Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-04-13
TWICE MARRIED.

mostly have against step-mothers. was
very much displeased when my father mar
ried, and rendered myself as disagreeable
as possible to the woman he had made his
wife. .1h EF
She was not patient or particularly cool
tempered, and besides, considered me a
spoiled child, who needed strict home dis
cipline to correct my imperfections of habit
and disposition. She was right enough
about it. But il might naturally be expect
ed that would resent her exercising any
very arbitrary authority over me. The
consequence was that we quarreled con-
stantly, as only high-tempered, self-will-
ed girl and an arbitrary woman can.
Before / was seventeen had fed from
my fathers roof to marry a man only three
years older than myself, and nearly as ig-
norant "a of the realities of life.
Arthur Loraine's father was merchant.
My father was an auctioneer and house
agent, and not remarkably well to do in the
world. The merchant absolutely refused
to assist his son, in his anger at his hasty
marriage, and my father was too poor to do
so il his will had been good, and it was not.
We were very helpless pair to be cast
upon our own resources thus. Arthur, as
"a rich mans son, had never learned any
useful employment; had never done any
thing more arduous than to lounge about
in his fathers counting-house, or make a
feint at keeping books.
I had spent the best part of my life so
far, at school. My father, poor man, in his
ambition to educate me, had spent much
money on me that he could i'll afford. We
found very soon that we had made grand
mistake, Arthur and 1. We were like two
stage-players taken with each others pretty
faces, and acting love in farce. Wilful-
ness and romance-my step-mother had
very sensibly opposed the intimacy-had
as much to do with it as anything. TWAS
alaIs
mantle fashion, and one night Arthur left
me in a fit of bad temper, and never came
back. The next had heard of him, he
had gone to sea,
/ was too proud to go home poverty
stricken as / was. / went, instead, to dis
tant town, and tried to exc out existence by
turning my accomplishments to account.
But was too imperfect in all to succeed at
anything of that sort, and was glad enough
to get needle-work at even q starvation
price. How ] lived for the next three
years it is hard to tell. | was hungry
was cold; was prosecuted; for youth kept
me some portion of my good looks, in spite
of suffering and privation. | heard from
home sometimes !; but proud as ever, though
under such stern discipline L never told
them that all was not tolerably well with
me.
In one of these letters from home, came
one day news that my young husband had
died on ship-board, within year after our
separation. The same letter urged me to
come home. My step-mother was in fail
ing health, and 1 was needed as well rs
loved there. But I would not go. I was
not cold-hearted enough to feel no sorrow
at Arthur's death, though the news of it
was more to me like hearing the death of
some acquaintance than of dearly-loved
husband. was scarcely more alone in the
world now than before.
About this time came turn in my for
tunes. A wealthy, kind-hearted lady, for
whom L worked, learned accidentally of
my hard life, and that could do something
better, obtainedIfor me situation a. teacher
in a Juvenile school-a situation / proved
competent to fill, fortunately. 1t was
small charge; but it was independence and
luxury to me. / shed tears of heartfelt
thankfulness in the little chamber allotted
me at my new quarters. The plainly fur
nished room, with its simple carpet, its
white bed, its one window, was heaven to
me. The boarding-school fare was daily
feasting; / had Jared so differently in the
years past. Nightly took the lessons for
the next day, and went carefully over
them, to be sure that 1 should not myself
fail in them ] strove in every way to full
fill the duties of my position, for l was in
deadly fear of losing it. i knew that the
schoolmistress deferred entirely to the cler-
gyman who came to hear the Bible-class,
ing man of middle age He watched me
narrowly. l felt myself on trial. trem-
bled lest i should not satisfy him, and lose
my position in consequence. To think of
going back to my garnet and starvation,
after this state of comfort and comparative
ease, made my very heart sink with terror.
One day the clergyman asked me to come
to the parsonage after lessons were over-he
wished to speak with me. The summons
made me turn cold all over was nearly
untitled for the performance of my duties
the rest of the day, in my fear. AS I
knocked at the study" door of the par
sonage, my heart was in my throat.
Are you i'll, Mrs. Loraine?n Mr.. Bor-
den said, as he led me kindly to a seat,
startled, no doubt, by my evident agitation.
% If you would ask Miss Williams 70 try
me a little longer, Sir began.
He pressed my hand gently.
''Will you be kind enough to look at
me?' he said, in strange voice.
lifted my eyes. 1t was grave, plain
face L saw, the hair not unstreaked with
gray, the dark eyes troubled somewhat.
am not young man, " he said, "and
you are, as Il We're, in the bloom of woman
hood. know si,ch language from me must
be great surprise to you. will give you
plenty of time to consider. L sent for you,
dear lady, to ask you to be my wife"
If the walls had suddenly CAPPED and
shown me Paradise, should not have been
more surprised. Mr.. Borden smiled family