Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1872-02-16

morsel. L~f9a 4-f gGtteu
(Which goose, now, I wonder p she
smilingly murmured. delicious per.
fume; good taste, whoever he ISL She
sprang to a sitting posture ..... f..
"Why, | declare it's that poor little
soul ~ Then read aloud:
"Please come to my room, No. a.
Immediately. | have something of great
importance to communicate. .E r.
a@t s.a.. LILLY CHATFIELD.n
How tremulous that signature ?
Poor little soul Poor little soul p
There were tears in her fine eyes, as
she slowly rose to her feet, and quickly
put her hair in order, drew silver cord
about her waist, and clasped on pair
of bracelets-so as not, she mentally
said, to look like a fright. @
Arrived at the room, her heart failed
her a little. What was it the child
wanted? What would she demand ?
Her light knock was answered by Lilly
in person. Lilly she was, for whiteness
and purity robed in gossamer muslin,
speinkled with costly lace, and rich
with ruff1es. Her face was like marble
the only spots of color in it were her
eyes, heavenly blue; but even they
looked distended and troubled. She
was in an agony of doubt and fear; any
one could see that. ... ,....
"My child, are you i'll ?' asked the
widow, quickly.
" You are an old acquaintance of my
-my-the General" said the little
creature, as if she feared her strength
would fail her, one pretty, slender hand
touching the widows arm " tell me the
truth, as you would if you were dying
she gasped a little" has he wife
living ?"
"My dear child, I cannot say, I can
not tell you must not"
I" must I will You shall tell me F.;
it would be cowardly to leave me in
doubt-wicked as murder" she cried,
hoarsely. "See here; | have letter.
perhaps I should not tell you-but who
have to go to? | never opened his
letters before: but you remember the
other night-oh, how happy was be-
fore that!" Her fearless eyes and quiv-
ering lips Mrs. Marshall never forgot.
"This letter; need give you no clue TO
it's contents, save this: it commences,
Dear General, and concludes, your
suffering and neglected wife Oh,
what am I? What am 1? Can I have
been so woefully deceived, SO terribly
wronged? No! l will not, l cannot
believe it." ,>@&- a- .-.f-~
She sprang to her feet, throwing her
arms above her head in anguish; then,
before the widow could answer-con-
sole, she could not-fell heavily to the
floor in death-like swoon. III #t
At that moment the door was flung
open, and General Chatfeld entered, q
long slip of paper in his hand. He flung
the slip at Mrs. Marshall, as he sprang
forward, and lifted the bruised Lilly in
his arms. .H
"My Godr" he cried, "what have
you told herr" He caught sigh Of the
letter. "What has she seen? Too latel
Too late For Gods sake, don't say
I'm too late p
Mrs. Marshall read the dispatch me-
chanically. General Chatfeld's wife had
been dead twelve hours. ...-.
"This is too horrible she said, ris
ing. go, man, what a wreck you have
made of your life and hers"
"No, no, she still is mine! My
adored, my darling. Leave us, Mrs.
Marshall. My punishment is more than
can bear; leave us. She is reviving."
What wild words, what prayers, what
promises were reiterated in that sad
room, none ever knew.
Mrs. Marshall was woman of good
sense, and kept her own counsel tor that
broken Lilly's sake. There was rumor
of some kind about the hotel; every
body seemed to feel, in an obscure way,
that there was trouble in General Chat
fields quarters. At all events, his beau
tiful young wife was very i'll, and gossip
hourished. .-.r t.s ..
Then Mrs. Marshall, whowas the only
lady admitted to the sick room, circu-
lated the report that now the Generals
wife was gaining strength, slowly; the
physician had recommended change Of
air, and she would, therefore, return
home for a season to her native New
England. In the mean time, at Lilly's
Mr.. Chatfeld had written to her
father, and he had come.
Few noticed the tall, white haired
clergyman, who stopped at Wizards for
a day none knew of the awful inter
view that took place between him and
General Chatfeld only Mrs. Marshall
saw the shadow of what had come to
Washington only few short weeks ago
the white, cold, corpse-like face, beau
tiful as ever, but, oh, so heart rt-broken-
leave in carriage with her equally un-
happy father.
They had reached the depot. The old
clergyman had left his wan child for
few moments, when some one came
hurrying through the cars and stopped
at the seat where Lilly was. i. ......
8 III can't leave you," whispered a
hoarse voice. "My Godl | can not.
Lilly, beloved, think again. I am free !;
you are minel Oh darling, 60 back
with me; go, for Gods sake, or [ shall
destroy myself. You love me, Lilly; a
word to your father will settle all"
General Chatfeld, you will be kind
enough to stand aside;" and there was
that old man, looking little enough like
a clergyman now, his eyes flashing fire,
his face as white as his beard.
With muttered curse, the General
did step aside, only to see Lilly fall, half
fainting, into her fathers arms.
Wild-eyed and motionless, he stood
in the depot, in which he had stood so
triumphant, only-to him it seemed but
now. -+.9a
Mrs. Clio. Marshall was married with
in two years after that sad episode, and
established her own little pet coterie in
Washington society, in which General
Chatfeld was never seen. & 8
: Years after, when sweet Jenny Harold
was sweet Jenny Alstead, with children
at her knee, Clio. read her letter, the
closing sentence of which ran as fol-
1orxye