The Van Buren press., 1873-09-02

! for me. have tried fashionable life in
| London since, but | never found it as
happy as our days in that dear old Sur
rey village.
Well, our happy times did not last long,
Marion caught cold as the winter came
on, and was soon so i'll as to be taken to
London for advice. Stephen came back
alone. with a weary, deathly looking face
Marion had broken small blood vessel
OH the journey-not anything serious in
Itself, but omnous enough. They were
to go at once to warm climate, not a
day to be lost. Sorrowiully packed up
the necessary things, and went with
Stephen to London the next day to say
goodbye to Marion, who had been for.
hidden to 20 home The samc arrernoor
| they were on board vessel bound fol
Leghorn. Luckily, Marion was good
sailor, and well used to ships. tor she had
made more than one voyage to Madeira
with her father Much wished to GO
with them and much as they wished it,
too, 1t WAS out Of the question. Steph-
en- had saved but little money, and could
hardly see how he and Marion were to
live, unless he could make = practice
somewhere among the English abroad,
and his taking me also was not to be
thought Of was to live for the pres
ent with my married sister. 1t was very
sore to part with Stephen, with whom |
had lived all my life; it was almost sor-
er to part with Marion, who had been more
| than sister to me ever since | saw her
Stephen and were nearly overcome with
emotions; but she was calm and silent,
with an intent, wistful look about her
lovely face that has haunted me all my
life since. | oan see it now, when | shut
my eyes, though it was fifty years ago.
Need | say that | never saw her again
went to my sisters house and began
the fashionable life ] used to wish for
1t was not all that pictured it, though
it WAS pleasant enough to occupy me in
the day time; but at night l longed sad
ly for my darlings,
stephen wrote letters full Of hope, and
talked Of returning, after spending two
years in Italy. Marion, too. wrote fav-
orably Of herself, and my anxiety began
to lessen There WAS another reason for
this a the same time: my late husband,
the friend and partner of my sisters hus-
band, was at the sime time beginning to
pay addresses to me; and the tender
troubles of my own case made me care
less Of the woes Of Others. Summer
came around again, and one day as was
half wishing for my country home let
ter arrived from Stephen. Marion com
plaint was at a crisis, and a great change
would take place, one way or the other
in few days. Was to so home, put
the place III order, ana n. rcndy 10 re-
ceivc them | did not know till after
ward that Marion had begged to be al
lowed to die at home, if the change were
for tho worse; if it had been for the bet
ter there would have been no reason for
her staying abroad,
Well, went home, arranged every
thing, and waited for them Three weeks
passed (the usual intcrval), and no let
ter; month, and ! supposed they were
travelling slowly to av,i fatigue. On
the day live weeks after | had received
the las. letter l vas sitting alone. rather
late in the evening, when quick step
sounded in the road outside, and Stcph-
en- came to tho gate, opened it, entered
the house, and 8 f down in silence Ile
was dressed as usual, and looked tired
and travel-stained; but there was no sor-
row in his face, and felt sure that Ma
rion must be safe ] asked him where
she was. lie said she was not with him.
"Have you left her in Italy," asked.
She is dead, " he answered, without
a shadow Of emotion.
How? where r was beginning TO
question him, but he stopped me,
Give me something to eat and drink,
he said. / have walked from London,
and l want to sleep.
brought him what he wanted lie
bade me good night, and, as ! saw he
wished it, | left him and went to bed full
Of grief, but even more Of wonder, that
he, who truly loved his wife, if ever n
man did, could speak Of her not a month
after death without his voice falterng or
his face changing in the least 10
morrow will solve the question, ! said
to myself, as, weary with crying, j felt
sleep coming over me. Bnt tomorrow
did not solve the question. He told me,
as before, without emotion, what he wish
cd me TO know, and from that moment
he spoke no more on the subject. In cv-
cry respect but this he was my own
Stephen Of old.--as Kind and Thoughtful
as ever, only altered by q rather absent
manner. Thought at first he was stun
ned By his loss, and would realize II more
painfully afterward but months passed
on wthouta a change, lie used Marion's
chair, or things of her work, or sa. OPP
positc to her drawings. not seeming to
notice them; indeed, it was as if she had
dropped ont of his life entirely. and left
him as he was beterc he knew her. Tho
only difference was that ho, naturally a
maa Of scdentary habits, took a great
deal of exercise, and know that he kept
laudanum in his bedroom.
At this time my lover was pressing me
to marry him, and with much difficulty i
consented to tell S.cpheE ssou. il, though
| had no idea OF leaving him. To my
surprise he seemed pleased. | told him
that would never leave him alone, for
all the husbands in the world; but he
would not hear,
81 think it is your duty to marry him,
Margaret. said he. You love him.
and have taught him to love Won, and
you have no right to sacrifice him to
me"
"My first duty is to you, Stephen.
| -. ,nt 1aava you alppC "