Macon beacon., 1871-08-19

: horribly. lie showed the doctor
out, and returned to the chamber.
Annie did not look up. Martha the
cook, who was very fond Of her
young mistress, was sitting beside
her.
"lf you please, Mr.. Dana, III stay
with her while you have your tea.
It's already below, Sir"
Annie did not speak, 50 he went
down and made a fOrloan attcmpt At
a meal. How empty the room was
without its queen! how utterly des-
olatc! lie kept trying to think what
he had said in that wild moment at
the gate. lie knew he had called her
by every loving name while he was
bringing her in, but he could not re-
member that she had returned one
kiss, one loving word. She had on
~ said, "Take care, Robert; it is
broken" and attcrward, "Dont
mind, it does not hurt much: y but
her eyes had been avcrted, and her
voice had a rcpresscd tone that hc
had never heard in it before. By
and-by he went back, sending Mar
tina away. Annie's eyes were shut,
but he felt sure she was not sleeping.
ilcr cheeks were flushed J; her breath
ing rapid,
she IS as unhappy as | am"
thought Robert. "IIOw can she have
the project rcpOsc the doctor ORDER
cd till we understand each other and
are rcconciled? This silence is kill
ing us both. Somebody must speak
first, Its she who is in the wrong.
surely it is; and yet why can not /
look at her and believe it? WHY do
l feel myself the guilty one?
lie leaned over his wife and stu-
dicdher sweet face eagerly, as thcsc
thoughts agitatcd him. She felt him
near, and yet how distant. Hot
tears sprang to her closed ewes, hung
on the thick lashcs, ran over her
burning checks, but she dared not
look up. Pride was afraid of giving
away. Robert saw her lip trcmble,
her tears fall, and he broke down.
"Oh, Annie, my wife, speak to he |
look at me! am afraid / have been
harsh and cruel to YOU: but wbv
why do you have a secret from |
mey" ''
Wide OPEN honest, fearless were |
her eyes then.
"Hobcrt' Robert, it was no harm. |
Could you not trust Inc? But | will |
tell you everything. | never will |
have another secret. hated myself |
all the time. But it was only story |
Tor surprise; and ! am so clad |
that | need not be sly any more y
And then she burst into such wild
S,oOblng and crying that Robert was
fairly frightened.
lie had never seen her bcyond hcr
sclt-control before, and, like aIlusn-
ally quiet and serene persons. her
giving away was entire, and most
distressing. 1t was long time bc-
fore she could tell her story cobc-
rcntly. In vain Bobcrt begged her 70
wait till morning, assuring her that
hc was perfectly satisfied. She felt
assured that she could not slccp till |
every cloud was cleared away, SO nt
last interrupted by her own tears
or laughter by his tender carcsscs
ana sell rcproachcs-thc whole his
tory OF the manuscript, the table, and
letters was told. How the husband
felt, as every link in the chain nrov-
Gd her 50 tender and true, can not be
described. ''''
suffice il to say that he, in his turn
laid bare all his heart before her, and
that upon these hours Of SUFFERING
ana confession, of humiliation and
Joy, lhcirmutual confidence and love
were rebuilt upon tried and perfect
cd foundation. The next morning n
reply was mailed to the editors letter.
INC innocent cause Of the trouble. If |
contained merely request for Der.
to alter the name of Mrs
ouIllVaIlS story and with Amic's
acqUlCscnCe, the CORRESPONDENCE
ceased and Mrs. Cynthia Sullivan"
was known no more in the literary
world. >
\ few week, later, on the evening
before Roberts birthday, his wife
lalIcd to meet him at the door on his
return from the city, but in the par
lor he found her, blu,hing and RI
ilant sitting at the dear old chess
laDlc, trying in vain to keep the ira
look OF absorption in her
game The only drawback TO the
correctness of the picture was the
sling in which she was still obliu.
CT to carry her arm. PERHAPS ii
was lllS which sent the rare tears
to her husbands eyes as he knccIcd
DeSitc her and held her close TO his
heart,
Thus the quaint old Chinese table
became one of the most cherished of
their household gods, the companion
OF many a coy winter evening, the
'iicnt preacher to Robert against
Ill impatiencc and suspicion-to An
NE agalnstany conccalmcnt or dis
'hScnouSncss. When Fcbruary's
magazine was published Annic's
arm was entirely strong again, and
'hc enjoyed to the full the long-de-
'lrcd pleasure Of hcariug her story
read and praised by the voice dear
u to her than all the world beside
If"Pcr'S Weekly.
-O
HE CRUST OF TIE EARTH If 500