The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1876-01-12
THE MISSING WIFE.
,sr,,p,.1suEp - WEEKLY by
A cLEReYMAN's STORY.

and sweetest girl, to my thinKme' aff
.Lu+ have ever seen, and she re- ac
tnTned w INV love with m equal ten all ll
4 erncss, L had not known her nd
many months when ! put my en-, i
eagement ring upon her tnger' ana tb
she promised to marry me as soon lo
ns I was settled. More tortu- eli
mite than most young clergymen' v|
had not long to wait ana the osy ta]
became pastor at NJ. urged her TO OF
act the day for our nuptiais, ana we a!
were married within month.
Never shall forget the day upon c,
which + brought her home, the DC, 81
light she expressed at the sight OF
orr picturesque garden, with itS d
oreat trees, md the old disused Well {
picturesque sun dial, and the great |,
Wv which overran the sides of the y
house. and the low brick wall when &
surrounded the enclosure. Nothing e
should be disturbed, she sud. n '
few bright flowers should glow III J
the beds, but otherwise tho Ola Il
Garden should remain intact. , t
we had been married O week {
when we went out into the garden
about twilight to plant the seeds she
had brought from her home. one
knelt down beside the boS-edgea
borders and turned up the dark
mould with dainty little trowel
had given her for the purpose.
remember her dress. 1t was Q rlcn
dark silk, with CLEAN Of garnet
thrugh it's prevailing shadow, and
~ har tbroat and in her ears she
wore n set of rubies that We're
mn heirloom in her family Inc
costume accorded we'll with her darK
beauty, her velvet eyes and crimson
chceks. No one could have looked
more charming. We cr04cnea cioss aS
together on tbe gravel. tat tnas
we must look like pair OF suy,
children to tho grim old servant
Who came to me with the anloune,s 8,
mcnt that "Douald Black was Iii,
bnd indeed, aud wanted me- 10,
am afraid obeyed the s,ammcao i d,
lo,.sa,s nSpS 3qn a'aat 1 i,Eeght: e ~: Pe
"I shall wait tea for You, he,
are ever SO late, Edward" she So
as left her to 60 into the house.
Having secured my hat and can
returned to the garden VIII
Helen was gathering some flow
from ono of the borders.
II will not be gone long" II v
be back to tea" and then with q k
/ left her.
Doaald kept me well employed
three hours. However, the old IL
was by no means dangerously
AS hurried home, I recalled W
pleasure the sight of his wife bel
ing over him, and thought h
love lived on through care q
change, and how this aged WON
had once been a girlish bride a
Donald gay bridegroom, and h
it WAS plain to sec that he co,
never be to her the uninteresti
old creature he was to others, j,
because Of the old ]ovo betwe
them. And then it came to me,
happily, SO sweetly that if su
hearts were 80 true, That of q
like my Helen could be truer st
and that all ifes ills would
harmlessly npon me if / were to
loved as she loved me now throu
out my life. had dreaded old {
IL uGCl0, DuJ IL Wo "CIo
each other, what WAS there for
to fear7 She would always be be
tifnl to mo / always to her. I
golden glasses of love would thr
glory over everything, and hall
life for us.
With these thoughts passed
threshold and looked into the parl
The tea-table was spread there. I
chair and mine faced each other
usual, but both were empty. I'll,
was no one in the room. / waite,
moment, standing before the Fl
which, in this spring weather, "
arceptible, and then, surprised tf
my WHO did not come to meet n
went up stairs in search of her. S
was not in her room, nor in q
:! other. Perhaps she was still in
! garden.
} hurried down stairs again n
passed out at the back door.
"Helen !" 1 called "Helen p
No voice replied. Was 1 fool
enough to be alarmed ? It Seem
30. I laughed at myself, and call
still louder, "Helen! Helen Hole
but still no answer.
II know where you are, Helen,
cried. "Come out of your come,
como, Helen"
Still there was no answer.
''She is in the kitchen" said
myself- "Ill find her there"
I hurried up the path. My f
struck something. 1 stopped.
was a little saucer that held
} seeds. Farther on was tho tro,
che had been using when left h
It was contrary to Helen's hal
to leave anything lying unto
" about, and vague alarm possea
mo as I entered the kitchen.
"Your mistross 7" I began.