Middletown transcript., 1871-07-15

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sister" knew hc would not refuse to
crafty wish Of mine.
We went. and to humor me cent up no
cards. When heard her coming down
stairs. crept out into the balcony, so she
would not at first know was there Ed
mund was too full Of emotion to notice me.
and when stole in again. found her
clasped in his arms. He had understood
all when he saw her FIRST glad look, as she
entered the room. Our meeting was in
deed Gnpry Que. That day they were
betrothcd, aud when the fall term closed,
she came home again, and on Christmas
Eve We had double wedding a. our house
and che and | were the happy brides.
Edmund bought pretty house in our
native town. where he was practicing law,
and took his lovely little wife home and
Harry and went to distant city to re-
side. A year afterward my parents fol-
lowed us, for my mother could not bear to
live so far away from me. For while we
lived SO happily together, that could not
think Of leaving my dear home; but at
the close Of tho third year Of our marriage
| began to pine for sight of Nellie, whose
letters had grown fewer, and strangely re-
,ioent. just when the spring roses began
to bloom she wrote, begging mo to come
to her. started at once. and my heart
beat wildly with alternate pleasure and ap-
prehension, She met me at the gate, and
burying her face in my bosom, wep, like
child
"Oh, Agnes" she .obbed, "my heart
has ached with these unshcd tears so long:
! they would not flow until saw your dear
face. But WIN, melancholy greeting
am giving you. Come into my little SIT
ting.toom and tell me all about yourself.
since that last night We spent together"
When had done so, she rested her
forehead on my shoulder, saying with u
/ deep sigh, " Sister your life has indeed
been pleasant one Mine, too, was hap
f py Tor the first three years, but since then
I Oh, Agnes, | filt that there was some
thing wrong long before | knew it to be
certainty. But how can tell you-you.
/ his sister =
" Tell me, Nellie" said with feel.
ing Of wonder and surprise, " Won't YOU
trust me, sister,
Il suppose You know, Agnes, that Mr.
Lees family moved TO the west two years
ago! oh, Agnes, we lived so happily
until Hattie came here six weeks ago 10
/ pay us a visit, looking moro brilliantly
beautiful than ever.
" That dreadful girl again" / inter
ruptcd.
" Sho caac without invitation. aud
have felt i my duty 10 be hospitable to
her, as my guest, though | fear have
often been only civily polite, for she treats
me with the utmost contempt sometimes,
when Edmund is not here She is the
first TO see him coming home and the first
to meet him at the door, Her kindness
to me then is almost oyer-powcring. anl
often when turn away from her hyna
j critical embrace, with feeling Of rera.
sion that ! cannot hide, lie looks at me
with such an hurt expression sometimes
even almost strrnlv If h. would on!y
breach the sahlee, to h,e iii private. think
should tell him the whalr truth. no mat.
ter what the result might be to her. But
he says not worl about ii, aul-A mes
you know my pride Every evening they
nrl together, either walking or playing
chess IN the parlor, n game that Edmund
Is 50 fond Of, anil which | heartily dis
/ like. cannot endure her society. and
always leave them alone together max.
ing my baby an excuse for staying in the
nursery. 10 not know what occurred
last nigh, between them. but | am sure
something did for she has mol come down
| stnirs this morning, and be acted So
strangely constantly eyaling my glance:
and. after starting to his office hc came
hacl; 10 where ] snt with Lulu, and TAX
ing my face between his hands, he looked
long and earnestly into my eyes. as If he
never expected 10 see me again. then kiss
ed me tenlerly saying: Good-bye. my
poor little darling, aud turned away. /
seemed rarnlizea with the fsar Of some
terrible agony about To crush me and
could not utter one word a dreadful
gloom settled upon me at once, which
canno, shake of "
= Nellie, dear" said |. "thero must be
some mistake ] cannot believe that Ed.
mund could be false to YOU
II must acknowledge. sister, that !,
too, am somewhat to blame My wound.
cd pride has very often arisen, aud caused
me to ,rca, him coldly, aud then when it
was too late to recall an unkind. word or
action, have gone 10 my room. and for
hours wcpt tears of remorse, and ycarning
for the old love that fcl, was gradually
being taken away from me. II seems as
il my life has been all clouds but have
had no sorrow equal to this
just then little colored waitress enter.
ed with a note in her hand saying: miss
Nellie, must take this letter to Miss Hat
ties room. MIR. Edmund told me this
morning to give il to her when she came
down; but she has not come yet, and
Chloe says she is packing her trunks"
"Givc it to me, said Nellie, with n
pale. wild look. II will attend to it,"
Opening it, she gazcd at it moment
dropped it quickly. and pressed, one hand
to her heart in the old way. and the other