Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-08-16

I
having seriously ascertained whether nv
lover was really worth the loss Of
position and name and honor TO me, had
promised to give up everything for him,
persuaded, almost against my better
Judgment, by the professed ardor of
bis attachment aud the fervor Of his en-
treaties.
How well ! remember the night upon
which / had agreed to fly with him how
well recall each trivial incident of that
miserable time 1t was a warn evening
IN July even at nine o clock II was still
light, and thought the darkness would
never fall TO discover my disgrace. ! sat
In nv drawing room, striving 10 occupy
myself and to make the hours pass as
they did on ordinary occasions, but with
out effect. My nerves were so painfully
acute that the least sound made itself
apparent and distracted my attention.
As the time advanced / could hear the
servants chatterlng to each other as they
put up the shutters and bOlted the doors,
and | thought how freely they woHld
handle my name on the coming morrow.
Ten O'Clock How slowly the hours
dragged themselves away Would they
never go to bed As l anxiously waited
the moment when l should have the
house TO myself, and yet dared not hasten
their movements by word which might
excite suspicion, all the events of my past
life crowded into my mind and while
could have counted the loud pusatioDs of
my heart, II seemed as though | fingered
there for no other purpose but to gaze
upon the panoramic pictures which mem-
ory presented to me.
With my elbow leaning on the table,
and my eyes staring into vacancy, I must
have looked more vanquished than tri-
nmphant-more like deiaulter who
hears the approaching step of the officer
of justice than woman whose coveted
happiness is just within her grasp. Why
did the remembrance Of my husband, Of
the man of whom had thought so little,
come to torment me in that hour of ner-
vous expectation, and make me turn so
hot each time | thought of him that
there did not seem enough air in the
room for me to breathe l did not love
him, neither did fear him but | knew
him for a man of unblemished bOnor, and
/ could not contemplate the blow l was
about TO inilict upon his name without
acknowledging that he deserved some
thing better at my bands. He had
taken me, IA dOwerless orphan, for his
wife he had loaded me since with every
benefit money could procure; ! could
recall the afiectionate gravity with which
he would rtproach my girllsh levlty, the
cheerful readiness with which he ae.
ceded to every innocent wish that ! ex.
pressed. Why-why, in the name of
God, did all this, which had so long
| forgotten, come back to me now ! What
would be say What would he think :
How woHld he look when he heard the
dreadful news that ! had dishonored him
ana left my home with a stranger /
dared not consider. | covered my face
| tightly with my hands, and rocked my
self backward and forward In my pain.
And yet how could l disappoint Alfred
or give up him who loved me 30 sob,
Why" ] inwardly moaned-"did my hus
band send me home TO England, or why
did he not come also tc protect me from
harm l have lived alone, without Il
friend 10 warn me Of my danger, and
now il is too late-it is too late" So in
my extremity | sighed and So | thought.
The servants now appearing to ask II
| required anything further at their
bands, | dismissed them impatiently, and
listened wearily for the moment when
silence should reign over the little house
]
il. When II arrived / went up to my
bedroom. There stood the boxes, adj
dressed and corded, to account for the
presence of which had been compelled
to fabricate the falsehood of my being
about to pay visit in the country tn,
following day, trusting that when tn,
servants found ] was gone they woulC
forward them to their destination.
a. / .nrr
trayelling-bag to carry IN my hand, ant
the few articles | req uired were sooI
placed in it, / stripped oil lay Jewcwelrl
which ] wore, and locked il in a place
Of safety; | cmplicd the contents of lul
purse upon the dressing table, for | haC
10 intention of taking anything with M,
that could possibly do without. Thel
rOhed myself in my walking apparel
and ! was iuady-ready for what
Eleven o'clock, the hour for meeting
was close at hand, yet fingered, loath,
am glad To think, TO break through thl
ties which bound me yet Il little longer v
the society Of the good and the pure
But had made up my mind | had giycl
my promise. What was there TO detaii
me | was leaving the room when
caught sight Of print which adorned III
, walls-the representation of an infant
with clasped hands, kueelng upon IL
little bed. The sight stung me the re
membraEce Of my orphaned childhood
my neglected youth, my unloved maturity
rushed into my heart, and for a momen
/, | wopt bitterly.
"Ah," exclaimed, amidst my tears
''had 1 child Of my own this had neve
: heen, or had | had a mother TO teach m
how TO pray Heaven might merc'tull
have guarded me this night asains
myself.
: But | felt that had gone too far, an
. the time for thinking thus had passe
over my head. Drying my eyes, quiet
' ly uniAstened the bed room door, an
with a lightel candle in my hand crel
l stealthily down the staircase, fearful le'
' the servants should be attracted by Oh
c sound of my footsteps, and fancy that
, needed their assistance.
!, But when ! reached the hall | foun
!. the task before me, Of obtaining quiz
4 egrcss, more difficult than had antic
a pated. The pOndcrOus bolts and tal
4 and chains were rusty some ! eOuI
:, scarcely move, and OF others ! did NJ
understand the mechanism. As l VIZ
a lingering them with treWdatiOn, least
- should be overheard, the footsteps OF
=, man sounded on the pavement oulsid
J, and iancyng il must be that of the OF
N was about to join, applied myself wit
! fresh energy to the task aud had just a.
. complished il, when a laundering dOub
u knock upon the door Itself, aud cloi
=, against ms head, nearly threw me oil III
Z balance with alarm.
Il Who could it be not Alfred surely
IA with noise that reveTbated through u
g. little tenement In my surprise and COZ
IA fusion / suddenly threw open the unias
ened door. and saw before me the hgu
[. of him whom had imagined TO be thol
d sands OF miles away-of my h'ieOdi
~ Laurence EdWardS.
1f The shock was so great and unexpectt
ir that l staggered backward and lean'
,d against the wall. The candle which
d brought down with me was still ilarir
IN in its candlestick upon the hall table, al
IN its feeble uncertain light threw sick
II glare upon my husbands face, as dOub
lp less it did upon my own. lie, apparent
/. as astonished as myself TO have the ha
Sc door opened 10 him at eleven O'Clock
of night by his wife clad in walking attir
lv regarded me for few seconds in tot
" silence. was first to recover myself.
Il "Good Heavens, Laurence !" e
no claimed, " how you frightened me
&c never dreamed of seeing you. Why d
I'd you not apprise me of your intend
re return ("
~ "Because had a fancy for taking y.
q by surprise " he replied gravely, "and
o. seem to have succeeded perfectly. Whe
It, are you going -
K, "Going l'' faltered, "going Whe
81 should l be going at this time Of night
a. "No, to be sure. You have just con
er in, of course. Well, get out OF u
lie draught Marion, while ! settle my Du
,d moss with tho pahman.N