The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-06-27

proud" she said, "because you can not
bend to any weak frivolity, and if you
will not yield to my wishes, there is
nothing left to me but to submit myself
to yours. Well, then, 1 will also remain
here. 1t matters little where / live, and
this is winsome country in its way. |
think we shall soon have a promise of
spring. On that big stern rock outside
the window I saw the poor moss growing
just little green / can get some old
house, and old houses can be refur-
nished.. Cold gray homespun can give
place to Persian wools, odorous fires can
still glow in old chimney places. Since
it is your will, sir, to remain in this place,
you will not object if make thiswilder-
ness to blossom as the rose"
Mrs. Delplainer" he said, crunching
the slim white hand rested on the arm
of the chair close in the quivering mus
cles of his own.
"My name is Laura" she inter-
rupted, softly.
!. Mrs. Delplaine," !" he repeated, /" you
will not remain here, neither will / go.
You will take with you the only true
happiness have ever known; the mem
ory of it will perhaps serve to make the
rest of my life endurable. And now let
me tell you, loveliest and most generous
of women, why can not go and you can
not stay. When I was but a lad of
twenty" said the preacher, "and still
pursuing my studies, / fell in love with
young woman who lived in the neigh
borhood of the college. 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 delusiOn, and
nursed by ephemeral vagaries 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 remember how / stroye
against it, how manly and servilely ]
shut my eyes and groped blindfold for
the old mockery. But it had long been
a ghost, and the time came when even
the memory ofit was curse. Then the
cross was perhaps heavier for her to
bear than for me. Tied to a man whose
pursuits, thoughts, ambitions, affections,
she could neither understand nor ap-
| preciate, condemned to the propriety and
soberness allotted to the life of a
preachers wife, even denied the comfort
of wearing gay trinkets and apparel,
| 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 preach
ing, preaching"
"Poor soull" said Mrs. Delplaine,
with an involuntary shudder at the life
the parson portrayed. Then she added,
with infinite tenderness. :" All but she
did not love youp ..,,
"No," said Mr.. Hume; "and, God
forgive me, there were times when was
tempted TO put an end to my life, it bred
,fsuchi misery for us both. AAtlast mer-
ciful providence can only think it
such-enfeebled her health and took the
corporeal sting from her slavery. The
powerful vitality which lent dangerous
strength to her ilongings and discomfort
4 was broken, and she became content to
beamused and taken care Of in way that
was possible to me. An old nurse con-
nected with the family was induced to
take charge of her. The Incidence of a
Southern climate suited her desires and
capacities. AS for me, the rigor ard
sterility of this region held a charm for
me; its Loneliness, its isolation, soothed
and consoled me; and so the years went
by, till you came" 7.af.
Here he got upon his feet, and bent
over her, taking. both her hands IN his.
His face had gradually gained sad
serenity. 81 can not be sorry we have
met" he said, sit has been such Joy
tome. Even in parting there is some
thing sweet in, the knowledge that you
take with you some brief interest in my
poor life."' .fs'N2 ~ A '2
/ IlatMrs. Delplaine's hands Atrembled
1iwithin hisown. The story of the parson
had something sinister to light, lux.
ury-loying nature. A shrill wind ratified
at the easement; a heavy black canopy
of cloud had fallen upon the, mountain
and hung there like pail; the room had
grown dark and cold. Suddenly Mrs. Del
plaine kicked with her little heel the
embers into blaze; resolutely she
turned from the window; her eyes
4 shone tenderly;a fame of color burned
| in her cheek. .l.
"Why should we part?'' she said
looking gravely up in his face. % will
not have it SO. Why should both oul
lives be spoiled7 You did what you
could for her while she lived
"Ahl" said Mr.. Hume, drawing s
quick breath. a.,. s.,..='l
"What-what is itT' cried Mrs. Del
plaine. "She is dead Hagar told m,
she died long ago."
"No, no, said Mr.. Hume. "God for
bidl She is not yet fit to die"
Then Mrs. Delplaine sank back in he,
: chair, and drew her hands from his. g"
:. would like to be alone" she said, ant
:. before he was fairly out of the room sh,
burst into passionate weeping; but tn,
, minister went straight to his study
/ where he passed the night in wakefu
misery. .sues,........-. ...,-
AT daybreak the stage stopped agail
|. at the parsons door, and several bi,
) trunks where hoisted to the top Haga
, helped in yelled and shawled fgur
that seemed to the few passengers prin
!. cipally made up Of big wistful eyes
These eyes were glued to the windows o
, the coach, and two other wild, haggar
orbs from the parsons study followe
the numbering vehicle till it becam
+ lost in.its tortuous descent of the hill.
4 All this happened not many years age
and it, seemed as yesterday to the poo
I parson when, upon one morning, with
d trembling hand he addressed a new,
}. paper to lady then travelling abroad
q 1t contained the intelligence of tn
o death of poor Mrs. Hume at Nassau
/. The, sole answer he. received was
I shabby foreign. sheet, wherein anon
the marriages he found that of Mrs. De
" plaine. - .--..!. -. .-...-..,..s,.,
y A "FEMALE Hercules" j" is astonishin
= London. One of herrfeats, we are tolc
v ir "a fclsft on. dd,nn,rr;I IL H. q. &c l..