Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1881-02-10

Cor murmured Katie, very feebly
-'gol'
You have decidedY whispered
Frank.
Il haye'
Then, love, farewellr
He took her hand gazed a moment
tenderly and sorrowfully upon her
beautiful, tearfal face; then clasped her
to his bosom.
She permitted the embrace. She
even gave way to the impulse Of the
instant, and twined her arms about his
neck. But in a moment her resolution
came to her aid, and she pushed him
from her with a sigh.
Shall goT' he articulated.
A feeble yes fell from her quiver.
ing lips.
Aud in an instant later. she was ly-
ing upon the sofa, sobbing and weeping
passionately-alone.
To tear the tenacious root of love out
Of her heart had cost her more than she
could have anticipated; and the Ger.
tainty OF golden life of luxury proved
but poor consolation, it seemed, for
the sacrifice she has made.
She lay long upon the sofa, sobbing
and weeping passionately. Gradually
her grief appeaaed to exhaust itself.
Her breathing become more regular
and calm. Her tears ceased to flow,
and at length her eyes and cheeks
were dry. Her head was pillowed on
her arm, and her face was half hidden
in flood of beautiful curls.
The struggle was over. The agony
was passed. She saw Mr.. Wellington
enter, and arose cheerfully to receive
him. His manners pleased her; his
station and fortune fascinated her
more. He offered her his hand She
accepted it. A kiss sealed the engage
ment-but it was not such kiss as
Frank had given her, and she could
not repress a sigh!
There was a magnificent wedding.
Splendidly attired, dazzling the eye
with everything around in the atmos-
phere of the fairy-land. Katie gave her
hand to the man her ambition-not
her love-had chosen!
But certainly ambition could not
have made better choice. Already
she saw herself surrounded by mag:
nificent court, of which she was the
acknowledged and admired queen. The
favors of fortune were showered upon
her; she floated luxuriously upon the
smooth and CLASSY wave of charmed
life.
Nothing was wanting, in the whole
circ.e of her outward existence, TO
adorn it, and make it bright with hap
piness.
But she was not long in discovering
that there was something wanting
within her own breast!
Her friends were numerous; her
husband tender, kind and loving; but
all the attentions and affections she
enjoyed could not fill her heart.
She had once felt its chords of SYM
pathy moved BY a skillful touch; she
had known the heavenly charm of their
deep, delicious harmony; and now they
we're Observation-Disclosures. so
to speak, in silks and satins These
chords still and soundless, her heart
was dead; not the less so because it had
been killed by golden shaft Hav-
ing known and felt the life of sympathy
in love, she could not but mourn for
it, unconsoled by the life of luxury.
In short Katie in time become magnlf
icently miserable, splendidly unhappy.
Then change became apparent IN
her husband. He could not long re-
main blind to the fact that his love
was not returned. He sought the
company of those whose gayety might
lead him to forget the sorrow and de-
spalr of his soul. This shadow joy
was unsatisfactory, however; and i'm
PEELED by powerful longings for love,
he went estray to warm his heart by a
strange fire.
Katie saw herself now in the midst
of a gorgeous desolation, burning with
a thirst unquenchable by golden
streams that flowed around her; pant
ing with hunger not all the food of
hattery and admiration could appease.
She reproached her husband for de-
serting her thus; aud he answered
with angry and desperate taunts of de-
ceptlon and total lack of love, which
smote her conscience heavily.
You do not care for me, he cried
then why do you complain that be-
stow elsewhere the affections you have
met with coldness"
But it is wrong--sinful, Katie re-
monstrated.
Yes; l know it, said her husband,
fercely. 1T is the evil fruit of an evil
seed. And who sowed that seed?
Who gave me hand without heart
who became a share of my fortune,
but gave me no share in sympathy
who devoted me to the fate of a loving,
unloved husband? Nay, Go not weep,
and clasp your hands, and sigh and
sob with such desperation of lmpatience
for | say nothing you do not deserve
to hear.
II L