The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1867-02-01

shall write to you duly. DON'T attempt
to delay me another moment"
He spoke in hard, severe tone-put
her gently on one side, as she blocked
his passage-and was gone; A moment
after we heard the carriage ftil from the
door. Isabel clasped her hands.
Am l not laundering fool ?" she
cried, passionately. 81 never make an
attempt to heal but I widen the breach.
He thinks, now, am playing part
wanting to convince you am neglect |
ed wife"
She walled restlessly up and down
the room. had not much to say in the
way of consolation. / had felt from the
first that it was irapolitic to have insist
ed on my presence during the interview,
but she had overruled my objection
and 1 Was deeply grieved to see matters
were worse between them than l had
thought. l had hoped last night that
Isabel had exaggerated or mistaken her
position:
"And it docs not seem so very long
ago." continued she, gloomily, that he
never left me for few hours without Il
tender farewell. never came into ths
room but he smiled and gave me a seat
near him. He could scarcely pass me
now"
"Oh, child" said, "you must have
acted very i'll !"
"Unyc not told you sos" she retur,i-
bitterly; "and do / not suffer for il :?
He never loved me as ! love him now.
What long patience he had with me
blind to my selishness, indulgent to my
vanity, giving me so much with such an
ungrudging lavishness, and only asking
me to acknowledge it and love him !!
Can blame his sister that she helped
him to discover lirw unworthy was ?"
fear,' said, "she still does you
harm. She will not be here when your
husband returns. l cannot believe, Is
abel, that when left alone to exercise Il
judicious influence, you will not regain
the place you have lost. There must be
some tenderness left for you in his heart ;
your love must feaiiiinate it,"
Sic shook her head. "No; despair
of it. His love and pride have both
been too deeply wounded. He does not
believe that what feel is love, but CT,
pricc-the desire to regain power and in
: iluence lost. lie does not think l love
my children; but we cannot continue tC
live like this. If there is no change fol
the better on his return, we must part
We"
The entrance of Mrs. Nividii ARRESTED
the conversation she appeared in {
} most elaborate morning toilet, and ap
parently in superintendent spirits.
at was cruel of you to forbid my
wishing MY BROTHER good-by, Mrs. Lof
inter-" she said gaily. 81 tried to hal
, him from the window; but the noise OF
the wheels, or his grief in parting from
his Isabel, made the effort vain. | wisl
MY engagements permitted my staying
day or two until yorr spirits had raj
| lied"
t This was intended for sarcas1i1, for, d
course, poor Isabel was doing her bes
to appear cheerful and uncOnccrncd
and, as she had said, she had alway
: succeeded so we'll in this doubtful rus
| as effcctually to deceive her husband a
we'll as her sister-in-law. Mrs. Vivian
t chatted on while taking her leisurel,
t breakfast, until the effort Of repartce be
t came too much for Isabel, and she LET
the roUm Under the excuse of going t
t her nursery. Left thus alone with tn
stranger guest, sudden resolution sei2
t ed me. l had been studying Mrs. Vi
| VANS countenancC for some time atten
t lively, and | came to the conclusion
t that though her manners might NO
t please me, there was no indication o
< wont of heart or intelligence i'll he
@ phisiognomy, and that |, in my turn
e would make sudden appeal. Whe
o she rose to excuse herself for leaviu
: me to make her final arrangements TO
@ her departure, begged her to remain
V few moments longer, as had matte
of Importance about which J was anN
|. ious to consult her. She reseated hcl
it self Immediately, with an air of undi'
l. guised surprise; then, on sudden, h(
brow clouded.
= at is about your niece ?-about Mr.
= Lorlmer and my brother. DO not Il
s. us speak of it, my dear Madam. shoul
l. be really grieved to hurt your feeling
II on the subject but it was one ON wiic
J. | cannot trust myself to speak calmly,
,r She was going, her tactics of retre'
/ evidently corresponded with those
1t Mrs. Lorimer, but | intercepted III
ID boldly.
!. {" DO let me speak," 1 urged. 81 al
= so thoroughly convinced that Isabel
~ misunderstood, wronged by both
If you; unconsciously, of course, but sti
N wronged. \ little explanation"
Z, But / had chosen my expressions i'll
=, "Wrongedw Mrs. Vivian repeatC
. with flashing eyes" wronged ~
~ 81 beseech you to lie patient" / sal
st half smiling. 81 am but Il bung,il
b. old woman, but love my niece as II
ne own child, and | cannot witness her Il
he happiness without some attempt, ho'
ever awkward, to arrest it. Do "
ed imagine she is happy, Mrs. Nivian"'
J., "Yes, or at least imagine her to ha
ne u constitutional guarantee against t
reverse" was the reply; "an entire
cd unmitigated hearlessness. Oh, my de
ur Madame, you touch sore place byyo