The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-02-07

my little parlor, that l never before had
seen it look SO pleasant and homelike
| The mellow light of an autumn sunset
streaming through the clear glass o1
| the window, giving a roseate tinge tC
the fresh muslin curtains bright GOA
fire glowed in the polished crate, and
before 1T stood the table, ready prepar
ed for dinner, with it's spotless damasI
covering, faultless clean napkins, clea1
shining glass, pure white china, and
plated ware-we could not afford silver
| polished to the extreme Of bright
ness. Our one handsome piece of fur
niture, magnificent piano given me by
| your father, stood open, with Harry
| favorite music in the rack, and his flute
lay ready on the music stand; but the
| loyeliest object to my eyes was the in
mate of the little cradle, lying with
wide open ewes, and uttering that soft
| cooling sound which foolish mothers like
myself interpret into All manner OF
| sweet words and loving phrases.
g 1t is said that q serpent enters every
Eden and the one that invaded mine
came in the form of Arthur Tremain. ]
had often heard Harry speak of Arthur
Tremain, the hero of his boyhoOd; but
when [ was introduced to him that
evening, and tried to welcome him as
my husbands friend, there was some
thing behind the handsome face and the
faultlessly polished manner that seem
ed to repel me. If I.were a Sweden
borgian 1 would say that our spheres
were antagonistic. / felt the fascina-
tion of his address and brilliant con-
versatiOnal powers, but l could not feel
at ease in his society. He boarded at
the ROssin House, and as he was report
ed to be a millionaire on the lookout
for some safe investment for his spare
thousands, he soon became a welcome
visitor at the best houses in the city.
STILL Notwithstanding all the attention
that was paid him and the constant in
vitations that he received, his most fire.
quent visits were made at our humble
home. As time passed on, the aversion
that / felt at first ceased almost entire
ly, and l began to look forward with
pleasure to the time of his coming. He
had a remarkably fine tenor voice and a
brilliant performer ON the piano, and as
Harry aud myself were both passion
ately fond of music, our evenings pass
ed delightfully."-. He came almost daily :;
at first, only in the evening, when my
husband would be at home; but in a
few weeks he came frequently at hours
when Harry would be at the store. At
length | was aroused to knowledge of
the fact that these visits always were
followed by feeling a vague dissatis-
faction with the situation in which /
was placed, and with my surroundings.
/ took myself seriously to task, and
now, remembered covert hints, insinua-
tions, illusions to my former position,
half-expressed pity for the change,
many, many things, so quietly said and
so delicately covered that they had fail
ed at the time to excite my anger or
suspicion. But why should he wish to
make me discontentad with my home
My suspicious once aroused / became
convinced that he was trying to wean
me from my true love for my husband,
and to win that love for himself.
Ashamed to think so myself, and
more ashamed to confess it to another,
l could not go to Harry and ask him to
put an end to Mr. Tremain's too fire.
quent visits but went to Aunt Janet,
and complained of the interruption of
my household duties. She only said,
Right, child! You are quite right ;
but from that day Mr.. Tremain always
found her established in our little par
lar with her knitting, looking grim and
stately, ready to assist me in entertain
ing him, or to entertain him herself,
excusing me on account of my house
hold cares.
after the advent of Aunt Janet, Mr..
Tremain's visits became less frequent :
but 1 was soon panied to see a great
change III my husband. The cheerful,
hopeful look vanished from his face,
and gave place to an expression of the
deepest detection. Instead of spending
his evenings at home, as had always
been his habit, he remained out late at
night, and returned sad and Respondent,
his sleep was restless and interrupted,
and he looked SO haggard and careworn
that | became anxious about his health.
" Near the last of December Harry's
employer determined to send him to
Montreal in charge of large sum of
money, nearly forty thousand dollars.
He was to leave in the train at 10 PM,
and when he returned in the evening he
brought the money with him. Mr.. Ire
main accompanied him, and heard my
husband say excitedly, Never jest with
me again in that manner, Arthur, or
our friendship must cease. Dearly as
would l wrong my employers out of one
farthing; and / cannot and viii not
have my honesty called in question,
even in Jest.
"Mr. Tremain laughed lightly as he
made some low reply. They shook
hands, and the subject seemed to be for
gotten.
."Mr. Tremain intended to start that
evening for New York, by the way of
Niagara, and at five o'clock my husband
him to the terminus of the
Great Western Railroad. He returned
in an hour, complaining of a severe
headache. He said that he had taken
glass of ale with his friend before bid
ding him good bye, and had not felt well
indeed, from that time he
had been growing worse. l made him
a cup of strong tea, bathed his head,
and did all IN my power to arouse him
from the stupor that seemed to be rap
idly overpowering. him. At length, be-
coming alarmed, 1 despatched the wood
sawyer for the nearest physician. He
soon returned, saying that the doctor
would be there in half an hour. Eight, |
nine, ten o'clock came, and no doctor. !
I looked anxiously from the door, but |
Ine weather naQ become stormy, ana
the drifting snow kept every person
within doors. so that could not see a
single passer by. / could not leave my
helpless babe, and apparently dying |
husband, who now lay perfectly uncon- |
scious, his lvid face and heavy labored |
breathing awakening my greatest fears,
so with fervent prayer that God, in
His infinite mercy would spare my dear
one, L prepared to spend the night in
watching by his side
eleven o'clock, and still no change |
for the better. The fire was burning |
low and took the coal scuttle to re-
plenish it with coal As l knew the |
wind would extinguish the lamp, I |
thought that would find my way to |
the coal house in the dark. As 1 step |
ped upon the kitchen porch I started, |
that 1 heard the sound of |
voices. Robberies had been frequent, |
particularly during the last few months, |
and for the first time that night / |
thought of the large sum of money now
living in the house. [ was not mistaken. |