Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-04-25

n was long before her father could get
he, ~ o.,, hsr dreadful post of silent watch
Ia, hut when she at length threw herself
on the sofa with wild cries Of agony. il was
AN moro terrible 10 see that white. des-
pairipg face, as she raised it, tear.stained
and couvulsed, to her fathers, saving
through the choking sobs, land We parted
in angel
Oh, careless words, SO lightly spoken
what sgonlzlng fruit were they bearing
now ! Poor Agnes they could not induce
her to go to bed through that long, weary
night.
"Oh no, nor sho sobbed. III must stay
up till oh Edmund Edmundr' and the
shuddering pause spoke more plainly than
any words could speak.
But few such nights can come to any
woman and thank God. in his mercy, such
sgony can last but one night in . lifetime. The
arrow may remain in the wounded heart
yeareafter year, but the fearful thrill Of its
entrance can come but once. q n
The DALI gray light broke q ~. The
rising sun tinged the soft cray Sloudf MIN
rose and amber; the little birds twittersd
gaily and blithely ence more among the
dew spanglsd tsseo, and Life proceeded on
iss accustomed way, taking no heed Of that
weary widowed young hsart-that fntpea
rubbed ofevosy ahonel M@sz
Agnes lkrsw 3 lks Window .hatthe III
morning breeze might cool her aching,
burning brew, and leant out to gaze with
heavey, swollen eyes on tine lovely scene
before her, though oil unconscious of its
loneliness. Her father, worn out with sit
ting up hour after hour, in vain endsavors
to sooihe her Wild agony Of grief, lay Sleep
ing heartily on the sofa, his wrinkled face
looking more wrinklsd, and his gray hair
greyer in tho clear light Of the early morn
Ing
Oppressed by the dull stupor that follows
excessive wedding. Agnes stood leaning
against the window, listening to the whistle
OF the passing laborer, or the caug -claup
ofths gardeners sharpening scythe, as he
moved the lawn, unconscious that his mas.
ter was manglsd corpse, and his mistress
. wid,v. for be he'd left his work before
the sad report reached the servants ears.
The distant roar Of an approaching train
struck On her ears. and Agnes shivsrsd d
the terrible sound, and, covering down on
the stone step u The wisdom sill, bsrisd
her face in her hands to shut oct sight and
sound, and al that reminded her Of the
terrible grief that had come - hoe yeuno
life. She % far succeeded, that che heard
nothing Of an approaching step On tn,
gravel. but sat On, buried il her bite
thoughts, till the sound OF her name in {
well known vsics 0a1s her sprisg u 10
feet with . wild cry, cad il ansShef mo
ment she Was In Der husband's arnsi
my swn Agnss-my daslingl wha
does shis meant no asked, in bssildeess
surprise, which WAS certainly not diminish
Cd BY her excited answsr
"Oh Edmund, Edmund |" she cried
"they said ysu were killed. Edmund
my husbandi"
who did when p asked the astonish
Cd young man but he could gain no an
swsr, till Mr.. Wynard, reused from hi
sleep BY his daughters cry, came forward
and asked how he he'd escaped the smasl
Of yesterdays express.
"Bscauss never was in It," be replied
} ibid net Agnes get ny aets 2"
mo, Agnes got ne note" replied be
) father I; and one Of the passenger tsld N
he Rad seen you enter tho train se0
minutes before it started. You were il
one Of the 6rst carriages. be said. and the,
were smashed, and nearly all the passen
gers killed"
"rhat is quite true" replied Edmund
with grave face; "5ut before the trail
started | received = telegram to say IN,
, father was worse, and to beg me to com
to him Immediately. | wrote . line on tn
leaf Of my pocket book, to tell Agnes wha
! had happened, and gave it to poor Southey
who was sitting by my side. begging hin
to let Agnes have it at once but suppos
the poor fellow was killed. then went t
.. my father. who died At o'clock this morn
ing; and rs soon as could get away
!, came home. So my poor little wife ha
passed night OF widowhood and misery
Agnes. have you no word fer me now
have returned? ?"
Agnes raised her pale. tear stained fac
to his with = look Of trsmulous joy, to
deep for words. whispering, ooh Edmund
it made it SO trebly dreadful to think tina
!, | We had nartad in anOnr ~