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

not marry for love %
"Angie,i said I, cody, for really her
words only amused me, you will make
my head bleed if you use that brush 50
unmercifullys'
tsGraee Preston was his choice. and.
Z in justice to both the unhappy souls,
must say it was not the fault Of either
that they did not come together"
t'G7race Pr6stOn-OuT Grace 20 gasDed
I, greatly amazed, though by no means
believed one word of the story.
4Yes, dear. You profess astOuish-
ment. Is 1t possible you never knew of
their attachment DR.. Preston posi-
lively forbade the banns; not from any
objection to my brother, but because as
/ he said he could not allow his only
daughter to assume the care Of us two
invalids-mother was living then"
''Angeline Cunningham = said I rais-
ing my head and speaking with diff
Guilty. 40 you tell me this for truth 20
Don't look so wild, - cried my sister
in-laW; and believe she was a little
frightened, and would almost have re-
called her words. "It's the simple
truth, Rachel I've often wondered If
] you knew IT, you snatohed at Fred so
eagerly. He proposed to you the very
next day after Grace dismissed him."
rushed to the window for air. re-
member how cruelty bright 1t was out
of-dOors. I could not doubt Angeline's
Veracity. Fred had come 10 me with a
a
Lgroaned' 90 Fred, Fred, what have
you done 2''
1T was necessary, you see, y said An
geHne, deprecatingly; lit was absolute
some woman IN the house, and no do.
nestle would stay, for in mothers par
dDon'tl don't'' I entreated.
81 am sorry to wound you, ,, said An
/ gle, whose wrath was rapidly cooling
Es---7 81
struck home, doing more execution
than she had intended ttBEen do such
things every day, RacheIIp
4 My sister-in-law was an unframed
girl-Of eighteen, with DO experience Of.
/ the power of love, and very little deli
| cate intuition regarding the feelings of
! others. She had really no idea what a
/ wound she had inflicted
''Con1e. now, III tell you the whole
story, Rachel; it isn't very bads and
/ you mustn't blame Fred. He talked
1 with me that evening, and asked me in
/ a sort of desperation if j could think of
| any worthy young woman who would
/ consent to marry him with his encum-
/ brances. Hard, he said, that his dear
/ est hopes should be crushed but one
must submit to fate -
''Fate, p echoed I, in a whisper; ''child,
/ go on -
swell, Fred, said I, you'll be a kind
/ husband, I am sure but don't choose
Z Il QetllCllL4 " A16g 14k6 Ll46 CuI1tAIGl O1
! Benjamin. Marry Rachel Partridge,
| for she is one who would likely take an
/ interest"
mot another word, Angeline; spare
me, entreatg"
I I flew TO my chamber and shut out
/ the inquisitive sun. Denied even the
/ poor consolation Of believing I was my
husbands chosen housekeeper had
been recommended to him by his sister!
/ Happy wives, tell me- do you wonder /
/ ate my heart ? If I, this "worthy young
woman" +" could only go quietly to sleep
who was dearer to me than life had
married me to secure q hoUcekeeper |
who would 'Ffeel an interest"
And this Eery day, under his roof, I
must entertain Grace Preston, the WO- /
man he had loved, did love still /
heard the sound of childish laughter |
ringing out like mirth in a sepulchre. |
1t was recess-tine at the schoOl-hOuse |
under the 1i1-three O'Clock. I must /
dress for my guests. Must ?" Yes, |
thank God for cOnventionalities. No /
time now for thought as for tears, the /
fountain was sealed, and stone lay |
over it.
I finished my toilette and arrayed
myself becomingly sas well so,' /
said, Though it mattered little; should /
never care again for such triHes. I /
must go away tomorrow, back to my /
fathers house, To-day L would carry /
my head prOudIy-it would be the last /
time"
There was a knock upon my door
Fred's knock. He came in tired from
working in the meadow.
"Bravo, Rachel, how well you look. /
am particularly glad to see you in that
pink dress to-day"
''For. our guests sake, I suppose -
''To be sure. But Rachel, dear child,
how pale you are!'
'I think,'' said I raising the blind,
"this is no summer; only winter
painted green"
eyes, tits cold for the season-cold
for the aniable month of June, y replied
my husband, absently, then dropping
off into deep study.
Angeline's words rang like chimes
lizard, he said, that his dearest hopes
should be crushed; but one must sub
nit to fate" I did not pity him yet
Ny heart had only room for its own an
guish.
I had always had a surface acquain-
tance with Grace Preston, and had met
her frequently since my marriage; but
this afternoon I saw her as if for the
first time. Her face beamed out from
spray Of golden curls, her lips were a
pair Of rubies, inlaid with pearls. My
singing Jealousy maguifled her charms.
I could have rhapsodized like a lover.
My husband treated her with cordial
pOIiteness, nothing more; not a sign
I
their past romance. But this I noted,
and could not be mistaken, they were
both unhappy. Fred was constrained,
and avoided the danger of a tete-G-tete.
She, fancied, would have been less
scrup upuIOus, perhaps; still her manner
was sufficiently reserved.
Once, and only once, L saw their "er
rant eyes" meet. GTace's glance was
love and pity undisguised, and the hope
less agony in Fred's face smOte me like
l,z ~ = q !
next moment, however, that it was he,
not L, who had raised this everlasting
barrier. 1 had not voluntarily come be-
tween himself and Grace; it was he who
had summoned me to his side by his
free will. How had he dared to periure
himself? HoW had she dared enter his
house, knowing the pain she would in
fiict? They were always meeting and
could not recOllect that Grace had ev-
er seemed to shun an interview. Alas,
why had my fearful knowledge come
too late :?
I was constantly lapsing into reveries
like this; but, thanks to my strength Of
viii, managed to. struggle through
those long hours without losing my
pl esence of mind or betraying by the
Slightest sign my secret wound. I be-
lieve our guests were tOlerably enter
tanned, and carried away the i'm preston
that / at least was happy.
tVery likely they approved my sup
per, grOaned L lnWaEdly, FOR am not
a dancing daughter of Shiloh know
how to make yeast bread, nurse the
sick, and, as Angelina deiicately ex-
presses it, take an interest. -
I put my sister-in-law in bed with
my usual care, not emitting. the light
stand with the matches, candle, ice-wa-
ter, and silver bell. eRachel, - said she
queTulously, "why don't you smile +?
You look as if you were frozen"
I kissed her for reply, and left her
with a whispered good night, which
would have Kept her awake if she had
had heart and could have understood
my smOthered snguish.
All that afternoon, which was as long
as years, I had been maturing a plan.
I would set up a few hours, so I told
Fred, to finish a piece of work-head
work meant; and he, though generally
sOlicitous lest I should draw too large
ly upon my strength, offered no obfec-