Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1870-06-30
Selest Stofu.
T he G. A R T E r i.
A Thrilling TAEE.

To the visitors of Bath, among the many
Lii. &c ~A,A,iration in that city of pala
ces, the beauty CT the ~e--.et., .tio"iar
/ ly of toe lower orders, cannot have esca-
/ ped their observation. An elegance o.
dress and polish Of manners prevail
among them, and is, doubtless, attribute,
bic to their collision with the fashionables
who flock thithcr.
An undue desire of admiration induces
an iuordinat love OF dress, and is insepara
BILE from it; and though the passion may
be INDUCED by female, otherwise strict
! " virtuous, it i often the source of dis
quiet and uneasiness in husbands breast,
aud has been the cause of the most fatal
consequences, as the following tale will
exemplfy:
About mile due east from Bath, i'm
mediately behind the brow of a hill, whose
summit is crowned by grove of lofty fir
trees, stands an edihce which is visible
from all the surrounding hills. 1t is a
stone gateway. with two round towers,
hanked by small, square turrets, which
Gas it is only trout. mere ornamented
building) has received the appropriate
name Of Sham Castle. This spot COM
manded fine view Of Bath, and the beau
tiful valley in which it is situated.
The deep solitude that generally reigns
here is strikingly contrasted with its close
neigborhood to the busy city, upon which
it looks down, and whose inhabitants may
be distinguished in the streets pursuing
their vocations while mingled sounds
reach the ear in murmurs scarcely less soft
than THOSE of the bees, attracted to the
spot by the wild flowers that adorn its site
On Sundays and holidays, when
young and old come forth to play" joyous
groups of young men and maidens may
be seen scattered over the adjacent mead
ows while here and there a stra ggling
swa;ne employs the tedious minutes, antlcl-
patlng the arrival of his hills, in scratch
ing her initials on the walls of the castle
1t was on one of these occasions that
Mary, the subject of our narrative,
accompanied by female friend. directed
her steps toward the hill, whose sides were
air eady covered with numerous parties. -
Mary was beautiful young woman, and
had lately given her hand to an honest
tradesman considerably older than herself
but the disparity in their ages was not so
great as that which unfortunately displayed
itself in their dispositions. He was q
sober man, in manner very sedate, and
almost morose-but he doated on his wife ;
and, though her frivolities sometimes
provoked language harsh and unkind, 1t
was easy to preceive the extreme fondness
he entertained for her. A woman will
forgive much, almost anything in conduct
that she believes to proceed from an ex-
cess of love. Mary knew her husbands
weakness (though it appeared not such
in her eyes), and was greatfal for 1t but
she had not sufficient delicacy of feeling,
or strength of mind or purpose, to adapt
her conduct to his humors. The strong
est passions often lie deepest concealed ;
but Mary, when she had received, at her
Edoor or window, the occasional homage of a
passer-by, or turned, half smiling, half
frowning, from the insolent stare or re-
mark of some sprig of fashion has start
ed, as she met the scowling glance of her
husband, aad, with an underlined feeling OF
dread, hetaken herself silently to her do
nestle duties.
Mary, as has been stated, was, very
beautiful, and conscious of her charms j;
desire to display them had betrayed, her
into the fault. perhaps the sin, of dress
ing in manner unsuitable to her station
10 life. This was source Of constant
pickering, aud the thoughtless girl little