Litchfield enquirer., 1869-12-30


 and his life sniiced for every thing, and she ahrank from entering world of which
 AstIsys aeaassntanoe. hsdfla had loanea? ,? ago god de- lcidsd that if he was not mad, he was at least eccentric enough to make his society undesirable, and had fallen off one by one, tlsaving him none but . profession. He had the reputation of being skillful, and his practice was . large one; his spare
 hours were devoted to his home, which was his heaven. e,-s. ..f+A...f ....A ,,rF..r | Two moro years passed, years of perfect happiness. Mary differed from other wo. men, in nothing save for that blank exis- tence of twenty years. Her memory of that timel never returned. She lived en- ttirely in doors. As they had once taken her out for walk one evening, and the tunaccustomed sights and sounds of the streets had so terrified her that he never | repeated the experiment. ! :sa72a sl>a5..s 8. At times the longing to introduce, his lovely wife to his old friends in England
 was very strong, but the difficulty of ex. planation, or of deceit, which it would in- volve, combined with her extreme aversion to the project, always prevailed, and the Idea was dismissed as if the thing were Impossible. @TaHaiI ,l1G 1D au4a<@-- ~z1G | Six years had passed since that eysntful night when Mary was brought as dead to Astley s door, when walking one day he met an old friend whom he had not seen since he left England. The recognition was mutual, and Astley insisted upon his friends returning with him to dinner. The invitation was cordially given and willing. ly accepted, and thinking to surprise MT. Holt by the sight of his wife's loyeliness,
 he said 2othing about his being married. Though he had anticipated some evi-
 dence of surprise. he was quite unprepar- ed for the excess of emotion displayed by Mir. Holt upon his introduction to Mrs. Astley. The color left his face for Q mo. ment. and then returned violently, died crimson, and the words of acknowledge ment were stammered out almost unintel- Eligibly. Recovering himself, he offered his arm to load Mrs. Astley to dinner, but she quietly refused! laying her hand upon her husband'aoa Mir. Holt scarcely took his eyes from Mary's, who did not seem at all disturbed by his intenss gaze, and took no notice of her guest except what hospi- tality demanded. rs, Es e9o s FL si.s & ". Y. Astleys suspicious were exoitad long be- fore the meal was ended, and his heart took a jealous leap as hs thought it possi- ble that his friend was failing in love with his beautiful wife. He cursed the impulse that had induced him to bring Holt home with him, and busily invented excuses for ridding himself of his guest as soon as possible. aI .ls ,..lt lptitrrp !.
 Holt's agitation increased to positive ill., ness before long, and rising, he asked Ast- Icy to accompany him to another room. He was scarcely able to walk. and Astley took him by the arm and asked him if he were III; s.1.n h aro.n.a A . .1 ,d4 x,.h .h.. l. yer. dead" ..T ---.r- -. - = 1-''''->>
 He sat down and covered his face with his hands. 2A7.-#2@@ aIA 4 al' e'-ii 'a-'o-s..
 ..Yonlwill think me . fool, Astley. but the likeness of your wife to mine has over come me"
 ''I was married eight years ago. mar ried an English girl with your wile's hair and eyes; her height, too, and with her sweet voice. brought her oyer here di- rectly after our urlmarriage, and we lived the hsppisst life in the world for two years. and then she died" . .-
 Astley was silent. He could think of no words of consolation that would not be Q rnockery to man who had lost such . wife ss Mary. n,~3z .st ..,,,gry .5..,,+..4..Ira ...-
 "Died,'" Holt continued, after . pause, "whiie I was away from her. had gone g thrse days journey, leaving her in per- feet health, and l returned to find that she had died suddenly and immediately after my departure, and was already buried. l' "How long ago?" asked Astfey, hoarsely. A horrible light was breaking in upon him. r, ''Six years. left Lima the following day. I never even visited her grave, but returned to England at once; and now taf. ter these years I find your wife 50 like her ia every feature that my old wound is torn open afresh, and intolerable anguish has made me cry out in this wsy.", 3son. oG4 Astley started up and laid his hand up- on hic friends shoulder with grasp like 8 vice. His voice was harsh and dry, and his eyes were bloodshot and staring. : sa "Holt, for Gods sake let us do nothing rashly! Come with me to your wife's grave and let us be very sure.
 Holt looked up and saw 1t all in Astley's face. 3Ge.i99z3 af ai ,1CbT sianzJ -l ".6 ...Speak, i" he shouted, r.'she is my wife! Tell me how you met her; speak quickly while can hear you, for there is the sound l of a cataract in my ears that deafens mel" And he fell in swoom ct Astleys feet. He might have died in it for all Astley could do to revive him. Hestood blindly star ing as the pale face, but was incapable of so much as holding out hand to him.
 Holt came to himself before long, and
 rising up haggard and wild, repeated, his demand that Astley should tell him where
 he had met<his wife. .s,,.n,
 And he did tell him. sparing nothing; saying plainly that she hsd been brought to him by the body snatchers as a subject; shat she had lain as dead upon his table TOT night. sheeted and shronded hke a corpse.
 ..And you dared" burst in Holt, who was almost beside himself. s.. 1T. ii ;, "I saved her life, said Astley, gently; he had softened as he had thought of that restoration. "Will you como with me to the grave that we may be very mre9
 ..No, no, nd, ""4 Holt moaned; the iury was passing away, and giving place 70 duli sorrow. q can bear no more. 1t ls as certain. more certain than death, that your wife is mine. God help usP
 Which of the men was the most to DC pitied? F0TgaE
 There were some moments of horrible si. ,ence, in which each heard the beating oi his heart, like heavy drum. Holt spoks again. s.-. Isb@A, a5 e., "Ask Edith to come here. surely sne can not have forgotten me. a,
 s.Mary-I call her Mary. It VIII only
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