The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-05-13
council or advise. Do as you think best,

60 back to N, and well ''-laugbing
-"I shall be no worse off than l was
BEFORE
But there was no mirth in his laugh,
and it grated sadly on the mothers ear.
Mrs. Hartford went home, and Lucus
was left alone.
He went back into the pretty bay win
dowed parlor which, but few months ago,
he had taken such pleasure in ornamenting
and decorating for the reception of his
young bride.
There was the stand of flowers the
canary birds cages in the window, the rose
wood case of carefully selected books, the
oil paintings full of light and color and
unfading sunshine, the pearl inkstand, the
workbox-all the thousand pretty things
that he had hoped would help endear her
home to her.
All that was past now.
He had tried, and he had failed
Well, let it go.
What was life but series of failures at
its besta
And what right had he to expect any
thing else?
AS he stood there, leaning one elbow on
the mantel and modify looking at the
bunches of green fern leaves on the faint
grey ground Of the carpet the maid entered
with a telegram.
1t was from Antonio.
expect me by the morning train.
A. HARTFORD"
He crumpled it up in his hands.
81 understand" he said to himself
"She has received my last letter, the well
come news which informed her that upon
her return | should institute the legal pre-
liminaries to an eternal parting. She is in
haste to escape from me. Well, the sooner
the better"
And he went off to his round of patients,
trying to forget, in the sore tribulation of
their physical pain, the serpent that was
gnawing at his own heart.
The next evening, upon opening the
paper the first words that met his eye were
| these
"Fatal Railroad Accident. Loss of life"
He read it over twce-three times, with
a mechanical slowness, before the paper
| dropped from his hand.
Then catching it eagerly up, he ran his
eye over the list of the :. killed.
"No-no"' he faltered aloud, cher name
is not there. Yet-yet feel certain, in the
iumost depths of my heart, that she is
l,a la,l'
sarily inaccurate and hurried; there are so
many typographical errors. And there is
| the name of Mrs. \. Hartford. Good
/ heaven. it must be her. Poor, poor Antonio
my petty unkindness, even before she could
say she forgave me. So young-so beauti-
/ ful-my Antona.'
He had not used the old, fond expression
for weeks.
Starting to his feet, he rang the bell
! loudly for his servant.
Sarah,' he faltered, scarcely able to
control his voice, d" am going to s., at
| once
Shall put up your things, sira"
"No, there will be no time for that;
need nothing. If any patients require me,
send them to DR.. Midlngton.'
And DR.. Hartford hurried away, his heart
full of vague terror, his soul racked by
many memories of the times when he might
have been kinder, more considerable to the
solitary young creature who had entrusted
her happiness so coniidingly to his care.
"And l." he muttered between his set
teeth, chow have l fulfilled the truste l
have been brute-a savage, No wonder
she wanted to separate from me. l would
separate from myself if could Oh. how
can look upon her dead face and recall
these things -
To Lucius Hartford it was as if some
llusory veil had suddenly fallen away, and
he saw himself as he actually was.
He had scarcely been gone an hour, when
the bell rang, and Sarah, Fastening to open
the door, beheld the unexpected sight of
Mrs. Hartford.
"Dear me, ma am" cried the astonished
maid, lyon amt seen mastero''
"Seen DR.. Hartford? How should see
| him? Is he not here?''
Gone to s., ma'am. After you, ]
Supposed
Mrs. Hartford turned deadly pale.
Gone to S." she faltered.
And she sank down into a chair.
She, too, had heard of the frightful rail
way accident-an accident which DR.. Hart
! y I.
forgotten to note had occurred to the up
instead of the down train, and she at once
jumped to the conclusion that her husband
was on the wrecked train.
g Has anything happened, ma am - de-
manded Sarah.
Had anything happened?
Yes, everything had happened.
Lucius had always seemed so strong, so
stately, so full of life and vitality, that it
seemed impossible he could die.
! And now, now Antonio felt at once that
all the sunshine had gone out of her world
| for ever.
Remorse, desolation, sorrow swept over
her like an avalanche.
loved MIN! lOVeQ him. Sne walled
out, "and now he will never know it. Oh.
how could l be so cold, so Indifferent. l
have been justly punished"
! Just at this instant step sounded with
out, and Mrs. Hartford found herself face
| to face with her husband.
! Luciusr'
| "My own love-
| Heart to heart, cheek to cheek, her golden
| hair swept by the warm touch of his .ietty
| locks, they stood in the moment of recon-
! Citation, and the brief silence was full of
| inscrutable bliss
"Do you forgive me, Lucus9'
"My darling, it is who should sue for
pardon of you," murmured DR.. Hartford.
And he seriously and actually believed it,
/ too.
1t was not long before mutual explana-
lions enSued.