The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-08-13

bis wife"
Mamma sighed audibly, and I who
who was never very demonstrative,main
tanned q very dignifed silence. True it
was, that the innocent object of our dis
quietude was plain and pale. She pos
sessed not single striking feature, IN
less we might except the every varying
one OF expression, that with each new
euhction leaped up from the depths OF
her glorious eyes Her manners were
shrinking andunobtrusive,yet she lacked
none OF the. gentle courtesies OF true re
finement; and she clung to Rob with
dumb devotion which seemed to say,
ssyeu are all ] have-all have"
aQl her former history Rob never
Spoke,and We we're too oprond to ssh him;
but at times ] fancied that / could detect
q slight accent when she spoke and drew
my own inference therefrom, which,
however, were never divulged So the
winter wore on and it was almost spring
and the gulf we had fixed between our.
selves aud Rob's wife seemed to widen.
To be sure We never omitted the civil
ties due the wife OF Rob Marsden. Cour-
tesies we never forgot to extend to her,
but our affections we withheld, and rear.
ed an icy, impossible barrier between
her heart and ours -
A day was fast coming upon her, too,
such as comes to most women in their
common lot-a day fraught with anguish
and despair, when she would be sorely
in need Of some tender woman to lean
upon: but still we kept our affections
locked within ourselves, and withheld all
the tender little sympathies 80 sweet to
every woman in her day Of trouble
think this must have panied our brother
deeply, for be seemed to idolize Dolores,
vel he never once reproached US. AS
for Dolores, she never once sought to
obtrude herself upon us. She seldom
went out to reception or party, though
my sister and frequently urged her to
do so, "for the sake of appearance OF
for her family's sake at least but she
would only shake her head and say in
her pleading way, II do not like such
places. the crowd so frightens me-"
Rob indulged her in her every wish
and seemed perfectly happy to spend
evenings innumerable with her at home
in the lihrary-he reading aloud while
she sat by the FIRE in low easy chair. OF
oftener on q stool at his feet. One even
ing in particular remember-it preced.
ed one OF those dreary stretches in my
life through which now in retrospectiou
1 see tbe hand Of God.
We had had company. Del had beer
singing (she possessed very fine voice
and though the guests had gone, she still
sat at the piano idly running her fneers
over the keys, suddenly she began sing
ing again. It was some brilliant operate
|selection, elaborate with trills, quavers
and embellishments As she finished
with q Gnal crash, Rob said, II do no,
admire that style of music for the par
lor. For the opera-the true opera,
have deep respect. The original as rem
dered by the old masters must have beer
as grand as this modern apeing of it il
ridiculous. The operate in the oper,
does well, but for home. music give M
the old time songs and ballads"
Now / think Rob spoke his hores
sentiments without any malice or fore
thought. But Del, who was extremel,
susceptible as well as high spirited, ap
propriated it all to herself.
"Thanks, sir" said she with flashing
eyes as she arose; "you express your
self with charming candor, and as l hav,
finished my aping OF the old masters fo
this evening, perhaps your wife will hon
or US with some of your favorite hom,
music"
Certainly" said Rob, "my wife vii
sing" Dolores lifted her eyes plead
ingly, yet filed with unutterable love, t,
his face, then arose from her chair.
think if Rob had said. aDolores vii
take a dose of poison tonight, at twelve,
she would have obeyed him implicitly
and died with the same look in her eyes
Rob took her by the hand and led he
to the piano with the air of Sir Charlie
Grandson, then stood at her side wit
folded arms. We were not aware tha
she ever sang, and we sat almost breath
less with expectancy. She struck fe,
simple chords, then, with her eyes stil
fixed on Rob's face, began singing a Ii,
! tie French hymn. Her voice was no
powerful but was wondrously swee,
evincing rare cultivation, and possessin
subtle magnetism that stole into on
inmost beings, and we sat transtixed a
the voice hoated out in these simpl
words: %
ODieu! ma bouche balboretie
Ce nom, des anges redoute.
Un enfant meme est ecoute,
Dons le chuur qui to glorife,
On dit que c'est tot qui produis
Les feurs don't le jardine Sc pave
| Et que sans toi, tonjours aware
LIE verger n'aurait point de puts.
Donne aux malades le sante .#1
Au mendicant le pain quill pleure;
A Arorphelin une de meure
| Au prisonnier la liberte.
As she finished she arose, and mul
|muring some excuse left the room
Rob's eye followed her lovingly mi
!ment, then seating himself by the fir,
With asingle preliminary he told us th
J story of her life. She was, as ha
partly surmised. Of French parentage.-
Her mother had been the Oldest daugl
ter of wealthy French family, who ha
alienated herself from them by elopin
with her music teacher. The youn
, couple had left La Belle France and hs
come across the seas to America. The
had settled in New Orleans, where n
, Chessneau had soon obtained Situate
in one Of the largest churches as orga1
ist Two children were born--a son ar
! daughter, Dolores being the younger
the two. AS these children grew n
neither pains nor expense we're spare
,, in their education. Their father vi
their musical instructor, and they bo
, became profcients in that delightful al
J 1t was very happy little home-n
, luxurious, but refined and harmoniou
But one evening the young Paul, wi
> had early evinced talents of high o