Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-07-13

wildly. "Why cannot you leave me
in pcaCe;"
at is ], Gerald, your Madeline
your own little wife"
And / caught from his hand the
pistol he was trying to conceal in his
breast-its mate lay on the hearth
under the mantel-aHd flung Il out
of tho window.
Gerald, would you have left
me?''
II would have escaped, ," he cried.
still half deiiriOus, 10 all appear
ances, "debt, misery, disgracC-LCr
reprOaches. l would have escaped
them all"
ellis head fell, ike that OF wea-
riCd child, on my shoulder. ] drew
him gently to a sofa and sOOthed
him with q thousand muTmuTCd
words, a thousand mute caressc5f for
had il not been all my fault
And through all the long wees g
Of fear that followed, HursCd him
with unWavering care and devotion.
I had but one thOught-Onc desire
to redeem myself in his Cstima-
tiOn-tO prove to him that / was
something more and higher than the
mere butterfly had hitherto shown
myself.
Well, the March winds had how l.
ell themselves away into their
mountain Businesses; the brilliant
April rain-drOps were dried Oh the
bOugh and spray; and now the ap-
pie blossoms were tossing their fra
grant pillows of pinky bloom in the
deep blue air of the latter May.
Where are we now?
1t was a picturesque little villa
not far out Of Pittsburgh, furnished
very like n magnificent baby house.
Gerald sat in d cushioned easy chair
in the garden, just where he could
me, working busily at my needle.
"What an industrious fairy 10 f., -
lac said, smiling sadly.
"WelI, you see / like il. Il is q
great deal better than those sOnGtas
on the piano"
''Who would have thought YOU
would make so notable a house
Keeper"
l laughed gleefully; l had all
child's delight in being praised.
care you going to Mrs. DelaHcy's
crOquett party?" he asked.
''No; what do l care for croquett
parties? Pm going to finish your
shirts, and you viii read aloud to
me-"
Madeline, l want you 10 answer
me one question"
''What is it?
''What have you done with your
Il sold them long ago. They paid
several heavy bills, beside settling
half years rent here"
'But, Madeline, you were s0proud
of your diamonds"
81 was once, but now, they would
be the bitterest reproach my eyes
could meet. Oh, Gerald, had l been
less vain, and thoughtless and eX-
traVagant"-
l checked myself, and a robin
singing in the perfumed blossoms of
an apple-tree, took up the dropped
current of sound.
That's right little rcd-breas,," J."
said my husband, half jOkingly,
talk her down. She has forgotten
that our past is dead and gone, and
that we have turned over q new
page in the book of existence. Mad
cline, do you know how l feel, some
times when look at you?"
'No."
'Weu, feel like a widower who
has married again"
My heart gave ono little supersti-
tiOus jump.
"Like a WidOwer who has married
again, Gerald?"
"Nes, | can remember my first
wife-a brilliant, thoughtlcss child
without any idea beyond the graft
iiCatiOn of present Whims-a spoiled
Wen, that little NADIA
line has vanished away into the past,
she has gone away 70
return to me no more, and il her
stead | behold my second WIfe-a
thoughtful, tender woman, whose
love surrounds me like an
and whose character
grows more noble and develops it.
self into new depths of beauty every
lay."
/ was knceling at his side, now,
with my check upon his arm, and
my eyes looking into his.
anu WulGH 10 you 4OhC bCSS,
Gerald-the first CT second wifc!'
Il think the trials and Vicissitudes
through which we have passed are
welcome indeed, since they have
brought me Us their harvest fruit,
he priceless treasure Of my second
wife"
That was what Gerald answered
sweetest words that ever
ell upon my ear.