Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-04-07

paler than usual. Hour after hour had i
looked for her pride to fail her. Deeply
injured as she had been, l could not bring
myself to believe that, loving me as she
had once loved me, and fondly hoped
still did, she would really leave me; but
having once made public her intention, |
feared lest she might not shrink. Would
she do so? Oh, how anxiously awaited
that eventful night and when at last 1t
came, was dressed and in attendance at
an unusually early hour AS paced the
floor anxiously, hoped, prayed that her
heart would conquer, that love would
subdue pride; but how could I-how
dared / hope i'll What indignities had
she not borne from mel Ought | not to
humble myself, and ask her to forgive me
Had she came in that moment l would
have done so, but she came not. won.
dcred how she would dress Perhaps some
carelessness in her apparel would betray
that her mind was too much pre-occupied
to think Of ii. | glanced at the clock it
was time that she should be there. Just
then she entered, and as pale and calm as
usual. ] looked at her dress it was of
dark velvet trimmed with rich lace she
wore just such dress in happier days be-
cause | admired it, and thought it became
her style of beauty. But now what was
her object? Did she desire to please me
still, or was it habit? l glanced at her
on her neck she wore suit of diamonds,
which had given her shortly after our
marriage. She had rarely worn them at
first, because she thought them unsuitable
ornaments for one so young; but now,
when she looked so queenly, and moved so
gracefully, they gave her q grandeur which
startled me.
| could detect no carelessness in her
dress, no agitation in her manner Her
hand trembled not when led her to the
carriage. She showed no emotion during
our drive to the scene of festivity. Could
this be the light. hearted girl / had mar
ried but few short years ago? Could
this cold, this naughty, this imperial
woman be the gentle, the loving, the deli
cate wife of other days? | looked back
on the happy hours of our betrothal, on
the happier days of our early married life
| recalled her ioyousness of spirits, her
frank confidence of manner, her deep love-
our former happiness, our present misery I;
and remembered that it was I who had
wrought the change In a few days we
should part, perhaps for ever, while our
hearts were full of love for each other.
Never had l adored her as / did at that
hour, and l determined that she should
not leave me.
During the evening the voice of some
one singing attracted my attention. The
tones seemed familiar; / could not be mis-
taken, the voice was hers and placing N.Y.
self in position where | could see the
singer without being seen by her, lis
tened until the song was finished. When
it was finished she raised her eyes for
but only for a moment, and then
commenced another song-one had never
heard before-the story of proud heart
brokenl The words seemed to come from
her very soul. The tones of her voice
will ring in my ears until they are stopped
by death. A deep, painful silence pervaded
the room. Tears stood in many bright
eyes, and many lips quivered with emotion.
Then she ceased and rose from her seat,
but so white was she that / feared she
would faint.
We soon returned home. The distance
was short, but the time seemed an age
till we reached our house. l would have
given worlds to have spoken and to have
told her all all my sorrow, all my repent.
ance-but | could not; my tongue Glove
to the roof Of my mouth; nor, indeed,
until after she bade me goodnight" !"
could utter word. Then, and only then,
i stammered out a request that she would
remain for few moments. She closed
the door, and returned to her chair, rails
ing her large dark eyes inquiringly to
mine.
Fanny" said at last-I had not called
her so for many months before" Fanny,
Will you not sing those songs you sang to-,
night?'
Certainly, if you wish it." she replied,
and seating herself at the piano, she sang
them again, in a clear, calm tone.
had determined, wnen the songs were
concluded, TO seek reconciliation but the
demon, pride, whispered, "Will you be less
firm than she? This cannot last-why
humiliate yourself.".
L went up into my own lonely chamber,
and sat down and pondered on the events
of the evening, regretting bitterly my fol-
ly in suffering my pride again to master
me.
| heard my wife moving about the room,
which adIolned my own, and then suddenly
a heavy fall and a groan. rushed into the
apartment, and found her extended on
the floor. | raised her in my arms, and TO
my horror, blood was streaming from her
mouth. The truth flashed upon me at
once-she had broken blood-vessel-she
would die! | sprang to the bell. In a
lew minutes-minutes which seemed an
age-the servants entered the room, but
staggered, horror-stricken, at beholding
their beloved mistress apparently in the
agonies of death.
THE doctor!-a doctor" l shouted.
She will die she will diet"
In second they were all gone, save her
maid, who was sobbing and praying while
she wiped the blood from the lips of her
expiring mistress.
oh what agony / suffered during the
interval which ensued before the arrival of
the physician / called her by thel dearest
names; | begged her to speak but one
word. | entreated her to forgive me-
only to smile once more.
She slowly opened her large eyes; a
slight smile paused over her face, and she
was-dead.
Just then the physicians entered, and !
begged and payed of them to exert their
skill to save her.
1T will be useless to attempt it, "was
their passionless reply; "no human power
can restore life"
l could not believe them. My wife was
not, could not be dead. clasped her in
my arms; kissed her brow, her lips, and
all became blank
What passed afterward l know not.
When l awoke to consciousness L found
myself lying on a bedy in a darkened
room. A strange female was standing by
its side, talking, in low tone of voice, to
another stranger.
'He seems better to-day, DOCTOR" she
said, "much better"
| asked for my wife, They told me to
be quiet-that | had been very i'll, and
asked how l felt, l answered not, fol
gradually past events came back to my
recollection. l remembered everything
even my last kiss on her cold lips.
knew that she was dead, and asked them
what they had done with her At first
they hesitated +; but at length they told me
she had been buried.
"Buried my Fanny yl-my wife ?
Again l ceased to remember. The deliri.
um which accompanied the fever that had
attacked me had returned. All was chaos
Several months elapsed ere / recovered
and since that time my days have been
passed in tears and in prayers at her grave
my nights in dreaming Of her goodness
her love, and my terrible sin. Years have
Ill