The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-03-30

could not trust mySelI TO speak. COulu
net tell what to think OF her or myself.
1t is true, could recall nothing that sa-
vored Of coquetry, or encouragema mt in
the slightest degree. AS l went heed
lessly on my way, in my abstraction L
suddenly encountered some one going
in the opposite direction. In fact, 1T
was rather more than an encounter
much nearer u collision. Both the par
ties eit the necessity OF an apology.
1t was Mr.. Gordon. He remembered
me, and evidently guessed my erfand
in the neighborhood.
"LOveIy little woman, Mrs. Dean," he
said, nodding in the direction OF the cot
tage. 'KnoWn her long? Before her
husbands deathp
An instant before l had wished Mr..
Gordon on any road be pleased, so that
it was not mine. Now, l instantly felt
constrained TO offer him the pleasure OF
my society for a short space.
show amy man could neg iect such
pretty young creature, and an orphan,
too, AS he did, is past my comprehen-
sion. No one ever knew 1t from her,
though; no, bless your soul! She never
talked about her own affairs, even to
me; and Pm about the nearest relation
she's got in the World-or my vile Is,
and thaps all the same thing. Now III
De DOunu SuH udu many SOOu phSA
since; but you would never catch her
breathing it. L wonder she doesn't
marry; though, to be sure, her first X
perience was not very encouraging"
| Presently we bade eacn other good-by,
and parted.
Now, if there was one class of persons
above another which l mad always
avoided, IL was widows. Nevertheless,
Mary Dean was the first woman | had
ever met who had set me seriously 70
wishing for home. Passing lancies
had had my share OF; transient intatua-
tlons incited by pretty face or dash
ling manner; but This was such tran
Iuuil, dreamy phase OF interest before
me rude shock which had qulckened the
latent passion i'll life, that was the more
dangerous.
How happy was when, at length, she
promised to he my wife, and give me
that home, rest and peace for which
yearned INCREASINGLY. Whatever OF light
ness or fiippancy there had been in my
nature, gradually passed away. My lille
deepened, and was made earnest by her
noble cOmpanionship. L accepted the
trust OF rearing her child with all
falhel's Watchiulness, and l decriea
myself into the belief that loved the
bright little creature as she, Mary, de-
sired me to do.
Bat l forced myself at last to define
certain unrest that crept over me when
| | thought my earthly happiness was per-
tccted. 1t was not Jealousy of the dead;
Tor, accepting the existence OF wrong
and SORROWS in her early married lie
| from my chance informant, 1T had since
been silently confirmed in many ways.
| knew that Mary's confidence in me,
and her content in my devotion, were Il
new and full experience to her, as fresh
as the vivid happiness which every touch
and tone OF hers possessed the power to
thrill me with; but was jealous of her
| child.
Twas soon to be father. longed for
the time to come with all a WomaA'S de-
sire, that l might feel the velvet cneek
pressed To mine. and The clinging baby
arms twIned around my neck. L pie
| tured tue time when the innocent eyes
| would light up with recognition at my
voice, when my hand should guide the
tOttering feet to its mothers knee, and
when, o JOY! l should hear "father" in
the ialterlng utterance OF my child's
lips.
1t was at such a time as this that the
first temptation TO evil Intruded. Alice
came " BID her mother good night Ill
her own playful way.
and slug to me only little while"
For tais child, she could leave my
side. Here was "a claim stronger than
my own, earlier tnan mine, one that had
been all-absorbing before we met, that l
knew. IL was This chlld that had wax
ened a mothers love, that had stolen
from mine the birthr!glt of first
mother Kin, wnO could come between us
7 IN the solemn JOY TO which ] looked lor-
ward, new 70 Inc aloue. To Mary life's
/ nollesL emotion would repeat lLSell
| ieebly.
These thoughts did not come suddenly
| but by SLOW, unreslstlng approaches,
They changed my whole tlte. | become
moody and ftlul, irritable TO a degree
entirely foreign to my nGture, When
Mary needed all my tenderness. She
saw it sorrOwuly and patiently. II she
guessed the cause she never uttered a
reproach; but noticed that Alice came
10 us less frequently, and Ill our hearts
our first eBtrangement had commenced.
| My boy Was given TO me III the peril
and anxiety OF that hour. | forgot all
but my precious, accomplishing wife,
aud that, If she were taken from me now,
| life would be burden. But even when
laid the child beside her for the first
time, and saw the loving smile tnat
| looked from the hall-clOseu violet eyes
up into mine, The tempter returned.
One night, wearied with the restraint
of tue nursery, little Alice begged me
to row her out upon the stream that ran
sparkling and eddying at the foot of the
lawn. she was dropping in her mothe's
absence from her daily life; and l mad
seen her sobbing more than once be-
cause the Gfticious nurse denied her
more than her daily visit to the room
which Mary mad not yet left.
A sudden impulse moved me to grant
her request. The sunset was ripping
the waters when l pulled past our
garden and fioated out Of sight. 1t was
Quite dark before L turned back, but the
child was satisfied, and was lost in the
old bitterness oil spirit.
She had been lying quietly on cloak
| in the bottom OF the boat, unconscious
of the cruel speculations of which she was
the innocent cause. She loved me and
trusted me as ever, and presently crept
up and leaned over my knee, and dip
ping her hand in the warm, pleasant
lide, and dropping her curls over her
face to see now nearly they touched the
water. L. was a dangerous position,
and instantly stretched out my hand
| hnr hnn oy.,I,