Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-10-27

the children, ana SJOOu listening IOr
some sound. All was silent. For
short time he moved in an uneasy,
irresOlute way about the room, and
sitting down tried to find interest in
the pages of a book. But in a little
while the volume closed in his hand.
Thought was stoO busy in another
direction to dwell even with a favor
tie author.
"Ten O'Clock =" The bell was
ringing its clear notes from a neigh
boring steeple. Mr.. Rowland start
ed up and turning out the light,
went over to the sleeping room. His
wife was in bed. He spoke to her,
but she did not answer.
"Are you asleep?" No motion
nor response of any kind. She lay
with her face nearly hidden under
the bed clothes. He looked at her
in q strange, earnest manner for
some moments, and then moving
about nOiselessly, prepared for rest.
The day had been one of much ac-
tiVity, and Mr.. Rowland was weary
enough for sleep. Soon after his
head touched the pillow he was in
the land of dreams. His deep
breathing had scarcely given evil
dence of the fact ere light move
ment on the part of Mrs. Rowland
showed her to be awake. Presently
she drew the clothes from her face,
and raised herself cautiously. The
heavy breathing of her husband was
not disturbed. She sat up in bed;
he still slept on; she glided from be-
meath the covering, and cropping in
the darkness, found her husbands
vest, from which she took key.
"MOtherp' The slight noise made
opening the chamber door had dis
turbed one of the children. Mrs.
Rowland still holding her breath.
The call was not repeated, and she
went out, cropping her way along the
passage with a hand on the wall.
Entering the room she sought, she
closed the door behind her and drew
the bolt, fastening herself in. After
lighting the gas she went to her hus-
bands secretary, and with the key
in her possession unlocked one Ofthe
private drawers. Her hand shook
as the key ratified on the scutcheOn
before a way was found into the
wards. The first object that met her
view as the drawer came open was
a morocco miniature case, which she
seized upon with clutch as eager
as that of a bird of prey and bear
ing it the gas-light, Embossed the
the clasp and exposed the face of
her rival.
1t was a young and lovely face,
and the eyes looked up into hers
with a tender and sweet expression.
Away from the pure forehead the
hair of golden auburn fell smooth
ly back, and lay in curls upon her
neck, that was whittier and purer
than alabaster. The lips were full,
soft, and arched as if for a flight of
arrows. Loves Witchery was in the
picture cOuntenance.
Still, very still, did the wife sit and
gaze down upon her rivals face
that face on which, scarcely an hour
before, she had seen her husbands
kisses laid. Still, very still, she sat
the tears creeping out of her eyes,
falling slowly over cheeks and drop
ping upon the miniature. Was she
Jealous of that rival? No! Her
heart was too glad for jealousy, too
full of JOY, too wild with a new born
happiness. The bride of ten years
ago was the rival of to-day, and the
heart of her husband was true to his
marriage vows! 1t was no fault of
his that he could not love what had
become unlOvely. Not unlovely in
the poorer signiticatiOn of that word,
as indicating changes wrought by
the wearing hand of time, but I'M
lovely through indulgenceand impa-
thence, and fretfulnesS, and in the
neglect of Observation-Disclosures,
also from the carelesSneSs of attire
and personal neatness.
With the image of herself as she
was ten years before, and with the
image af her husband fOndly, pas
sionately kissing that image dwell
ing in her Imagination. Mrs. How
land went back to her bed. She had
suddenly awakened from a dream,
and the language of her heart was
"Thank God. / am awake :"
As they sat at breakfast on the
next morning, Mrs. Rowland no
tiCed a change in the expression of
her husbands face as he looked at
her across the table, letting his eyes
dwell upon her with unusual inter
est. 1t was almost admiring ex-
preston. She was in no doubt as to
the cause, for she attired herself with
scrupulous care in a clean, bright
morning wrapper, and wore Il cap
fastened Mt one side with a rubber
hair-pin and Ornamented with two
or three small pink bows and a
sprig of flowers. a plain linen
color pinned with a cameo was
around her neck. And, better than
all, she had banished every sign of
discomfort and fretfulness from her
face.
GLOW sweet mother looks this
morning. said Mr.. Rowland,
CHANGING mt one OF the children who
sat near her, and smiling one of his
old, bright smiles.
Don't She" answered the little
enc lifting her rosy mouth to mama
for a kiss.
"Me kiss too, mamma, so beauti-
fulp' and little Allie scrambled
down from her chair in newborn adj
miratiOn Of her mother, and put up
her mouth also.
And me to-" exclaimed Mr..
Rowland passing around the table
and laying his lips softly and linger-
ingly upon the lips Of his wife. He
saw, as he looked across the table.
resuming his seat, that her eyes
were dim with tears. lie knew
they We're tears of pleasure, but he
did not imagine how deeply her
heart was stirred nor how fulI of
precious memories and golden hopes
the moment was crowded.
Ten years after marriage. Loves
lamp was burning low, the oil near
ly exhausted, the wife grown so I'M
attractive that the husbands heart
was turning back in worship of the
bride. But the lamp was blazing up
again: there is a sIlnDlS of oil. 4