The Van Buren press., 1871-07-04
am sick mt heart, child. "

am sick mt heart, child.
And the plentiful shower Of tears help,
ed to relieve her overcharged heart.
81 will endure it for the sake of these
little ones; will suffer on and try to be
silent" thought Alice. pressing both
hands over her aching bosom.
The next week Mr.. Lynde was to come
and bring his family home. Alice looked
forward to the day with q sick anticipa
tion--a shrinking expectation. She long.
ell for the hour of their meeting, and yet
she dreaded IL
In the nervous state Of excitement she
came to the door, leading little Lucy, as
the carriage wheels grated over the stony
country road, and stopping in front OF
the old-fashioned portico.
But Charles was not there--oniy the
driver. who touched his hat with an awk'
ward attempt at poli.sness,a as be descend
ell from the box.
off you please, ma'am, Mr. Lynde
could not come--but he'll be there to
meet you.
More neglect! Alice answered not q
word, but the hands with which she tied
the blue ribbons of Lucy's hat trembled
sorely, and her lip would quiver. in spite
Of the resolute little teeth that held ii
down.
The little ones laughed and chatted
and played in the carriage as it rolled
along, exclaiming loudly at the various
objects on the road Alice leaned back
in the corner, pale and silent, seeing no
thing but the fantastic visions of her
own fevercd mind Once or twice the
idea crossed her brain that the journey
was rather longer than she expected, but
she did not reason upon the subject, re-
lapsiug at once into her painful reaec-
items.
Mamma oh mamms! what pretty
place" choruscd the children at once.
There's tall white statue back ofthose
Gr.trees, and fountain all sparkling like
diamonds, and oh, mamma, such beauti.
full beds Of flowers"
Alice, reused from her thoughts for
the Instant, leaned forward and gazed out
of the window.
Surely there was something familiar In
those green terraces, with their flights of
marble steps, in tho Doric columns Of
the majestic stone piazza, before which
the carriage suddenly came to a halt.
Am j dreaming p she thought, look.
ing vaguely around her, "or is this real
~ Beech Groye?"
She went up the steps feeling as if she
were moving through the uncertain fan
tastics Of dream, But in the vcstibule
stool reality itself in the shape Of her
husband, with face Outright cnraptured
happiness
"My dearest wife," he mnrmured,
folding her tenderly in his arms, "the
time has come for me to restore to you
5sin,. y,-x, ,-exo,...> -, ehAn,,fnllx for. my
to your home, Alice y
Home 2" she repeated, gazing upon it
his eyes, as if she scarcely credited the
evidence of her own senses.
"Yes home indeed have purchased
Beech Grove, Alice, and furnished itjust
to suit your taste! My cherished little
wife, am rewarded for the years OF
oconomy-the extra work--the self de
NAL which l have been obliged to prac'
tice ?"
"Charls., she whispered growing
scarlet and pale alternately. "was 1t this
that occasoned your absence last week =
81 was determined to bring you here,
Alice. when took you away from that
cramped little farm house There have
been countless delays, innumerable din
culties-but | have conquered them all
Welcome to your home, my precious
wife !"
And as lie took her once more to his
heart, Alice Lynde's happiness was
mingled with the keencst pang ofremorse
she had ever known
Sitting in the handsome, familiar
rooms that evening. with the moonlight
streaming through the stained glass win
dows, her children asleep in the nursery
thnt had once been hers, and Charles be-
side her, Alice vowed to herself the best
resolution a welded wife can make
never, never again to let the least shad'
ow come between herself and her oonti'
dencc in her husbands love.
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