The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-07-10
MY Six Days Of Misery.


and all youths aspirations, found life at
times horrible drag, such life as we
leu. For | had ambition, and l had
beauty, and being only twenty, who can
marvel that this should be the case'
10 1--we in the dIngiest, most sunless of
tenements, in the dfeariest part OF a
great city, supporting my feeble parent
by tue hard oil OF a daily governess; to
have 10 81 fle all the aspirations for
something infinitely beyond me, to choke
down the inward voice which cried ever
IN my heart for comfort, protection, love
aye, this was my lot. Was it not
hard oneP And was it strange that l
should grasp at any chance Of relief
from it at all, even as a drowning man
clutches at the broken reed, though it
vanish from his hold and he sinks into
the seething food beneath himr
One evening 1 came home, weary,
heartsick, wet, tor it had rained all day,
and mad walked a long distance. My
mother reclined In her easy chair await
ing my coming; sick and helpless as she
W as, the long hours OF my absence were
dreary hours to her. There was an e X
cited sparkle In her eyes tonight, and
an unWonted flush upon her thin face,
which l observed as l threw of my
urenched outer garments and stopped to
kiss ner. just tnen my eyes tell upon a.
superb bouquet of hol-hOuse flowers in
a vase OF exquisite glass at her side.
NV mother saw the look OF inquiry in my
eyes.
"Van Astyne sent them, Louisew she
explained; me is coming tonight. You
will see hlmW
NV heart stood still for moment, 1
hated Van Alstyne-a great, coarse,
sensual-faced man, but worth half "a
million; and when you had said that,
YOU had said all. But l knew what his
visit portended, and, in moment, my
| mind was made up. Even while we
talked, heavy, numbering step, upon
the bare stairs without, announced his
approach.
obesity, l ielt cold shudder as l
touched the tips of his pudgy fingers
| with my own, and shrank, nvoiuntarily,
nom the little greenish gray eyes bent
searcningly upon my lace. And yet l
mad decided to marry this man. l
loathed him; but that was nothing un-
common in the eyes OF many married
people, as l well knew. At all events L
mad made up my mind to one thing
/ must escape thls dreadful Life or l
should die.
| l stood, quiet and possessed, alone in
his presence, and listeued patiently to
what he had TO say. Then l sItled the
Voice in my heart, which would cry out
iayainst this thing, and with face
Ewhose pallJr could ieel, l turned to-
wards him and answered him briefly.
81 have no heart to give you. Mr. Van
Alstyne. nave no love for any living
lcreatuIe save my mother. But, If you,
knowing all this, still desire IL, will be
your VIE"
For an answer he slipped a ring upon
my tinger-a magnificent and costly
cluster of diamonds. 1t was the label
on his merchandise, by which he dis.
PLAYED to the world the purchase he had
made. Well, in this bargain l had not
sold myself cheap, that was one conso.
lation-perhaps.
Then, with lew words, he went away,
and | was glad when he had gone. The
next day l Dade farewell forever to all
nv drudgery; no more goyernessing
Hencelorrh l should have everything
that gold could buy, for myself and FOL
her who was uearer to me-my mother
Was | content? | tried to convince my
self that was; and SO, hiding away III
the secret corners Of my heart (tht
most transparent hearts nave such cor
ners all the agony and the shame which
haunted me, l sought my mothers side
: How lragne she looked. 1 bent above
her as her lair lace rested upon the pill
J low and kissed her pale cheek.
! "ComeF' l cried, cheeriully, "yol
must get stronger at once. Tomorrow
we 20 to the seaside, wnere the sal
1 water and fresh air will bring back you
strength. When / am married we will
take you to Europe; change of scene
: proper medicine, wines, etc.-these ar
} what YOU need, MA mere. They ar,
easily purchased, and you will yet b.
, well again."
Ispoke cheerfully, but my heart wa
bleeding. 1t is easy to cover up sue
wounds, but they remain, nevertheless
r even though healed and almost forgot
ten, the scars can not soon be eflced.
"When-when is it to be, my childT
: She spoke eagerly. How could sh
' know what it cost me?
The wedding? L answered, gaily
go. very soon. lie will not wait; an
/ since II is to he at all, 1T may as we'll b
4 al once. One week from to-day, II
= motherW
tOnly one week, Louise"
n "EYen sop l cried merrily; turnin
i away, however, for L did not wish tn
e patient eyes to read my secret, and min
e was teil-tale lace. L had not yt
learned to hlde my emotions unQef Il
. alabaster mask. After awhlle-aiter
{ became his wife, might succeed
playing the hypocrlte, Dut not now.
i We were going 10 the seaside. ha
e determined to nave lew days OF m
= own-six summer days. After that.
L. would belong to my self no longer; an
1t when he became my master he WOul
If have a right TO my obedience. How I'll
e word stung me!
e | mad little money laid by--a trifle.
e and, with leYerisn haste l made our fe
u ureparations. The early morning fouu
lie US OH board the tram; our destlnatil
was not lar distant; aud, elated at Il
prospect OF fresh ar, and the chanl
y whicn she had craved 50 long, my mot
N er bore the journey with little latIgu
g had taken rooms in Vine-coVered CO
IN lage, not far from the beach, where
te widowed friend, an elderly, mother
q body, had lived for many year
l. '.by the sad sea wave" III
s, cotJage was cozy; the air, ire.
le and strengthening; the flowers and u
n- birds, anu The pure untrammeled Iii
" began to tell upon my mothers slend
ID frame, and before we had been at MI
tx Wilson's three days sue had grown {
S, most strong. And /? l walked wi
e. blinded eyes, straight onward. l W
a determined to tread hower-streV
lie path; but there are thorns amid y