The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1878-07-24

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But they little guessed the sur
prise and humiliation that awaited
them. ~ ~
] They went down together. and
found the lawyer, Mr.. Guildon. and
Miss Billings, who was introduced
to them as the long.missiDg heiress.
'You f'' cried Mrs. Liscombe, in
intense scorn.
"You l'' echoed Aida. rndely,
who only last night were selling
flowers at the theatre door. You
poor, unfortunate -
Stop. miss. if you please inter
posed the clergyman, sternly. "This
lady has been most cruelty wronged
and misjndged. Two years ago. I.
myself. united her in marriage to a
young man whom | believed to be
worthy of her. Tn less than three
weeks he deserted her. She came
back to the city and allowed me to
believe her a widow. Her reasons
were worthy of martyr, which she
has been. Jessie, let me tell them
in my own way"-for the ci,devant
seamstress and flower woman had
implored him by gesture to be silent
-"she had supposed her husband to
be as poor as herself, which he was
not. 1t was discovered that he was
wealthy, and of most naughty and
aristocratic family. The whole viii
lage knew this, while she was igno.
rant of the fact. 1t is easy to ina
gine what the gossips thought and
asserted then-how she was sus-
picioned, and traduced, and avoided.
The innocent admiration of this
young man had proved to her dead
ly harm. He knew it. and he made
her his wife. Ifhe did not love her,
it was generous deed but I say if
he did not love her he must have car
ried in his bosom heart of stone.''
at was generous deed, for he
did not love me, gently interrupted |
Jessie, while tears rolled down her
cheeks.
Well" went on Mr.. Guildon, i'm
pressively, cher husband left her one
morning, promising to return in a
few weeks. He never wrote, and he
never came again. Jessie came to
the city, hoping to find him, and |
then she learned of his wealth and |
his proud family. How like an an
gel did her great love plead for him
then. He had married her, a SIM
pie girl, to save her from blame his |
family would never condone such a
marriage; if she should present her
self as his wife they would despise
her, and she would blight his life.
So she hid herself from him; and |
worked bravely to support herself
and their child. always thinking best |
to conceal her marriage. Her mel
ancholy history followed her in every |
damaging, exaggerated shape that
the 0nsjable minds of those of her
own sex could devise. Can I say
more, Jessie?''
DO not, please" implored the
girl, pitying deeply the confusion of
her relatives, whose unkindness,
considering all things, was not un-
pardonable. !
Audley, Charlton, sitting behind
those rose-red velvet curtains, had
heard every word. I
Now he came forth and stood in
the midst of the agitated group.
"Jessie," he said, softly, in be-
seeching tones. 81 rss . as
The young wife, who had suffered
so long and so much. shrank away
from his outstretched arms.
''Don't touch me !" she cried.
Don't come near to me-don'tspeak
10 me - 49,.
He stood still and gazed upon her
With sorrowful longing.
s'My wife, o God, Jessie will
you not hear me? Have mot yearn-
ID for you, prayed for you, and
Iearched for you day and night?"
sYou could have found me sir,''
Interrupted the clergyman. with stern
"Pardon me, sir. could not" an.
wered Charlton, quickly. "Your
present residence is five hundred
niles distant from where you lived
It the time Of my marriage. You r
AVE no pastorage now you are but
me individual in city of a million
ouIs. No one in the village guess
d YOU had come to New York. Do
,ou think it was easy to trace youp
married my wife because I loved p
Ter, and for no ether reason. did
lot desert her. I had started to re-
urn to her. There was an accident
hat morning--a collisions. / was so
injured that ] lay for weeks
n unoonsiousness Or delirium. The :
moment / was able to travel / hur.
led to the village. / found my cot =
age empty and my wife gone. /
lad already reeonoiled nay family to
ny marriage. Jessie, when I saw
,ou last night at the door of the
heatre i would have taken You in
ny arms then and there. and claim
d you mine before the whole world,
lad you not vanished so quickly
dy wife, do you not believe me !
low?' s !
s.I do haliava Won AndIav-thaRk !