Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-07-17

hand strong rs she grasped his arm.
Sir, you pity me, tell me the worst
at once; | can bear it
Madam, your husband and bis party
have been waylaid and murdered by The
Indians
All? Did none escape?
Not cnep
She turned sha' ply, leaving him with
out n wori, and he saw her enter the
house, and close the door after her--and
that was the end. He would never
come back any more, no matter how pa
tienrly she might wait and watch. lie
would never know that he had son,
neve, louked upon the lutte chubby face,
with its bold, blue eyes and sunny curls
% like his OWL. From henc,forth her
heart and home were desnIaled.
And this was the snnvt rsary of her
wedding day. Six years ag.,, and she
was h ppy bride. Five years she hai
been heart broken widow Her bow
slept in his little bed, and she sat there,
thinking. thinking. and gazing out at
the low laden sky. and the wind tosse
tr. e.. The night was closing in rapidly.
night oi storm and darkness. The
rain came down in great smoking sheets.
and the wild, waling winds rushed
round the gables. aud went sweeping
oyer the hills like human souls IN NC
.,ny. Her heart ached with desola
ton that se-mrh almost insUpporlabe
Lif. WAS SD dark, yet for the boys sake
she must endure and live on.
She ookcl down at her sable gar
ments with bot, binding teers. SIX
years ago, and she was robed in gems
aud Ul,ssnms. II $ face, his very voice
seemed To come back 10 her. and she fan
ciel that his SIP rit must be near. No
matter how high above her. how happy,
sic knew ia: ne loved her still, and his
81 .rified spirit may have left lis home of
bliss to keep with her that sacred ami
v.rssry; that fancy consoled her beyond
expression. She glanced over at the
sleeping by with din hope that bis
father loved and watched over. Then
u sudden impulse shot across her mind;
she would not keep the anniversary of
her wedtiing-day in her garments "f wild
dow hoo,l-->he would put on the dress
he loved. If he knew aught of her poor
sad life, be- should see bt W sacrcdIy she
remembered and observed his simplest
wishes.
Stealing up to her chamber, she took
Il. 4 81, L..
growing yellow with time, and the pref
jet aud gold ornaments, aud arrRyed
herself as in days gone by; and the oh
bloom came hack to her cheeks and the
brightness to her eyes aud she seemed to
.lr" her years and her widdnw hood.
aDi to spring out fresh into brauty at
her esrIy maldenhond. Tins arrayed,
she went down seated herself before The
blazing fire. Her face fearful aud expec-
tant. If his soul were near. and she
chung to the hope that 1t was as she chung
to life, he should Sc how ;euderly she re
memhered him.
The anniversary nigh: wore on, wild
and still lh" poor wife. half dazed by
her terrible sorrow, sat by her lonely
hearth stone. rubed in her festive gar
menis. At last there came step with
out, p sharp, impatient step, On the gra-
vel but she did not hear it. A weary ,trav
el worn man, bronzed by xlo,uie, aud
pale with long endured g'i"f. came up
the fir mt enterance. and pa sed beneath
the window. Through the parted Gu
ia rs sl,on the rud fre ght, reve'
ing the I'm. attractive ~ m-the OLD
ftmiiar =. ON, with his hat upon the
W; II, and hooks and meerschaum
upon the mant e, unmo,cd MS he had
IeiI them; rev..ale The kitten purri z an
The rug, and the lttiH. uncertalned b, d
IN the distance, and The dear. sweet, face
covered with tears, aud the dress he los
ed in happy days that seemed too far
back to the vandprer 10 be real Was
il all dram? Was that the wife from
whom he had so long been parted, whose
fac hal been present with him through
all his lonely hour. Of peril AMI imprs
Was she 'raili'g and watch
ilg. and keeping his home bright for his
r-turns
He left the window. stole softly tn the
porch. and approached the sIds-door -
He raised the latch; 1t ope..ed, he stood
upon the threshold.
Intent upon her own musings, her
Own sweet memories and sad r, fl'ctions,
Maud heard no sound. Her heart was
{ back with the husband she had loved
su vel. The oil dre>s had revived oil
associations aud his very presence seem-
ed around and about her. She looked
up with clasped hands and streaming
eyes
'Oh. Harry! oh. my husbandr she
murmured. if you know how | love you,
how mourn your loss, surely your soul
might speak to mine, and tell me that
you are near To me.
Maud. INV wfe. my darlngp
Sire started Ia her feet with q wo- der
ing, startled look. There be stood. worn
anil weary, changed from the man he
had been. but the wife recognized him in
an instant. Frra moment solemn awe
fil.d her ewes. and her love hesitated and
trsmbled in the presence of spirit from
the other world; but the next instant she
he'll him in her arms with wild cry T.
oh. Harry. my husband! you are
no, dead. you have :come back to me.
HIS passionate kisses on her face, her