Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-08-04


did not take her in his arms Some shield of
purity was about her which still held him
away from her, though he was close at her
side.
Carrie" he said, calling her for the first
time by her name, 4" must 60 away to-mor-
row but you shall 90, too, if you will
Your love would be worth to me any sacri-
fee. What would mine be worth to you ?
You know just how much your husband cares
for you. You have seen what life with him
is. Do you think il would break his heart
to lose you tell you, no. He would
very composedy get divorce from you, and
marry more wisely next time. You would
be free in few months, and the moment you
were free, you should be my wife So help
me God, | would deal honorably with you.
Don't you believe me p
He caught low "Yes,n murmured under
her breath.
Then will you come | think | can
make life a different thing for you from what
it ever has been You shall know what il is
to be loved by man with mans heart in him.
viii you come, or will you settle back on
the old life, and send me away alone to curse
the fate that ever brought me to the knowl-
edge of you ?"
He stopped. and then she could hear his
heart beat in the silence. Temptation bcset
her sorely. How sweet this love would be Of
which he spoke-this love for which she had
80 hungered--this passionate, lovers love,
which Joseph Hannaford would never give
her. She had temperament to which love
was the supreme thing. 1t was her one idea
Of Heaven. But she had not gone far enough
away from the innocence of childhood for
her guardian-angel to have iorsaken her.
Clearly, as if some human voice had spoken
it, she heard whisper, which came again and
again, aud would be obeyed-'' Pray !" She
got up at last, and, saying to Hugh Waring
nothing but Watt" went away to her own
room.
In the darkness she did not see her hus-
hand, who sat there in an armchair, too tired
to care for light and waiting for her. He
would have spoken, but somehow he felt the
excitement of her mood, and was silonced by
IT, She knelt down, and tried to obey the
voice. But she could not collect her thoughts,
and only two words would come, over and
over again" Help, Lord helpw
Vaguely Joseph Hannaford comprehended
that she was passing through the crisis Of an
agony such as he, in all his placid life, had
never experienced or witnessed Some in
tuition withheld him from trying to comfort
Iher--made him feel how idle would be any
consolation which he could offer but when
: at last she left the room, he arose and stole
softly after her. A deep, yearning tender
ness for her filled his soul full. He thought
he had never loved her half so well in his
life and what this trouble was which was
breaking her heart he must know.
Down stairs she went, and into the dim
room where Hugh Waring waited for her !;
and her husband stood just outside the open
door, and listened breathlessly for her word.
She spoke at first with a certain feverish ca
gerness, as if she doubted her own strength
and must hurry through with what she had
to say before it failed her; but, as she went
on, a deeper and calmer earnestness grew in
to her words.
Your tenderness" she said, has made
life very sweet to me. | never knew what it
was before to have friend who cared for the
| same things cared for aud no one else was
ever so gentle to me as you have been. did
not know how much you were to me until
you spoke of going away. want love more
than want any other earthly thing but |
uo hot 'hihh thiH IN NV "nio" w iNS' ~
each other. You .pitied me because you saw
that my life was disappointment-that |
{ was lonely, and unreconcied to my fate but
} do not believe you would have chosen me
, out of a world full of women, If you had
/ found me free aud happy. As for what feel
r for you-but will not talk about that
> have my duty to do. And then did love
D my husband first. If he had loved me IN a
! way | once fancied that he did | should have
/ gone on feeling the same for HIM forever.
| And know could love him even now, II he
cared to be again my lover ln any case,
{ will be true to him. l will not make myself
, unfit to meet my dead father and mother again
in heaven. | do believe that you would be
faithful and tender, but your best tenderness
could not console me If had lost for your
sake my own soul and should grow old,
and sad and be burden to you presently
I al think mott think never!" Waring
A ....la