Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-08-05
The Storp Teller.
MY HAPPINESS.


CHAPTER /.
Will you listen? / propose to tell-the
truth. Now, the proposition would appear
a startling one, indeed, if you know me.
But you do not. Allow me to present my
self:
am young and beautiful, and rich; am
gay, and dashing, and reckless; therefore.
defy yon to say that am not happy. Why,
my happiness is insolent, my self-content
monstrous; but then-well, the night is over
cast and gloomy, and am alone, and, it
may be, just a trihe triste; so shall be
guided by impulse, and place the whole Of
fair before you. Now, from the commence
ment, let me disabusc your mind of any false
notions concerning me. Don't, for heavens
sake, don't fancy, because have inferred
confession, that my hot tears are bllsterlng
tho paper. Nothing of the sort Tears have
not wet my eyes since-wcll, never MIND,
you will know presently. Some OF my pest
fricnds--those who break bread with me and |
never fail TO malign me when they can DO
so deccntly--somc of those, say, will read |
this then throw it aside with pretty little |
shrugs of unbelief How it would astonish |
them should say, ! wrote that; OF, :" 1t
| is all truc!" can picture their dismay, and
the effect is comic. 1t makes me laugh. l
shall never openly appall the poor souls,
however. love my ease and comfort and
luxurious manner of life too well to risk the
possibility of loss. Reckless as may be,
am not reckless enough for that. viii you
| listen2
was twenty, and n wife. That is just
ten years ago was heantiful; I would not
be apt Mt portraying another, but l can de-
scribe myself l an, beautiful; am not
tall-not queen. like. Neither am like most
heroincs of high tragedy. My tressss at
tempt no rivalry with the ravens wing; nor
yet are my eyes midnight stars, mistily ten
der. am us fair as n white rose-fair, with
long yellow hair. | remember, upon my
wedding day, thus apostrophizing my double
reflected in the mirror 8
"You are surprisingly lovely, my dear.
You are far above all other women. You
stand alone, Carine !"
| may have been prepos,ei ously vain, but
was truthful. Not half hour ago, calling
i to mind that circumstance arose and stood
again before the mirror.
1 aCarine," said 1, "had the power to
; bestow, ! could find no other gift of beauty
{ for you. You arc n queen, but -
r Well, suppose that was thinking OF the
freshness and bloom which the years had
/. taken. Al all events, / grew fairly pitltu
u u over the pale face reflected there. Then
d great pain hurt my heart, and turned away
9 looking over my shoulder to see That look
:! ing back at me- Something frightened me
i trembled and fled from the ghost OF my
i self. Had the dead arisen could have fell
J. no greater fear. l drew close the curtaiu'
!, IL to shut out that maddening drip, drta,
y t1rip of the ran upon the window. CANT
y back to my desk before the blazing fire.
ID seized my courage a deac mains. phi
4. losophizcd in pleasant way have, an'
cr thus prepared myself for my task.
was twenty then, and u wife,a love'
II i, the man married. All, me, how love-
n him! All women cannot say this of thei
~ husbands. l can. Every thought went ou
e. to him pure and unsullicd. Every wish wa
!, a PRAYER to heaven Tor him alone. Vain q
j, my beauty, was well content with tha
ali through which | had first found favor IN HI
,st ewes. But he was not in his first youth
in there were twenty good years between III
He was tall and dark not handsome, il yo
look for faultless featurcs-but grand an
ke noble, and God-like to the girl who he ha
nd sworn to honor and obey.
eas ead He was very wealthy, and an orphan
a had fair possessions, SO upon that score u
lne n cayiling world could have nothing to ohjec
we mention this, because desire ia
'ta Judgment. You may be very just, and
Gu that, but in my gipsy-likc life have notic'
md that one decides most conscientiously wh'
ace me the small matter of money is out OF the wa
den In marrying York Lyttleton then, l p
oSs my whole existence in his hands. SAID
) Of "Do with me as you will; have MAJ
NE tHe faults. l am rash, and jealous, and
nty yengeful. But will make myself anew ;
per will merit your undivided love; ! will ser
iost you faithfully; am your slave"
On "My wife,"
lrd (; That was all put NJ hiseou hiJ iAps' :.
nlls, smoothed my cheek, and laid my head up
leak nf his breast, and could say no more for W
EN- en- happiness.
omo ,ns SO began our joys. And we were
premcly contention year. Then
butt m went abroad, and then our woes beg
call Some miserics are foreshadowed. teit
'eful then, know it now. Looking back l
'A' again, that pleasant room in an old hotel
the the Quaint little French town. see
eng ms self sitting at his feet, lovingly humble.
du- hear his Words
hich 80 ,,,ol, bo az home Z
Gling ine."
ina an By way of answer kissed the ham
hers held. Presently he spoke again:
;, ana ana "And Amy will be there to meet us.
deli "Amyl" 1 exclaimed, with open-e
inter- wonder. "Who is Amy?"
htrul, "Who is she2 My ward"
'ging "Sincc when2"
nv az " "Since when?" began that dreamy &c
his gaze upon the street below, hls thoul
Re E afar Off ..Why, since her birth.
q 600 mother died then-her father, who had
ie is my dearest friend"
actiy "Well?"
,,ars HHc was dead"
arc "And this child how old is she r
efore "She is just nineteen
wat arose very quietly from my place at
When feet.
near "Why have you never spoken to M
1g OF her2" asked.
de a. 81 cannot tell" Yorke answered, vii
ae,uu anv shrug. 81 did not think of it. In ia
would not have imagined that it W
interest you."
'oung S" That was a falsehood, and knew 1t.
' fo1r restless manner and shifting glance
other claimed il. was indignant, but it wa'
and tonishing how his evident uneasiness cal
., dlsw that indignation. More astonishing still
To- he rapid change which seemed to have i
Il last about me. 1t was as if had been sudd
ward, thrust forth from my world of love
le top =. ~. -, 10 tl,a ,rol,lau rate of heaven