Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-02-03
and she was the happiest Eve that ever laughed

So the yeats followed Ole another until
three were gone, and tiny baby girl toddled
upon the deck Of papa's ship after mamma
Marian.
She had been over the woild-through the
tropics, across the W ide Atlantic, through holy
Palestine--and was now once more back in her
| native land Handsomer, happier, brighter
statelier-these were all the changes these three
years had wrought.
My darling girl will stay at home this trip"
Willie said, "as 1t Is my last, and baby Marian
is too delicate to cross the Atlantic this winter.
Only three months my love and then to settle
down with my wife and birdlings in some cosy
, little country home"
So they parted-the first parting since the
wedding day. Marian clung to him In passion
ale and womanly weeping.
81 wish were going. | wish | were going
was the cry. "Oh, Willie, / am afraid I am
| atraidn'
Little goosey'
Don't know; but feel as though something
was going to happen--as if should never see
you again"
Foolish Marian! but you shall. Living Or
dead. think should have to come back 10
you. Keep up heart anil goodbye.
Captain Joyce sailed that day for Liverpool.
and Marian waited in the house where he had
| left her, nursing her sckly child-waitng in
fear and trembng-but it was wild, winry
weather, with singing winds and fierce storms
on iheocean.
Three weeks the news came-thc news she
had lrembled to hear La a wild, wild storm
the ship had gone down, and every Soul on
| board perised.
she read the cold, brief newspaper paragraph
in white, still despair, sitting by her chd's dy-
ing bed. Before morning broke Marian Joyce
was chdess as well as widowed.
Three months later, worn, pals creature
came to Aunt Maria,as she sat in her comforta.
bic pailor-wan and thin enough to he The
ghost Aunt Maria thought her.
Marian! great heavens
~ es, aunt; Marian comes back, poor ard
lriendless aid dying, TO see il you will take her
in
And you didn't drown yourself after alp"
aunte cried.
"Drown myself No. Did you think so?
have been married, and am widow. Will
lies"
An! Then Marian Joyce told her story hum
bly, aud brokenly, with pale, trembling limbs
| and downcast face, very unlike The Marian of
old.
~ have been very ill., she said in conclli-
| sion. 81 think have not long 10 live, and
| have come TO my dear old home TO die"
| Amt Alaiia's wonanly heart was touched
| and Marian was kissed and cried over, and for
given, even by Gilbert Owen, who came to see
her at once and in whose heart all the old
love revived at the sight of the pale, patient
face.
But Marian did not die, as the months passed
strength and life returned, and now life began
to beat strongly in the almost dead heart In her
old home.
And with the new life came new hope to Gil
| bert Owen.
Before the second anniversary OF her widow
| hood came around, he had asked her to marry
| him.
81 love you better than ever, Marian" he
| pleaded. have loved you so long and SO well,
and my life is so lonely. Surely deserve
| some reward"
But don't love you, Mr.. owen," Marian
| replied sally. 'l never can love one like
that again. You cannot take a wife who tells
you this?"
But Mr.. Owen thought otherwise and pleaded
so hard, with Aunt Maria TO back him, thai
finally Marian yielded aud SAID yes for the sec.
Ond time.
ghasty dusk to the sea shore as she had once
done before, when Willie came back. The ev-
ening was wild and Wet, as that had been; and
standing on the slippery boulder she looked
eastward almost expecting TO see the reproach-
full face of her drowned husband rising white
from the black waves.
At the thought cold breath of air passed
like wait from the church yard and there be
side her, at the place Of trust, she saw her yivit
fancy piihleu 10 hcT lhHlui ploodl'9S SlluoW
Of her lost husband,
"Liring or dead, promised | would com,
back" the wel-known voice said, "here
am Marian, you are mine and must never b.
anoiEer's.
Aunt Maria missed Marian, and in an hou
later wien Gilbert Owen called in dire alarr
they srt OF IN search OF her. Down to til
shore, her lavor,e haunt they hurried an
there they found her, on her face on tn
ground, wei through senseless and white a
death.
They bore her home and laid her own tn
bed, from which she never arose Whether
was ALI optical illusion brought on by an excl
ed and strained Imagination, or whether I'll
split of the dead husband really stood ,befor
her in the stormy twilight, it was all Ii
islme
On the very day that she was to have maj
: rled Gilbert Owenthey buried her, nntoltunat
Marian Joyce.