The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1869-03-03

And l caught from his hand the pistol he
was trying to conceal in his breast-its
mate lay on the marble hearth, under the
mantel-and flung it out of the window.
"Geraid. would you have left me r.
II would have escaped~ he cried, still
half delirious, to all appearances. debt,
disgrace, misery, her reproachesl l would
have escaped them all p
His head fell, like that of a weary child,
on my shoulder. drew him gently to a
sofa, and soothed him with thousand muir
INJURED words-a thousand mute caresses.
For had it not been my fault?
And through all the long weeks of fear
that followed, l nurscd him with unwaver-
ing care and devotion, had but one
thought, one desire, to redeem myself in
his estimation, to prove to him that was
something mere and higher than the mere
butterfly of fashion / had hitherto shown
myself
Well, the March winds had howled them
selves away in their mountain Businesses !;
the brilliant April raindrops were dried on
bough and spray, and now the apple bios
SONS were tossing their fragrant pillows of
pinkey bloom in the deep blue air of latter
May.
| Where were we now
| 1t was a picturesque little villa, not far
out of Pittsburg, furnished very like u baby
| house. Gerald sat in a cushioned easy chair
| in the garden, where he could glance thro'
| the open window at me, working busily with
| my needle
what an industrious fairy it is" he said,
| smiling sadly.
well, you see, like it. Its great deal
better than those sonatas on the piano"
"Who would have ever thought you
would make so notable housekeeper 2"
| laugh ed gleefnlly; had all child's de-
light in being praised.
"Are you not going to Miss Delanceys
croquet party 2" he pursued.
mo; what do care for croquet parties 2
I'm going to finish your shirts, and you'll
| read aloud to me-"
Madeline, want you to answer me one
question:
'What is it 2"
"What have you done with your dia-
| monds2 2"
II sold t. EN- long ago; they paid several
| heavy bills beside settling half years rent
here"
"But, Madeline you were so proud ofy your
diamonds"
II was once now they would be the
bitterest reproach my eyes could meet. Oh,
Gerald, had been less vain, and thought
less, and extravagant y
checked myself, and robin singing in
the perfumctl depths of apple blossoms,
took up the dropped current of sound.
That's right, little redbreast," said my
husband, half jokingly, talk her down!
She has forgotten that our past is dead and
gone, and that we have turned over new
page in the book of existence Madeline,
do you know how feel, sometimes, when l
sit and look at you2"
"Nop
Well. feel like a widowe who has
married again."
My heart gave little superstitious jump.
Like widow er who has married again,
Gerald"
YES can remember my first wife
brilliant, thoughtless child, without any
idea beyond the qualification of present
whms-a spoiled plaything! Well, that
little Madeline has vanished away into the
past somewhere; she has gone away to
return to me no more, and, in her stead.
behold my second wife, thoughtful,
tender woman, whose watchful love sur
rounds me like an atmosphere, whose
character grows more noble, and develops
itself into new depth and beauty, every
day"
/ was kneeling at his side now, with my
cheek upon his arm, and my eyes looking
into his.
"And which do you love best, Gerald
the first or second wife 2"
. think the. trials and vicissitudes
through which we have passed are welcome
indeed since they have brought me, as their
harvest fruits, the priceless treasure of my
second wife,"
That was what Gerald answered me
the sweetest words that ever fell upon my
ear.