Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-01-03

man in vain, who counted his
amours by the score,-this petted
darling of society, this ''glass of
fashion," whose word was law
world-weary before his time, blase
ere one thread of silver shown in
his crisp black curls-this man,
who was used to be fattered and
courted, listened to his refusal only
to repeat the proposal again and
again, begging for only such esteem
as she gave him now. incrednlous
but that he should make a stronger
love in her heart than the one he
believed to be only girlish fancy.
But, even in the last hour, before
their marriage, she had SAID with
fearful beseeching eyes: 81 shall
never love again." and he had kiss
ed away the tears with tender as.
surances that he would be content.
The prediction was but too true,
and the gloom that lay in her heart
chilled and clouded his life, though
no words ofreproach was ever spo-
ken.
When the storm that had long
threatened our beloved Union burst
in fury over the land, he. joined the
Confederate army, and fell in bat
tie. Where the fray was fercest
and hottest, where blood had bap-
tized the soil like water, he had led
on his men to face the leaden hail;
and, when it was ended, they found
him dead on the field, his head rest
ing on his arm, his broken sword by
his side, and more peaceful look
on his face than he had worn of
late. b5-1 ls -sl..-- I'LL. ~. --1
When / next met Annie, we were
prisoners at a Southern village
One day, a Union officer. who was
passing window where we stood,
glancing carelessly up; but as his
eye caught hers, a look of recogni-
ton and astonishment passed over
his face, then it grew white as
death. Annie was scarcely less NOV
ed, for the man who had lifted his
cap and passed ON was Charles L..
Later in the day they met, and she
listened to his story, never having
heard from him since they parted at
Wheeling. He had amassed a for
tune, and married, upon short ac-
quaintanee, lady in the North
The union was a wretchedly-misera-
bly, mistake, without one palliating
circumstance; and he was repenting
at leisure. His wife was stylish,
artful, superficial, narrow=minded
woman. He had dreamed of the an
gels, and walked to find himself fet-
teredto a mockery of womanhood
who made his home a hell and
separation partial in one sense, entire
in another, took place between them
By his forbearance she still wore the
name she dishopored; but for four
years they hadneither met nor spo-
ken.
Heretofore there had been no
strong motive for taking legal steps
towards separation; perhaps he
had never really loved; but the
knowledge of Annie's ehangeless
devotion even while she was the
wife of another; her desolation; her
radiant beauty, that as far out shone
the beauty of the girl he had known
years ago as the beauty of morn ex-
ceeds that Of dawn,-stirred his
heart as it never had stirred be-
fore. -' ,.s ---7 u z ----..-s
The gratitude he had cherished
all these years sWelled into love
that was almost worshsp.o 1t was
the love of the boy magnifed a hun
dred fold, and he begged with pas
sionate entreaties to be allowed to
protect her; that she would. be his
wife in name,-a hated burden.
Until this time Annie had loved
him deYoutly, and, even with her
head pillowed on the loyal breast
of her noble husband, dreamed of
the absent lover, until it broke that
heart and sent it to an early grave.
But, now that be-married, bound,
though but by an, empty form, to
another-dared to speak such senti-
ments, and ask of her a promise SO
near allied to dishonor, she answered
with contemptuous refusal, and sent
him from her with scorn. In that
hour the love a lifetime lay appa-
rently dead. shrouded for sepulcher,
waiting for burial from which
there would be no resurrection
There was never, in all her life, an
hour of such utter loneliness, s,--such
weary, hopeless despair; and she
wept aloud with sobs and means,
as if her heart had at last broken.
I am afraid I did not pity her then.
Soon after this she was freed and
made as comfortable as possible ;
but her property was confscated,
and she became a dependent upon
bounty
Six months later she was on a
| Mississippi River steamer. The boat
was crowded with passengers, gath
cred in groups on the deck or in the
cabin; and, for the brevities of the
day, conversation turned upon the
ever-present subject of the sad diff
ference between the North and
South. Ladies and gentlemen took
part in 1t, and Annie, whose deep
mourning, beauty, and air of refine
ment had attracted attention, was
kindly drawn into discussion. She
told her experience of suffering be-
reavement, and loss of home and
wealth, with an unaffected air of
simplicity; and her sorrow, unmixed
with bitterness or a spirit of retail
iation, touched every heart but one,
and tears stood in many eyes.
Opposite, and near her, sat wo-
man whom Annie had already no
ticed on account of her peculiarly
repellant personal appearance, who
in n venomous manner assailed
Southern refugees at the close of
the unvarnished tale told at the re-
quest of the passengers. She so ev-
identity hated Annie for the interest
others felt in her, and looked it so
plainly, that my poor little friend
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