proved a precious blessing to her broth
sr and myself
Our removal from DilwOTth wrought
an entire cure in Fred's case. Indeed,
[ have doubted whether the same result
might not have been accomplished if
we had remained at home; for the very
night when we opened our hearts TO
one another, think Fred has felt for
me as he never felt before.
In the course of events, Grace Pres
ton followed us to OOsoola to live with /
her sister, Mrs. McClain. She is still
but simply state, and ex-
pect to be believed, that am a happy
wife, and the feeling OF jealousy is a
stranger to my breast.
have no faith in my friends, in the
theory that first love is by fatal neces-
sity an undYing passion, Being, if you
will have it so, strong minded wOm-
an, 1 am more than satisfied with the
entire devotion of my husband, and
willing to let the dead past bury its
dead. .-.
Sophie Nay.
-}
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