Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1868-05-28

Iaite gone. She did not answer him &
word, and had again fallen into that
ixed, unnatural stare. I thought 4
night rouse her by calling her thoughts |
,ack TO daily things. "Mary, dear"
baid, ssAlr. Rdbihson must be hungry /
lfter his journey; won't you get him I
some supperep ag,
she iefs the room without q word
mechanically, like one in a
dream. Half an hour passed, during
which Robinson had given me a sketch
of his shipwreck. Ii was the old story
-the same, with variations, that DE
Foe and Tennyson and Adelaide Proc-
tor have told, Heand his two COM
panions had been washed on an island,
rich in beautiful vegetation, Eut intin-
itelyl dreaFy its solitude through the
long, long years of Watching to which
the castawsys we're dooned.1 He told
me how hope had almost died out,
when one morning, at sunrise, they
saw ship steering for the island, sign
aled her, and were taken on board. :
She was "The Zephyr bound for New
York; and In o little, more than two
months she brought them home.
When Robinson had finished his
story. / went out to see what had be-
come OF his wife. She was IN the pan,
Itiy, standing before Wilhe's cup, ana
the blessed tears were streaming down
| hN face. As soon as she saw me she
fell on nv neck, sobbiDg convulslVely;
"Must / give him Willie's cup No
lips have touched it, since he went
away. How can give it to that man
| | let her cry until she was exhaused,
then raised her gently and carried
her to bed. .,
''Iie there fifteen minutes, dear: by
that time / shall have supper ready.
She obeyed as little child might.
When I went to her she was white and
still, her lips closed. Alarmed, l
called her hastily by name, and she
raised her eyes to mine. There was
still the same fixed glitter in them. |
lifted her from Che bed, and arranged
her dress; she was quite passive nnder
my hands. q ea E%t wLTl
II was dreary supper, and a more
dreary evening. But at last it came to
an end, n x{e Ia o5es
I lay half the nightturning restlessly
on my lounge. The moonlight pouring
acroes the room in broad stream.
Willie's picture looked down on me
with an unearthly expression: Willie's
armchair took weird forms in the dim
light. l thought over the rapid sue
eession of events until my head grew
dizzy with thinking. Then the re-
proaebfnl eyes OF young Willie seemed
staring me from the dark corners in
the room; aud, mingled with his youth.
ful traits, came Thorough features and
sinister eye OF the adult Robinson.
Through this chaos Of faces Mary's,too,
came up, just as had seen her when
stood at the door Of her room, bidding
me good night, her eyes large with ter
| ror, and her hands stretched out to me
for help--for help, alas ! which how
could l give her? For was he not her
husband? Andisit not to her husband
that woman must cleave?
Suddenly my heart stood still. The
! little woman herself crept noiselessly
from the bedroom-her face looking
horribly wan in the moonlight-crossed
| the parlor and knelt in the accustomed
spot. Her hands we're raised above hel
head; her upturned face was convulsed
with an agony of appeal; but for q time
no words came from her lips: she sanh
PROSTATE on the floor. "Oh, my Godp
at last she moaned; 'Willie has gone
from heaven-gone from heavenl / have
lost himl Oh, where is he?" Then she
glided back as silently as she had come
but the bitter moan sounded in my earl
the long night through.
The next morning she wore the SAINT
stony face. 1 stayed with her threl
weeks, and then returned to my owl
home, which had, meanwhile, beer
thoroughly renovated / could sit ii
/ eace before my fireplace now, with
out fear of storms or risk of draughts
/ could sit in peace, outwardly, but m!
mind had little rest. At intervals o
two or three days 1 went over to Sc,
the little woman. Month by mOntl
her face grew smaller and her eye
larger and brighter. Their glitte
haunted me. otts-yy ,.t3
More then year passed. One cheer
> full morning, in early spring, l wa
ironing in my kitchen: a pleasan
breeze came through the window: Tia
blithe birds without made the orChar'
vocal with their lively twitterings. ant
bed of strawberries in the garden de
lighted my eyes with its white bios
SONS. Life seemed pleasant to me thi
bright morning, and my hands move,
. briskly at my work.
A shadow fell across the ironing
board, and caused me to look up. =
., There was Mr.. Robinson standing j
the doorway. The weather-beaten fac
had changed much in the year--an ur
happy year It had been to him-but il
events had stirred the gentler part c
his nature. He looked even saddle
than usual this morning, aud his voic
was low and subdued: n l4 4
"NIiss Jemims, my Mary seems low
, or than common; she's clean given ou
and gone to bed. My rough hand
! and ways amt no account in sic
room; wouldn't you just step over an
! see if you could help her any2
! wouldn't ask it if I could get alon
! without you"
| "Instantly," / replied, putting o
my bonnet. "I will lock up the hout
! and 90 back with you"
1 found Mrs. Robinson lying on HI
!, bed, the room darkened. She locke
: up, at me and smiled-a sweet, dil
smile-- then, closing her eyes, she 10
quite still Hour after hour, that
sat BY her bedside, she never move
nor spoke. In the evening Isent 4
!; the village doctor--a quiet, meek lit
! fman-who shook his head, locke
doubtful, and left some powders.
H.. r. A. 1a.a o,n1 IL,