St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1871-03-24

''Violct," he cried, the moment he
caught sight of me, ""rc you up yet
! am So sorry
lie approached, both hands extended
Bat turned from him and walk"i into
the hall.
lie ODD for IA moment in silent aston
ishment, then followed, and took my
hand, though | kept n.y face pcr>istcnlly
avcrtcd
"Violrt," lac sud, "wlat is ii ! Are
you ill, trci! | was 50 sorry TO keep
you waiting, but circumstanccs-''
''Ncvcr mind the circumstances now :"
| exclaimed, pcllshly. 81 am very
tired, and nov You are sale, | Will 90 10
! bed"
lie looscncd his hold on my hand, but
looked after me, :ls left linn, with Il
glance | shall never forget. can see
him now, rs he stood i'll the moonlight,
- handsome and noble; and / luyc,
him 50 well | wonder why | turned
from him that night. Heaven knows
how il painel me. But the spoiled, will
iul temper, that has bccn my ruin, urged
me on.
Did you ever spctk Il laisl word TO
one ynu love, and feel something within
y"u prompting you 10 speak another
! Then you understand how it WAS that |
left my husband standing there, weary
and supperlesS.
"NioIct, dear" he said, spiIly, as
/ paused involuniaiiy at the head OF the
stair., "comc back and let me explain
you know | have not kept you waiting
| willingly
| But | went on without Il word, not Ia |
/ our chamber, but 10 Il dressing room eX.
! cluS!vcly my own, and closed and locked /
the door. | am sure the Evil Onc must |
have had control Of me that night. In |
little while lac came up stairs, and
tried the lock of my door; then he called /
my name softly; but did not answer |
and lac went away.
y dozen times that night | lifted my
head from my tcarwct pillow, 10 90 out
plIlc kept mo back. Thu, lry, sleep
les, till morning. 1t was a wild morn
in", too, with drifting rain, and sobbin@
winds, and the sea laundering OH the
strand.
My husband WAS already in the break
f,>t-roum when | went down. He turn
ed, and said kindly,
"Good morning, dear. Are You quite
we'll p
Quite we'll, thank you, Responded,
cro,>in" 10 II window on the opposite
side of the room.
lie rose, and hoped he w.is min.
TO my side; but lie only looked at his
watch, and said, .'l;c kind enough tu let
me have breakfast at once, Violet, il You
can. am in a hurry, for have i'm
portant matters 10 look after
rang the bell at once, and placed my
self at the head OF the table When the
chccllcss rcpast was over and my husband
rose 10 90, iclt tlc hot tears bIindin.
me. could not let him leave me in an
ger hal made u step towards him
when he spoke, and his words rou>,d AL
my old anger and discomfort
.'Niolcr," hc said, Il may not bc Lerc
to dinner Don't wait for me it is i'm
po>sb.c-"
'Make no excuses, sir" replied,
hau.htily ''nonc are needed"
Oh, those sad, rcproachtul eyes. But
his lips uttered no rctOrt. He only said.
Good bye, dear" and went out.
watched him from the window, hid
den behind Il curtain, as he rode ava,
through the driving rain.
The memory OF that day comes back
to me like Il terrible dream. Towards
evening my agony became uncomfortable
and, as the ram ceased, determined 10 ,
drive over to my fathers house in the
ncighboring village About halfway i
we met a close carriage, containing
lady and n gentleman.
..Why, that's Mr.. Reade." exclaimed
my coachman, as the vehicle dashed pas:
our PHI; ton.
One glance confirmed his words 1t ,
Was my husband and by his side was
thc same woman that | had SEN with .
him once before. My resolution was ta- {
ken ON the instant. | ordered my ser |
want 10 drive back to Swans Nest. ,
would not wait my husbands return, :
him with his infidclity; l would 90 away {
at once, and never let him see my face ,
again. c
In a short lime was ready for my ,
departure. wrote n note for Horace, [
telling him that l believed our marriage
had been an unwisc one, and that | {
should be happier with my own friends |
| begged him not to hunt me down as Il t
fugitive; but 10 leave me to follow the Il
bent of my inclination. l put the note :
upon the table, and then went out from I
the house. where my life had been so t
happy. In less than week, my father t
and were on cur way 10 Italy. q
AT the expiration OF two wrctchcd Il
years we returned; and | learned from q
our lawyer that my husband had sailed
for India, first making over to me in fee a
simple, and all his real estate. lie never, Ii
so the lawyer said, expected TO return. il
| went back 10 Swans Nest. Every Il
thing was unchanged. The rooms were 4
Just as had left them. My husband q
would not let them he touched, the house n
keeper said. a
"llad she ever heard from him ?' | il
asked.
"OnIy once" she replied. '.and then c
the letter contained another; it was on O
my dressing table" "
went for it myself and read it, sit
ting there i'll our old room. a
~ bannn Ssrnt, Innst