The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-05-11


turning quickly away, when her own
name caught her eye. 1t was an unfn-
ished letter to herself. She seized it
scarce could hold it whilst she read The |
contents were in this wise:
"MAY: Neither of us can longer endure
this agony; the tortures of the inquisition
were mild in comparison. 1t is only exceeded
by the sufferings of the damned. Since the first
time l ever met you, you had a strange, un-
earthly attraction for me- 1t was not love;
sometimes | said to myself that the passion
you elcted was the perfection of refined ha-
tired. To ne you were scarce human. had
a strange notion that, If l could catch you in
my hands, could crush you to an essence,
and then gather your being into mine. But
you were so offish, dare not even so much as
take your hand in mine. The power you
welded over me was inexplicable. | think
you were yourself ruled by it. There seemed
cord reaching from your being to mine, which
contracted, drawing us to close contact; now
relaxed, parting us wide, yet never broke.
did not wish to make you my wife; yet felt
assured if you ever married another man, the
moment that made him your husband made him
a corpse. That day under the oak-tree L was
seized with a strong, Irresistible longing to
own you. The idea took possession of me and
ruled me. was its slave. Judgment and
reason crouched before my wild demand. |
determined you should be mine, past all reach
save Gods. My will trampled yours; con-
quered. My God we were married for fun
The words were sharper than Damascus steel
they cut, and hack, and tear my very soul.
The vow that made us one rent us asunder.
The world calls us husband and wife the words
are the perfection of poignant sarcasm. Hus-
band and wilfei And but one caress, that
given in the presence of the world for funp
That kiss changed my entire being. From the
time your beautiful lips touched mine, my
heart has pulsed in wild, craving, agonizing
love. Sometimes think it will drive me mad.
If you but chance to meet me, you pale and
| shiver; whilst if your skirts but touch me
when you pass, every nerve in my being thrills
and quivers, with an excess of joy that
| trenches on exquisite pain. You have not
looked into my eyes for weeks. never -
There it stopped suddenly, as if he had
been called away. The wife bowed her
face, white with this sudden Joy then,
through very excess, calm and still,
knelt and thanked her Maker. A little
after she replaced the letter, carefully
erased every trace Of her presence, and
left the room.
The first sudden burst of Joy rendered
! her quiet. In its continuance she grew
restless and excited. He thought she
hated him! She longed to tell him of
the love that had filed and absorbed her
entire being. 1t seemed as if the hours
| grew to eternities, as if the evening
would never come. How should she
correct this mistake? His strong will
had won her ere he had wooed her. Her
pride forbade the revelation. Then,
with the versatility of happiness, she
burst into the old merry laugh, that had
been silent for weeks, at the remem-
brance of those awkward encounters in
the garden, where each was hiding the
self-same secret from the other. She
afternoon, thinking to attract her atten-
ton, and thus chase time. She arrayed
herself with exquisite care, hoping to
look beautiful in his eyes. Scarcely was
it completed, when she heard the clatter
of horses hoof in thu broad carriage
road, and reached the window just in
time to see him dismount and enter the
house.
"What had brought him home so
early? Was he i'll ?" She trembled and
grew pale, longing to assert her wifely
right, and hasten to his side; but, bash
full and frightened, she fingered in her
room until she heard him go to his
apartment, and after little leave it
again then with cheeks now brilliant,
now pale, descended the broad staircase.
AS she passed the drawing-room she
glanced in. He sat in an easy-chair,
wheeled i'll one of the windows, his eyes
closed wearily, and an expression of pain
about brow and lip, as if his head ached
as we'll as his heart.
She hesitated moment, then, for the
first time since their marriage, entered
the room where he sat alone. He moved
slightly, as if to warn her of his pre-
sence. She blushed painfully, but did
not draw back, as was her wont but
instead, seated herself at the piano, and
began playing. He looked surprised, but
remained seated.
She made countless mistakes, timid
and trembling, in the presence of this
man, who had been her husband fol-
weeks-aye long summer, for now il
was early fall-yet to-day, for the first
time her acknowledged lover. The po,
sition was novel, and full of fascina-
tion. A wife yet to be wooed. A spice
of her old coquetry returned, sudden
determination seized her. She turned
on her stool and looked at him. He
was leaning back in his chair, his eyes
closed.
He had acknowledged in that letter
that the very touch of her dress thrilled
him. She would take him unarmed
and draw declaration of bis love from
his own lips.
She went timidly to his side, will
brilliant cheeks and half veiled eyes
standing so closely beside his chair tina
her sleeve touched his shoulder. Tht
blood mounted to her very brow; sh,
did not glance at him, but said, in {
broken, bashful way =
, "You are home early"
He answered: "Yes," shortly, look
: ing at her in utter astonishment.
} "Is there anything the matter, Park |?
: She had not spoken his name before il
all that summer. The man paled wit
the inward struggle. Her close presenc
: her very sleeve resting on his, and ye
, so far apart.
Nothing but headache" he answer
! IN voice rendered hard and sharp b.
excess of anguish.
~ am sorry" she said, simply, an
} bashfully left him, going into the win
+ dow by which he was seated, and trim
, ming some rose-trees that grew in rusti
/ baskets there. ..I
) He watched her; she knew it an
, grew restless and uneasy. How shoul
9 they ever understand each other. Gu
1 lives, like rose-trees, may be trimmed in
| l. - = L