The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-06-21
SAD TALE OF A LETTER.

"Yes."
"And it brings-whatfn
"Msmories that are a curse to me,
Caroline. 1t is the anniversary of day
on which led to the altar one whom 1
hoped would give me life-lease of hap
piness in her sweet society. Iswas
strong and hopeful; she was young ana
oontidlng. was earnest and truthful;
she was"
"Stay, Arthur. Bethiuk you what is
on your lips, and think even more than
twice ere you speak once; for this inter-
view, aud this conversation, SO long
postponed, and put of, and hoped for,
yet dreaded, is the pivot on which turns
our iuture. When it ends, one Of two
things must be chosen. AS 1t ends de-
penus our mutual happiness"
"Caroline, what do you meanw
."Slmply what l say. Between the
sband and wife there should arise no
bar oil distrust. Perfect confidence In
each others fidelity, perfect sincerity,
perfect love, must flow from marriage,
or it is union not regis tered in heaven;
and when it is not, the sooner it 10 dis
solved the better"
Your thoughts are in the same chan
mel AS my own. Caroline, we must part.
Are you willing?"
IL.
Arthur ColburnW
"W That is il?"
"W i'll you answer it?"
"That will depend upon what 1t is 4.
Think you man will blindfold himself
as he enters new country? AS ore
who does is he who pledges himself to
answer question before it is put to
him"
"Put your hand upon your heart IL
| you dare, and answer me this question.
Do you iully credit the insinuaLlons con-
tanned 1n the anony nous letter you re-
ceiyed yesterday? If not, or if you
doubt their truth, separation may be
avoided. But, if you do--and, as before
God, l assert them to be Ialse-then Ar
thur Colburn, the time for us to part has
come!'
4 Mrs. Colburn paused.
| Full 1ve minutes elapsed before q re.
sponse came. During that period the
husband paced the chamber restlessly
| Tnen--
81 do not doubt their truth! Have I
not been witness to the familiar friend.
ship growing up between you
and this jackanapes, Christie
More2 Have L not seen
him your attendant at places of amuse.
ment,upon omenade, and to social par
Lles? Answer me, Carolihew
IL will answer you. You have never
seen me with him alone. AS the cavalier
OF your cousin, Kate Clifford, he is oftel
III her company; and, as she
seldom appears abroad with
out me, as a necessity.
am thrown into his society. Did m,
husband spend fewer of mis- evenings al
the club, and devote more attention tc
his wife, he would have no reason tc
complain"
"Woman's sphere is within the home
circle. When out of it, she unsexes her
sell, and brings discredit upon those
with whom she is allied. The fiimsy ex.
cuse you give to accOut for your appear
ance abroad with Christie More Is moi
pardon, but do not believe youw
| There was pause here. A flush oil
Indignation mantled the face of the in.
jured wife. TO be told that she uttered
an untruth was sufficient to cause the
crimson tide of shame and anger tC
mount to her forehead. But to have the
assertion come from one who was hel
husband added weight to the blow
which sent the blood back through her
veins, and left marble pallor in ite
place. At first she had arisen anC
talked while facing Mr. Colburn; but al
the conversation continued, hel
strength gradually gave way, ant
finally, when SO shametully insuIted
fell fainting to the floor, uttering, as she
tell, a low and mournful cry.
1t was wall from the depths of ,
bruised and crushed, yet innocen
| heart!
| When the rumor went through tn,
village that Arthur Colburn, the ricl
merchant from the city, had wooed anC
won, and was about to wed Carrie Mil
ler, surprise was expressed at he
choice. Not that he was not sufficient,
wealthy; on the contrary, in pecuniari
point of view, the match, to her, wal
highly advantageous. Her father was ;
man Well-to-do in the world; one VIII,
owned the farm on which he resided
and which Was one equaled by none il
the vicinity. BY admirable management
he had saved up snug little sum, will
which TO uoWry his daughters when the
time came for them to leave the roof be
meath which they were born, their child
hood had passed, and now their maiden
hood was rapidly developing. Stern an,
rigid farmer Miller was, but no less hon
est-hearted and sincere than stern
There were many round about wh,
blessed him In their prayers night afLe
night because of deeds only heralded b.
the angels above, tor he was one OF thos
kind who let not even his right han,
know what his lett hand did.
} This. then, was not the reason VIII
the village iolks wondered at the an
preaching bridal of Carrie Miller am
Arthur Colburn.
Neither was 1t because be, in age. wei
nigh matched her father. This, TO some
might have proved a source of wonder
But in our village, and in this case.
did not. What, then, was the reason?
There had come, from the great CITY
rumors OF one VINO had SO tar torgotte,
his duty as a son as to cast Oft hi
mother because she was firm enough t.
rebuke him for mis- miserly principle
and his unrighteous views of business
!. The story floated about that she ha
lifted up ner hands and said: '.He wh
liveth by iii-gotten gains, and by dc
frauding the widow and the tatherles
+ of their rights, and by grinding down th
poor lor the piLtance they owed, wi
surely have his re ward" And when sh
so had spoken, he took her roughly b
the arm, and bade her go her way an
never appear in his presence.
Aye, bat wnat has this to do with ou
story?
True, but when this rumor is couple
with the name OF Arthur Colburn, it ha
, mucn to do with 1T,