Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1872-02-15
EATON, THURSDAY,

yer, and left the room as soon as the
widow had possessed herself of the pink
| morsel.
(which goose, now, I wonder ~ she
smilingly murmured. delicious per-
fume; good taste, whoever he Is" She
| sprang to a sitting posture.
| "Why, declare it's that poor little
| soul l' Then read aloud:
"Please come to my room, No. a.
immediately. I have something of great
importance to communicate.
CHILLY CHATFIELD."
"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 a silver cord
about her waist, and clasped on pair
| of bracelets-so as not, she mentally
said, to look like 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,
sprinkled 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
I-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 little" has he a wife
living3'
"My dear child, I cannot say, 1 can
not tell you must not"
"Imustl Iwilli You shall tell me
it would be cowardly to leave me in
doubt-wicked as murder" she cried,
hoarsely. "See here have a letter
perhaps should not tell you-but who
have 1 to go to? 1 never opened his
letters before; but you remember the
fore thatl'' Her fearless eyes and quiv-
ering lips Mrs. Marshall never forgot.
"This letter, need give you no clue to
its contents, save this it commences,
| Dear General and concludes, 'Your
suffering and neglected wife, Oh,
| what am 1? What am 1? Can have
been so woefully deceived, so terribly
wronged? MOI I will not, cannot
believe it.''
She sprang to her feet, throwing her
arms above her head in anguish then,
before the widow could answer-con-
sole, she could not-fcll heavily to the
| floor in death-ike swoon.
At that moment the door was flung
open, and General Chatfield entered, a
long slip of paper in his hand. He flung
\ q, Oh ohon he
forward, and lifted the bruised Lilly in
his arms.
"My GodI" he cried, "what have
you told herr" He caug int sigh of the
letter. "What has she seen? Too late
Too lateI For Gods sake, don't say
Pm 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 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
/ 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.
Then Mrs. Marshall, who was 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
England. In the mean time, at Lilly's
request, 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 Chatfe1d; 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 eartbroken-
leave in a carriage with her equally un-
happy father.
clergyman had left his wan child for a
l0W. mOuSHIS, WAOu SOIu0 one came
hurrying through the cars and stopped
at the seat where Lilly was.
81 can't leave you," whispered a
hoarse voice. "My Godi I can not.
Lilly, beloved, think again. 1 am free;
you are minel Oh, darling, go back
with me; 60, for Gods sake, or I 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
yesterday-and now.
Mrs. Clio. Marshall was married with
in two years after that sad episode, and
established Ler own little pet eoteric in
Washington society, in which General
Chatfeld was never seen.
Years after, when sweet Jenny Harold
was sweet Jenny Alstead, with children