New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-11
paper, as the black servant entered at n

paper, as the black servant entered at ne
low "cOme in"
He bore small note on silver salver
and left the room as soon as the widow hat
possessed herself of the pink morsei. :,
(Which goose, now, wonder ~ she smll
ingly murmured. delicious perfume
good taste, whoever he is" She sprang u
sitting posture. r.,
"Why. declare it's that poor LITTLE
soul" Then read aloud: ..
"Please come to my room, No. "a, I'M
mediately. have something OF great I'D
portance to communicate.
p'- ''''OO W LILLY CHATFIELD."
"How tremulous that signature! roo
little soul
There we're tears in her fine eyes, as she
SLOWLY rose to her feet and quickly put hel
hair in order. drew a silver cord about bel
waist, and clasped on pair OF bracelets
SO as not, she mentally said, to look Ike a
fright.
Arrived at the room her heart failed hel
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 a
gosamer muslin, sprinkled with costly lace,
and rich with ruffles. Her face was Ike
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 ills" asked the widow
quickly"
you are an old acquaintance of my
my-the General said the little creature,
talking rapidly, 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 little-"has he wife living y
my dear child, can not say, can not
tell; you must not"
IL must! l will! You shall tell me: it
would be cowardly to leave me in doubt,
wicked as murder she cried, hoarsely
'See here, l have a letter-perhaps should
Tot tell you, but who have l to go to!
never opened his letters before but you re-
member the other night-oh, how happy |
quivering lips Mrs. Marshall never forgot.
This letter, l need give you no clue to Its
contents, save this: it commences, Dear
General and concludes, Your suffering
and neglected wife Oh. what am what
am l Can l have been so wOetully de-
ceived. so terribly wronged No! will
not, can not believe it,"
She sprang to her feet, throwing her arms
above her head in anguish; then. before the
widow could answer-cOnsole. she could
heavily to the floor in death-like
swOOn.
At that moment the door was flung open,
and General Chatfield entered, a 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.
my God ~ he cried, what have you told
her!' He caught sight of the letter. What
has she seen! Too late, too late! For Gods
sake, don't say I'm too late
Mrs. Marshall read the dispatch mechan-
cally. General Chattield's wife had been
dead twelve hours.
''This is too horrible!' she said, rising.
'Oh, man, what wreck you have made of
your life and hers"
''No, no, she is still mine! My adored,
my darling. Leave us, Mrs. Marshall. My
punishment is more than l can bear; leave
is. 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 for that
broken Lilly's sake. There was ruinor OF
some kind about the hotel; everybody seem
I'd to feel, in an obscure way. that there
vas trouble in General Chatfeld's quarters
At all events, his beautiful young wife was
very ill, and gossip tlourished.
Then Mrs. Marshall, who was the only
ady admitted to the sick room. circulated
he 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 meantime, AT
Lilly's request Mr.. Chattield had written
20 her father. and he had cone.
Few noticed the tall, white-haired clergy
nan who stopped at Wizards for dag:
lOne knew of the awful interview that
passed between him and General Chatteld;
only Mrs. Marshall saw the shadow of what
lad come to Washington few short weeks
igo-the white. cold. corpRe-like face, beau
iful as ever, but OH so observation-disclosures
n a carriage with her almost broken-heart
I'd father.
They had reached the depot. The old
clergyman had left his wan child for few
when some one came hurrying
through the cars and stopped at the seat
where Lilly was.
Il can't leave you' whispered hoarse
-oice. MY God! | can not. Lilly, beloved.
hink again. l am free; You are my wife
nine! Oh, darling. 90 back with me: go,
or Gods sake, or / shall destroy myself.
iou love me, Lilly; word to your father
will settle ALL
General Chatfeld. you will be kind
nough to stand aside and there was that
Id man, looking little enought like cler-
lyman now, his eyes flashing fire, his face
IS white as his beard
With muttered curse the General did
tep aside, only to see Lilly fall, halt faint
ng. into her fathers arms.
Wild-eyed and mOtionless, he stood IN the
lepOt, in which he had stood so triumphant,
nly-to him it seemed only but yesterday,
md now!
Mrs. Clio Marshall was married within
wO years after that sad episode, and estab-
ished her own little pet coterie in Wash
ngton society, in which General Chatfeld
vas never seen.
Years after, when sweet Jenny Harold
vas sweet Jenny Alstead, with children at
Ter knee, Clio read her a letter, the closing
entence of which ran as follows:
''And so you will see me again, if heaven
LEASES. NY dear husband knows all, and
avs he is only too thankful that l was firm
n my persistence in that mater. How
many times have thought of and thanked
-ou in my heart for your kindness 10 me
through that dreadful time" etc
From dear Lilly Chatteld," said Jenny.
"No; never call her that! She has mar
led good and worthy man this time, and
II NJ. c. into the bargain. We must call
n her as soon as she comes, and get her in
ur set before anybody appropriates her.
he is as precious as gold
And so she was.
As for General Chatficld. when Lilly
anne to the capital he lett it, and has never
ince been seen in Washington society.
Forrest on the Lake Shore.
A., &c =.