The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-03-22
REDEEMED.

The fact is, we were both too young
TO marry. She was eighteen, l was
barely In my majority; but she was o
poor desolate little orphan sent out into
the cold world 10 do the best she could
for herself as u goycrness; was madly
In love with her, and / was my own
master; we had no wiser heads to advise
us and no more experienced hands 10
guide us-so we took our own way, as
was but natural, and married on my
clerlship OF three hundred year. l
need scarcely say We were happy. For
the first two years indeed IL seemed to
me as II 1 had never really lived until
now. Our pretty little home at Kilburn
was bright and cheerful. Edith was
always aftechonate, and always good
tempered, and like Annabel Lee seemed
TO live "with no other thought than to
love and be loved by me-" My work
sat on me easily; and being young peo-
pie OF moderate tastes, we hId money
enough for all we wanted. There was
not q flaw anywhere, md the days were
scarcely long enough for the Joy that
filed them with sunshine from beginning
to end.
All this continued for two years, and
then my wife became mother.
This was the first break in our manner
Of life, tho first shadow cast over tho
brightness Of our happy love. II
changed the whole order Of things, and
the change told heavily against me.
Edith was no longer my companion Us
she had been. The baby was delicate,
and her health also gave way. She was
obliged to go to her own room quite
early in the evening, sometimes at seven
O'Clock or so, and oven whom ahc was
we'll she was up in the morning with the
child, and the evenings hung on mo
heavy and long. 1 was no student in
those days. Twas social, and II not In.
ordinateiy yet undoubtedly fond q
amusement; hence, sitting alone for all
these hours after my solitary iinner-for
Edith dined early by the doctors orders
--was dreary work for me, and l grew
daily more fretted by the dizziness OF my
once sunalriny home.
Itell the story just rs il was; not to
excuse myself. but TO explain.
Also too, the desire for more expert
ence natural to my age began TO make
itself felt, and more than once l found
myself coniessing eve married too
Young" Yet I did not wish for dissipa.
tion / was not conscious Of reserve OF
wild oats Tint was longing to SOW, but
i did want little change from the dead
monotony OF my spoiled home. / was
yearning for the society OF men OF my
own age and standing, and naturally the
boy, though l loved him well enough
for hll that thought him the ugliest and
oddest little imp / had ever seen-was
moi 10 mo whit he was To his mother. To
her indeed he was everything. The
mother had superseded tho wife, and
tha husband was nowhere in comparison
with the child. Edith was angry too
.that / did not, as she phrased 1t "take
10 him more, y and | was angry that abe
took 10 him 30 much. May be that l was
Jealous. On looking back l should sayl
Just when Bertie was three months
old d fellow in our Office introduced me
10 Jack Ianghorne. Handsome, we'll
hammered, rich, gay, good'temperod,
generous, Jack was just the man TO ias, az,
cinato comparatively raw lad, as L stlii
was. He knew everything, being one Of
the kind who start at seventeen ns men,
and "sce life systematically from that
time. There was not an accomplish
ment in which he was not q proficient
not a game ho could not play, giving
long oddsand winning He was lavish
Of I'D money, and q gambler by inbred
insiinct. He was always stalking hiefatt
ON chance, and hitherto chance had beer
hia friend. Ho used often TO say that ht
lad been too lucky, and that he ahoult
have to pay for II before ho had done
NoyorthelSas the day ot payment gayl
, no sign oi dawninsi and Jack went o.