The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1869-07-17
THE VIFE's SECRET.
Standing on slopiing hill. overlook

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the little village Of Stoneledge, was Rose
dale Hall. a large, roomy brick house
with a broad veranda running along th,
= front, aud with curious trcllised porticoe
$ at each end, which gave it, despite it
quaint, antique air, quite stately ant
imposing appearance A broad road Ice
half way up to the house, and then los
itself in carriage drive, which was strewr
with smooth, glittering pebbles, and shad
cd with magnolias, whose branches inter
lncing formed overhead beautiful leaf,
arcade. To the left was lawn, to tht
+, fright park. Here and there clusters o.
shrubs and flowers filled the ali
with fragrance. Evidently the ground,
were fitted up for ease aud pleasure. Al
the thriving acres which surrounded il
on every side belonged to the estate, a.
we'll us half the village at the loot Of Tho
hill. Altogether il was a princely do
main.
The Hall was owned and occupied By
Ellis Ashbrooke. His father had died
six years before. and after his death all
the property descended to him. Ho had
betH u lpHk WUifC III
lie went away just after his father died
and was gone three years. When he
again returned he brought with him d
bride to be mistress of his heart and
home She was u delicate, shrinking
woman, with sweet, quiet face, sunny
blue eyes, and clouds of soft golden hair
Very beautiful indeed was the mistress oi
Rosedale, and yet, not few Of the villagers
mnrvcled that he should select this frag.
lie creature, TO share the hon0rs Of his
house. For he was proud. stern man,
~ his ancestors were before him, and be
followed closely iu their footsteps.
With such powers of loving as his cold
nature was gifted witb, hc loved hts wife
aud had loved her from he Grst moment
&C behcld her But never. perhaps, had
she appeared so lovely in his eyes as
when performing the duty Of hostess 10
their many guests, and again aud again
he thanked tie fortunate chance which
threw him 10 the way of winning this
lovely jewel. In her new and beautiful
home the young wife was blis.iully happy
for time AZ least.
But after while her husband became
aware of a noticeable change in her dc.
porimcnt, she began to droop. her spright-
! " manner seemed 10 have deserted her
entirely. and on several occasions he sur.
prised her iu tears
CIR at y onnoyed at this manifestation
III griet on her part he questioned her
sharply It's TO the cause. but only TO re-
ceive some slight excuse which laIled his
suspicious for = while but did not alto
gcthcr rcassurc him. Finally the conyic.
ftion fxcd i'selrin Ellis Ashbrookcs mind
that his wife had somc secret sorrow
tha, she would not contde TO him, and all
the untagouism 10 his nature was reused to
action by this fincied wrong.
From cntrcaiics he descended 10 cold.
nc~s, nay, even neglect. ye, neither gained
her confidence; but on til, contrary ap
pearcd TO widen the gull opening between
hem. \ continuation of this course only
made matters worsc, complete cstrange-
men, was the result And the happi-
ness of those two lives seemed utterly
wrecked!
1t was dark and ten mpestuous night in
autumn, year from the time our story
opens. The rain dashed and sobbcd
around the Hall. aud the dead leaves beat
heavily against the long. low windows, at
every STIR OF the wind. The house locked
lndescribably dIcary this wild. wet night.
aud no indications Of life were visible,
save in an apartment upstairs, from the
window of which faint light cleaned
aud twinkled, cutting like n silver line
through the murky darkness outside.
1t was Ellis Ashbrooke's wife that stood
close beside the window, ever aud anon
looking wistfully out. Her face wore an
anxious, troubled expression, and il deep.
=ned every time she drew near the faling
| light and read the contents OF little
note which was tightly c!aspcd in her
white, small hand. She had read again
aud again, these few lines, evidently writ.
ten by a masculine hand.
"Meel me tonight 10 the arbor. 1t is
my last request, for go away tomorrow.
will wait for you there at ten.
MAURICE"
There was strange CLEAN in her eyes,
each time she raised her head, q soft
light which told plainly enough, that in
her heart she cherished kindly feeling
toward the writer She looked out she
listened. No hing but the ceaseless pat
ter Of the rain fell upon her ear, and the
dashing of the leaves against the window
rising above its noisy din, sounded hollow
aud chill. A shuddcr shook her from
head to foot.
"Oh, how it storms !" she murmured
pressing her face against the glass; "anC
what q dark, dismal night A bad, terri
BILE night, but if it were thousand times
worse, it wonld not keep me from, him
She turned away, signing dreurily, ant
sat down before writing table, Lcr own
upon which lay mans portrait, in blu,
velvet case. A dark. handsome, boyisf
face met her eyes as she suffered them tc
rest upon it, and they kindled invountar
lilly as they met the glance from his firm
clear eyes.
] She regarded it intently, her head rest
ing between her palms, her eyes partly
closed in some phase Of silent, intent
thought. The great clock in the hall be
low struck ten as she sat there. s
j Before its echoes died away she had
risen, and, throwing heavy cloak around
her shoulders, had glided softly down the
stairs, and out of the house. Out into
the dark, stormy night, needless of the
wind and rain that blew directly into bel
face, and gliding like shadowy phantom