The Van Buren press., 1873-09-02
MISCELLANY
Two Lives in One.

More than fifty years ago my brothe
Stephen and lived together in a villag,
about ten miles south Of London, wher,
he was in practice as surgeon, Steph
en- was thirty.two, eighteen We hat
no relations but sister, five or six year,
older than myself, and well married il
London. Stephen was a solitary anC
studious man, living somewhat apar
from his eighbors, and standing almos
in fsthcrly position toward me. Thro
the years we had lived together no one
had thought Of his marrying. Thus i
was when the events have to tell began
The house next to ours was taken by 9
Mr.. Cameron, a feeble looking man, rath
er past middle age, with ore daughter
Marion by name. How shall | describe
her, the most beautiful creature | evei
saw? She was, perhaps, twenty years
cid; ! never knew precisely. A tall,
slight form, fair complexion, dark chest
nut eyes and hair, and an expression
more like that OF an angel than human
being. Though was much struck with
her appearance Stephed did not appear
to notice it; and we might have remain
ed unacquanted with them forever but
that he was required to help Mr.. Gamer
on over an awkward stie opposite our
house Acquaintance once made they
soon grew familiar, for they had two feel
ing in common--a love of tobacco and
Swedenborgianism Many n summer CIV.
cnins did they pass smoking the one and
talking the other, Marion sometimes join
ing in, for she generally walked with
them. while my chest, which was weak at
tho time, Kept me at home. One day
they Quilted Stephen at the gate, and as
he entered the door said to him:
"Hcw lovely Marion is! ] am never
tired of looking at her. ="
Look at her while you may, said
he !; " she has not three years to live. y
1t was only too true. She had some
dreadful mplaint--anenrism, ! think it
was-which must carry her or in the
flower of her days. Stephen told me that
he had consulted the most eminent doc
tors without getting any hope; and the
emotion, rare enough in him, that he dis
played, told me that he loved Marion.
said no word to him about it; / knew
better; but saw with what dreadful
doubts he was pcrplcxed. Excitement
might shortea Marion's life--such an ex'
ctcment as a declaration Of love from
him might be OF material injury; and
even if it did not prove so. how could he
condemn himself to the prolonged tor
tnrc Of seeing the life Of a beloved vile
ebb away day by day? Besides he did
not think she cared for him. /, who had
watched her ccaselessly, knew that she
loved him with her whole heart. He
struggled with himself Gcrccy, but he
won the fight. He left home for some
weeks, and returned looking older and
paler but he had learned to mention her
name without his voice quiyoring, and to
touch her hand without holding her
breath hard She was pining away un
der the influence Of his changed manner,
and dared not help my two darlngs to
be happy. An unexpected aid soon
came. Mr.. Cameron, who was in bad
bealth whom we first saw him, died sud
denly. Poor Marions grief was terrible
to sec. Her father was dead. Stephen,
as she thought, cstrangcd; snd there was
no one else in the world who cared wheth.
er she lived or died, except myself !
brought her home with me, ard was with
her hourly till Mr.. Camcrons funeral.
How We got through that time ! hardly
know. Then came the necessary inquiry
;;a;,.c his affairs. He had died, not alto
cc,ber poor; but IN reduced c'eumstan,
ces, leaving Marion an annuity tha'
would scarcely give her the luXures hcr
state of health required. And where was
she to live, and what to do? Stephen
was the sole executor, the one adviser to
whom she could look. lie took two
days and nights to consider, and then
offered her his hand and home. AT iirst
she could not believe that his offer arose
from anything but pity and compassion
but when ho had told her the story OF
the last few months, aud called me to
bear witness to it, great liSht seemed
to come into her eyes, and wonderful
Glow of love, such as | had never seen,
over her face left them TO themselves
that evening, till Stephen tappca a, the
door Of my room, and told me all-noth
i.ac, in rac.., nu. what knew long before
In their case there was little cause for
delay. Trousscaux were not the iinpor
tant matters in my day that they arc IN
my graudchildrens; and Marion was
married to Stephen, in her black gown
within month Of her father funeral.
The next few months was happy
time for all of us. The worried, fright
cned look she used to wear left her face
as she recovered from The depression
caused by her constant anxiety about he
husband, and the loss of rest she suffer
cd in attending upon him at night J
seemed as il sho were entirely recovering
and stephen, If he did not loso his fear, r,
at least was not constantly occupied VIII
then How happily we used to look lot
ward to the future, FOR Stephen was oe