San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-07-13

main here. IL matters little where
live, and this is winsome country in
its way. think we shall soon have @
promise of spring. On that big stern
rock outside the window saw the poor
moss growing just little green. l can
get some old house, and old houses can
be refurnished. Cold gray home-spun
can give place to Persian woods, odorous
fires can still glow in old chimney
places. Since it is your will, sir, to re-
main in this place, you will not object il
l make this wilderness to blossom as the
rose.'' 'Hlii "'1"' "''
"Mrs. Delplaine!" he said, crunch.
ing the slim white hand that rested on
the arm of the chair close in the CULVER
ing muscles of his own. yrar M gan
"My name is Laura" she interrupt
ed, softly. i5.;,5.fte'vr. ra.ga.T
"Mrs. Delplaine," he repeated, "you
will not remain here, neither will I go.
You will take with you the only true
happiness have ever known the mem
DRY Of it will perhaps serve to make the
rest Of my life endurable. And now
let me tell you, loveliest and most gen.
erous of women, why l can not 60 and
you can not stay. When Twas but lad
of twenty" said the preacher, "and
still pursuing my studies, 1 fell in love
with young woman who lived in the
neighborhood of the college. I soon
learned that her passion was feigned
from the first, and that she only married
me from motives of convenience; but
mine, such as it was, founded upon a
delusion, and nursed by ephemeral va
carries of the brain, led me into FOOLS
paradise; and even when the bitterness
of her mistake and my own began to
eat into our lives, it sickens me to re-
member how I strove against it, how
meanly and servilely 1 shut my eyes and
CROPPED blindfold for the old mockery.
But it had long been ghost, and the
time came when even the memory of it
was a curse. Then the cross was per-
haps heavier for her to bear than for
me. Tied to man whose pursuits,
thoughts, ambitions, affections, she
could neither understand nor appre-
ciate, condemned to the propriety and
soberness allotted to the life of a
preachers wife, even denied the COM
fort of wearing gay trinkets and appar
Ell, often she has told me that she envied
the freedom of an Indian squaw, and
how glad she'd be to know nothing but
Choctaw to get rid Of the eternal
preaching, preaching" b. Co.,
"Poor soul!'' said Mrs. Delplaine,
with an involuntary shudder at the life
the parson portrayed. Then she added,
with infinite tenderness, .'Ah! but she
did not love you'll"
"No," said Mr.. Hume; "and, God
forgive me, there were times when I
was tempted to put an end to my life, it
bred such misery for us both. At last
q merciful Providence-Ican only think
it such-enfeebled her health and took
the corporal sting from her slavery.
The powerful vitality which lent dan
yerous strength to her longings and dis
content was broken, and she became
content to be amused and taken care of
in way that was possible to me. An
Did nurse connected with the family was
induced to take entire charge of her
The Incidence of a Southern climate
suited her desires and capacities. As
ior me, the rigor and sterility of this
'egion held charm for me; its loneli-
less, its isolation, soothed and consoled
ne; and so the years went by, till you
,ame." I'D
Here he got upon his feet, and bent
'ver her, taking both her hands in his.
His face had gradually gained sad
erenity. 81 can not be sorry we have
net," he said, sit has been such a joy
o me. Even in parting there is some
hing sweet in the knowledge that you
axe with you some brief interest in my
oor life."
Mrs. Delplaine's hands trembled with
a his own. The story of the parson
ED something sinister to a light,
Ixury-loving nature. A shrill wind
attled at the easement; heavy black
anopy of cloud had fallen upon the
and hung there like pail;
he room had grown dark and cold.
Mrs. Delplaine kicked with
er little heel the embers into blaze;
esolutely she turned from the window;
Ter eyes shown tenderly; a flame of