Middletown transcript., 1881-07-01

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patiently preparing new pills and pow
ders, and sighed in spirit to think there
was no greater change for the better
in his patient. If the good doctor had
only known, it was a little heart-food,
a little sunshine of the soul, that Paul
needed, instead of drugs.
And at this very time, Mrs. Lindsey
and he had some respect for her
judgment-began to hint to him how
wretched Ethel was; and, though he
could scarcely tell how she gave the
impression, for she certainly did not
put it in plain words, yet the impress
sion she certainly did, that Ethel
desired a separation, and that it was
only justice to her that she should have
it. And, in the same way, she gave
him the idea that Ethel loved her son.
Poor Paul, he did not know what to
do-what he ought to do. He said to
himself, that, if he respected and trust
ed Gerald Black, he would remove all
barriers between him and Ethel he
would give her to him, though his own
heart broke. But, feeling toward him
as he did, his course was not clear he
was her guardian, too, and she was
more dependant on his guardianship
than she knew. For, while she thought
and everyone thought, she was the
heiress of a handsome property, she was,
in fact, absolutely penniless for the
bank in which her funds were placed
by her father, had failed, soon after
her fathers death. Paul had kept the
knowledge from her, judging, rightly,
that she would refuse to accept so much
from his hands. This it was, together
with his great love, that had influenced
him in wishing her to become his wife,
when he thought he was leaving her
forever. He had left her all his wealth,
by will; but he had some distant rela-
tives, who, although wealthy, were un-
scrupulous, and destitute of right prin-
ciple, and he feared that they might
make her trouble. He felt that she
would be more absolutely certain of
inheriting his large fortune, if he left
her his widow.
What to do, to do right by Ethel
this was the burden of his thought,
day and night.
And, poor fellow, he was very weak
yet weakened by his almost mortal
illness, and weakened, still more, by
sorrow and hope deferred. He felt that
he could not decide-he must have time
to think; and so, whenthe doctor decided
that a short sea-voyage, trip to Cuba,
was imperatively necessary in his case,
he caught at the suggestion. He
would go away, entirely away, from
the sweet temptation that was Turing
Hin Ififfaf, mag be be, from the path of honor
he would go and think it over, calmly,
and when he returned he would decide.
But how Jared Ethel, in the days that
followed Paul's absence ? Did she ex-
perience a sense of relief, when the
man, who SO suddenly and unexpect-
edly was forced upon her acceptance as
husband, was out of her sight ? When
there were no loving, patient eyes to
follow her, as she listened to the gallant
compliments of the ideal man ?
Why, no as the days went by, each
one seeming longer, more tedious, than
the last, the compliments of Gerald
Black seemed coarse, his admiration
offensive, presuming she grew weary
of his conversation, his presence. And
there was dreary void in her heart, a
constant longing for the dear friend,
who had always been SO great part of
her life; she missed him every day,
every hour. Could it be, she said to
herself, that she had been deceived in
regard to her own feelings ? Could it
be, that she loved him, not with calm,
sisterly affection, but with the love
that was nearer and stronger
But still, the rumor went abroad,
possibly from Mrs. Lindsey, though it
would be difficult to find the person to
whom she told it still, the impression
went abroad, that Ethel had parted
from her husband, and was only wait
ing for time, to obtain legal separa-
tion.
On hearing this rumor, an old law
yer friend, who had always done the
business of the family, went to visit
Ethel. He was warm friend of Paul's,
a friend of her fathers, as well as her
own. He thought she was wrecking
her happiness. So the kind-hearted
old gentleman, in order to influence
her for her own good, revealed to her
profound secret. He told her, that, in
stead of an heiress, she had absolutely
nothing. And said he:
Gone reason why Paul was so anxi-
GUS to marry you, was, so he could be
absolutely sure that you would inherit
his large fortune. He had willed it to
you; but he thought it would be still
surer, if you were his wife. A nobler
soul never lived than Paul Lindsey" "
Noble, indeed She went down at
once into the valley of humiliation.
So he married her out Of pity And,
instead of being the heiress, indie
pendent, and secure from all possible
want, she was absolutely dependent,
and had been for years, upon the
bounty of the man, whom she had SO
hastily wed. But her thoughts were
all confused, and running together
she could hardly hear the lawyers last
words, her head reeled, and she felt so
dizzy. In fact, the first symptoms of
that terrible fever were upon her, that
Paul had almost died with. But she
thought, dreamily, how sorry Mrs.
L 1ho