The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-07-13

been listening 70 hngArs retteatlnR loot
steps. Who can govern these vague
warnings that sometimes beset the strong.
est human heart? As he entered the
room his face frightened; the cayernous
burrows in his brow seemed to straighten
out into joyous benignity; the very an
giles Of his nature, sharpened by the
hopeless Loneliness Of his life, became
smooth, and took comfortable, rounded
shapes 70 themselves; and be greeted the
pale, pretty woman in the sttAight-back
chair with 8 peculir charming tenderness
Of tone and manner, born oil this new ex!
perience, that would have frightened and
astonished himself had be been . locker.
on. Bot Mrs. Delplaine was neither
frightened nor astonished. She was still
90 weak that Hagars harsh and abrup!
replies had brought foolish tears 10 her
eyes, which still husg to her lsshes as abe
smiled upon MIR. Hume. She gave her.
self Up to the sweet relief and comfort
Of his presence. She began 70 believe
that destiny had determined this remark.
able event IN her life, and felt an irresist.
ible desire 10 further the designs Of fate.
She had never In her life seen any one SO
noble and majestic, yet 80 gentle and ten
der, as this preacher. She felt that abe
would much rather dwell with him "in
the midst OF Alar ms than reign in this
horrible plsce;;" but anything was better
than 10 part with him.
II am glad you have come" she said;
81 have something 10 say 10 you" A
strange, wis.iul, discounted look in his
face disquie,ed her, and abe added, gent.
", "You will not despise little advice,
and remonstrance OF mine?"
u could despise nothing with which
you were associated" he said.
"Then listen 70 me-" she continued
sit here by my side aud listen to me. l
am getting quite strong and well. You
have saved my lite, you and your good
Hagar, and the worst OF it is tha. now l
must 20 away" Here abe paused, and
enjoyed the sudden wineing in his face,
and resolved more and more to spare him
the pang OF parting. II am going to
coax you away from here, abe said. ain.
deed, indeed, Mr.. Hume-Msy | call you
PAUL." s... r.-...f
%Yes,r he replied, bat began to grow
pale.
"lndeed you are quite thrown away in
this place. It would be 30 sweet 10 me TO
see you admired and .deifed and bowed
down 10, asthe world out yonder does TO
men like you. They love ssilver tongue,
do the people. Will you let me manage
II for you? ! promise you, II you will,
our parting shall be brief. I have con-
siderable nfluence, which will WELD in
your behalf. You have but to be known
10 be appreciated. See the good you
might do, Paul" she added, coaxingly.
Her face took FIRE a. she uttered his name,
but that Of the preacher grew paler and
|paler.
II am grateful to you" be replied.
"more grateful than ! can say; but l
must remain here. Believe me, Il is bet.
ter I should remain"
Mrs. DelplAins had somewhat foreseen
this reiusal. In her exalted estimste Of
his character she could scarcely hope
that her hero would step aside from the
path he had marked out for himself to
cater to the preferences OF woman. She
yielded at once.
aBecause you are stubborn and proud"
she said, because you cannot bend TO
any weak frivolity; and II you will not
yield to my wishes, there is nothing lett
for me but TO submit myself to yours.
Well, then, will also remain here. II
matters little where / live, and this is q
winsome country in its way. Think we
shall soon have promise OF spring, On
that big stern rock outside the window I
saw the poor moss growing out just a
little green. I can get aome old house,
and old houses can be refurnished. Cold
gray homespun can give place to Persian
wools, odorous fires can still glow In old
chimney places. Since 1t Is your will,
sir, 10 remain in this place, you will not
object II make the wilderness TO bloc
som a. the rose"
@Mrs. Delplaine !" be said, crnnchipg
the aim white hand that rested on the
arms Of the chair close in the quivering
mnscles Of his own.
"My name Ia Laura" she interrupted,
softly. ...t
"Mrs. Delplaine!D he repeated, "you
will not remain here, neither will go.
You win take with you the only true
happinessI have ever known; the memo.
n OF It will perhaps serve to make the
rest Of my life endurable. And now let
me tell you, iovliest and most generous
Of women, why cannot go and you can
not stay. When I was but lad Of 20"
said the preacher, "and still pursuing
nv studies, I fell 10 love with a young
woman Who lived in the neighborhood Of
the college. / soon learned that her pas.
sion was leigned from the fret, and that
she only married me from motives oil
convenience; but mine, such as 1t was,
founded upon delusion, and nursed By
ephemeral vagarIes Of the brain, led me
into fools psradise, and even when the
bitterness Of her mistake and my own be.
gan 10 eat into our lives, II sickens me 70
remember how strove against II, how
meanly aud pervilely shut my eyes and
eroped blindiold for the old mockery
Bat II had long been 4 ghost, and the
time came when even the memory Of II
was q curse. Then The cross WAS per-
hsps heavier for her TO bear than for me
Tied 10 man whose pursuits, thoughts
ambitions, affections, abe could neither
understand NOR appreciate, condemned tt
the propriety aud soberness allotted q
the life Of = preachers wife, even denied
the comfort Of wearing gay trinkets and
| apparel, often she has told me that sh'
envied the freedom OF an Indian squAw
\ and glad she'd be TO know nothing bu
| ChoctAw 10 get rid Of the eternal preach
| ing, preaching"
sPoOr soul ~ said Mrs. Delplaine, viii
an involuntary shudder nj the lie th,
pErson portrayed. Then she addsd, viii
inRnite tenderness, Sab ! but she dad NO
love you h+ia' t.r Hitrl
aNo,P said Mr.. Hume; "snd, God for
give me, there were times when va
| empted 70 put 40 end TO my life, It breC
sueh misery for ns both. At lAst q mer
4 ciful providence can only think 1t sucl
l-enieebled her health aud took the cor
poral sting from her slavery. The pow
ertul vitality which lent q dsngerou
Il strength 70 Der longings and disconteu
was broken, and abe became content TO b
amused and taken care ofin way tha
wa possible for me. An old nurse con
nectsd with the family was induced Z
take entire chArgeof her. The indolenc
4 Al a aonthern climate suited her desire