The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-06-01

Willis.
1t is an awful thing for woman to
see the husband of her love going down
steadily, bnt surely, before her fright
ened eyes, and she powerless to save.
/ had wondered once how miserable,
illtreated wives, whose husbands were
scarcely fit to live, could cling to them;
but though Allan was tender and kind
when with me, could understand now,
by my own heart, how it was that they
bore every thing rather than separa-
ton.
A year went by, and no visible
change came; but the constant anxiety
told upon my face. l wanted to keep
the signs back, but l could not
Friends noticed it, and among them
the aunt who had taken my dead mo-
theirs place. She had never liked my
husband and the anniversary of our
marriage she came, in solemn state, to
Enquire into Matters" as she termed
it.
"Yon are looking poorly, my child"
she said, opening the subject at once.
Your marriage is, perhaps, unhappy"
"There could not be a kinder Iius-
bard than Allan," my face flushing in
a moment. "He has never spoken a
horsh word tn ,,,a y
"But something has worn you to a
shadow" she went on, ignoring my in
dignation "and we all know that Mr..
Starr is not what he ought to be-"
That was more than any wife should
bear tamely. I rose at once.
"Such words must neither be ad-
dressed to his wife, nor spoken under
his roof" | said, angrily.
% My home is open to you, neycrthe-
less" she urged, with her keen eyes,
which hated, because feared them,
upon my face.
:" My home is here, where my heart
s." ! retorted. 81 desire no otlier,''
and with that our interview closed.
Allan heard in some way that my
aunt had called; and he wouid not be
satisfied until had told him her exact
words.
"She is right,"/ he said, bitterly.
Z" You would be far better off under
her roof than under mine"
knew he did it only to try me, for
he had not the ghost of fear that I
should choose my home away from
him.
81 did not think it ct to tell her so,''
replied.
"Bnt you believed it7 You believ-
ed it, then ~
His breath seemed to stop with the
intensity of his desire to read what
was really in my heart, and he would
have wormed the truth from NE what
ever it had been.
Ono, did not believe it, Allan," ]
responded, quietly, meeting and an
swering the questioning douht which
for the moment had leaped into his
eyes. Wherever you are taking me to
your own soul tells you I am power,
less, and must from choice follow"
"You are good, true angel" he
said, with strange tenderness upnr
his lips; but though l was certain b,
loved me with strong mans strength
he did not, alas love me well enough
to leave the gamblers den which wa'
fast drawing him on to ruin.
! Another year went by, another yea
of anxious dread and sorrow, and still
another year was added to it, and al
that love could suggest or inseuuit.
invent had failed in accomplishing m.
purpose. I was forced to acknowledg
this, and the admission made me trem
bic. Was indeed, then, to go dow
with this man to whom was bonnd b.
all the ties which can bind human
! heart to that of another, down to Il
endless perditiOn Or could brea
4ile cord aud let him drift on alone
Drift on, out into the lonesome, bound
less sea which swallows up its victim
so pitilessly and leaves no sign
, "No, no." cried, with my hand
clasped over my horror stricken eyes
to shut out the picture which my mag
, ination so widely portrayed.
The fourth year after our marriage
! four years seems like an eternity t
+ travel such road as had been tray
, eling-Allan came home at dusk an
> while wondered what had come owe
, him to bring up the new and astonisl
: ing exnltation which / saw upon HI
: face, he led me into the library an
stepped before painting of mysel
| which had been one OF my weddin
presents from. hing
/ "Four years ago that WINS an exa,
e likeness of my wife," he. said. 81
G has changed since then.n
). "But little, l trust," / answered.
r ssShe became my wife freely"
d went on; knowing well that I WI
what the world calls, truly enough,
| 4 I