The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-11-12

was lOVeu, anu FeJOiceuS anu 50 uie0vv
cred that she herself loved again. sat 8
At first she was very angry with her.
self then she wept over her inc6nstahcy,
but at last she yielded utterly. Aiter
all, II was the love that made her untrue.
Since she had loved, she could never
pride herself on being faithful again, sud
so she listened to the sweet words that,
despite herself, made her happy, and
promised to marry COL Humphries.
7 When a widow does marry q second
time she generally contrives TO mske q
fool Of herself
Mrs. Halifont had certainly not done
50 .foolishly as some widows do. She
had neither chosen little boy moi. y ~
tied Italian without money enQuS SO
keep hiusslf q znacaroni. \ Hef Eisasu
husband was older than herself, and too
rich to be suspected Of any intention Of
being fortune.hunter; but after ell, no
one knew him He came into the neigh
borhood without letters Of introduction
to any one, and whether he won bis for
tune BY trade or came 1t by inherit
ance remained q mystery. s,
There we're those VINO shrugged their
shoulders and declared that Mrs. Hall.
font would regret not having chosen
some one Of whom more was known
some retired merchant, some gentleman
Of fortune, whose father bad been known
to her friends. Nothing to be sure, could
be said against this Spanisrd or Cuban
With the English name; but who knew
anything 10 bis favor? aIs ~ rs
|, However, no one said this to Mrs
Halifont, and If any one had, words never
changed q womsn's fancy yet Mrs.
Halifont believed 10 Col, Humphries, ana
meant to marry him 's1ef afis
Indeed, the trosseau was prepared and
the wedding day fixed, all was ready and
Ida Hslifont believed herself to be We.
ry happy woman. She once more built
castles in the air Her old sorrow seem-'
ed TO fade, away in the distance. She
Was girl again. E . i'fo
At last twenty -four hours lay between
her and her wedding day. 's 80
She was busy 10 her sewing-room on
this last day, finishing some ruffles in
lace snd ribbon and singing softly to
herself. when suddenly the house was
filed With cries. si % z
An old man-servant, while cutting the
grass upon the lawn, had wounded him
self seriously. The doctor was sent for
at once, but he was not at. home, and
meanwhile poor zebedee was bleeding to
death, 80 '..'' I, Z = 4.
Saidsnly Ida Hsliions- remembered
that Humphries had said that be IN
derstoQd wounds, as we'll % though he
bad been hfed surgeon. Without this
it would Have been natural for her to
call on one who was soon to be her pro.
tector In q moment OF anxiety She
would call him herself, that there might
be no delay; and seixing her gsrden,hat
she ran along 4 litsae psth fhss Id from
her ground to that OF Mr.. HUMPHREYS,
climbing q low fence to save time which
would have been lost in reaching gate,
and so gained the rear OF the dwelling OF
"niSu so'AViioW DUG Woua~ Do VIC MS
tress. ts
She thought herself terrified and dis
tressed. She felt rather injured in that
such an unpleasant thing as the wound
Ing OF poor Zebedee should have hap
pened on the eve OF her wedding-day -
Ten minutes after she thought Of herself
at that moment utterly at esse-w won
drously happy-for as she reached those
windows and peeped half-timidly through
the curtains, . thing happened that made
all she had ever suffered appear as moth
ing. s. . ~ - 2i.9 49, I.
The room. the window OF which she
had approached. was one that opened out
OF q conservatory. She saw Col. Hum.
phries busy with some rare plants he had
iust set ont to the warm sunshine that
fell through the glass. He had taken of
his coat and rolled up his sleeves. Now
he left the conservatory and coming for
ward proceeded to wash his hands In q
basin OF water that had been set ready
for him. He vas close TO Ida Halifonti
he did not see her, but she could have
reached out her hand and touched him. 2
Why did she not speak and call him
by panes Why did she sink down upon
her hands and tremble like an aspen leaf 7
Alas the awful reason was this Upon
that arm TO which she was about to give
the right to clasp her in tenderest EN-
brace She saw q terrible mark-a mark
she had seen once before. She knew its
shape and size and color Her eyes had
been riveted upon 1t as the sinewy hand,
at the wrist OF which it ended, grasped
her diving husband'sa throat. She had
learned Il or by heart; she could not be
deceiyed Though wears had rolled
away, that horrible marked arm was not
to be forgotten OF mistaken for any 9th.
er. z ael 81 9ios nii
Sndaeniv col H,mnhriea fel. himself
orssned bv hand tha, small "a It rss
| had The fierce clutch Of q tigers claw 2
The fingers closed over that red mark
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