Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-01-07
CHAPTER "

CHAPTER "
$50 Dear my Lord,
"Make me acquainted with your cause of grief
SHAKESPEARE
Mr.. Denbigh's illness proved not to
be serious. A few days of entire rest
conquered it. Elsie had by no means
forgotten the resolution which had grown
out of her talk with Isott, but it was not
easy to find an opportunity of carrying
it into effect; again and again she began
little remarks intended to lead up to the
great question Have you anything on
your mind ?" And again and again she
had not courage to come to the point.
One evening, rs they sat together, he
suddenly asked her if she had ever read
Southey's All for Love, and insisted on
reading it Through to her. When he had
finished, he asked her what she thought
of it?
1T is very beautiful" she said, ''only
l don't feel as il il were natural"
what. You think the devil no long
er gOeth about, seeking whom he may
devour ?''
II did not mean that. 1 meant that
l do not think Cyra's married life could
have been SO happy and peaceful with
that dreadful man for her husband"
Indeed? Not when
'He loved her as sincerely,
Most wretched and unhappy man.
As he had bought her dearly.
Did not that deserve some little return,
however bad he might be?
Il did not say she could not love him.
But the more she cared for him, the
more she would feel the gulf between
them, l think. Oh, it is a wretched
heart-breaking story how glad / am it
never really haDpaned ~
Yes; that is "a comfort certainly"
he said; and there was u pause, which
she broke by saving
"Ifthere had been nothing else to make
the heroine OF this poem unhappy, she
must have seen that there WAS All at
mosphere about her husband which she
could not understand something hid
den from her. Can anything be more
wretched than that?"
She stopped, and, finding herself on
the brink of her great subject, blushed
so guiltily, that her husband asked, in
his sudden, suspicious way, What are
you thinking about p
She left her place, and came to kneel
beside him. She put her arms round his
neck, and laid her head OH his breast,
bending down SO that he could not see
her face. am thinking" she said,
with fast-beating heart, "that should
be so grived if you ever kept anything
from me,-anything that was perpIexing
you, or troubling you Whatever it was
would SO much rather know it, and
help you to bear it."
prised that he had not interrupted her =;
de did not even answer or move until
she looked up, afraid that she had vexed
him. But there was no anger in his face.
there was only grave and troubled look;
aud all he said was, "What fancies have
you got in your hss-d, Elsie ,"
II have thought sometimes, when
have seen you look oppressed and ont OF
spirits, that something-I have no idea
what, Philip-was worrying you and
makingyOu anxious; perhaps something
that Yen don't like to tell me and /
have SO often longed to beg you to trust
me, and let me eknOw if there is anything,
I could bear it, Philip, indeed, indeed /
could bear anything, if only felt that
you did really trust me-"
He took her in his arms, and held her
clasped in them, smoothing down her
long fair hair.
Poor child poor childI" he said, and
then there was deep heavy sigh, as if
it came from whole world of oppres-
sion.
'Phiiip," !" she pleaded, returning to the
charge, "if you have anything that wor-
ries you, do tell me. Whatever it is. I
shall not mind"
Not mind? That's rash promise
Elsie. What if / were to tell you that
have sold myself to tile demon. like
EleemOn, for your sake ?n
Rather hurt at being put off with tests
like siffygirl, Mrs. Denbigtr collected
all her dignity and said; you must not
laugh at me, Philip 1t was your old
nurse who first began to be in tidget
about you. She infected me, | think
She has fancy that you heard some bad
news, or were veSed somehow, the night
before we " ere married. Philip. where
are you going? What is itPp
1.-The surgery bell he answered, al
ready at the door.
He was absent for some moments
Presently he came back.
mo ring. A mistake, /" he said. sGo
on, Elsie. | am curious. | was not
aware that Isott took so much interest
in my proceedings. What did hear or
do ON our wedding day ,"
The night before; but really it is
nothing,-only had better tell YOU, that
you may stop old Isott from gossipingr;
and she told him all that the old woman
had said, ana her fancy, that he might
be suppressing some anxiety or trouble
out of consideration for his wife.
And you know, Philip, never could
bear that" she concluded; "anything
but that should not care for"
What would you say to me, Elsie, if
had loved you better than God and
heaven and my own soul ?"
Che IoOkod nm half
watched her wistful face for moment.
then broke into a laugh.
What pity so much excitement
should be thrown away! Did it never
occur to you, or to old IsOtt, my darling,
that medical men sometimes get tele-
graphic messages at unwonted hours, and
that they may look careworn and speak
sourly when they are worried out of their
wits, without having some deadly secret
on hand @i
3 Photographic messages !" repeated
Elsie, slowly, as if pondering over the
idea; was that really ite IL was a tel
egraph-offlce clerk, then, | suppose p
You must think ME goose, Philip, for
wondering who it could have been.''
He smiled at her folly; then crossing
the room to desk, where he kept his
private papers, brought her one of those
pencil-written documents at which most
OF our hearts have sometimes beat high.
1t was telegram from Briswick, relat.
ing to the state of former patient, and
bearing date the day before their marri-
age.
Elsie hung her head. He could not
bear the sight of her ashamed look, and
he stopped and kissed her forehead.
II will speak to ald Isott tomorrow
he said; these onnfounded old women
who have nursed one and washed one,
as baby, can never be brought to un-
derstand that one is old enough to be let
alone"
And you are not angry with me7n
ga with xynt, al, Il