The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1882-02-17

q
MES have come
For some moments Nelly stoo by the
window looking at the youngpcoplc, who
were canteiiug gleefully down the
avenue
Nelly was remarkably pretty, and had
certain simple elegance of manner and
speech that vas very pleasing.
''She is always the same, Mrs. Nilliers
had once observed to her brother-n-law.
"She is always calm and patient, thought
full for others, and wonderfully sweet
tempered. One could never believe any
wrong of Nelly. She is a treasure to
us all
But latterly there was new and sin
gular gloom about the girl, detection
of aspect and wistful apprehensiye ex-
preston of the large eyes that puzzled
her.
"Of what may you be thinking, NcllyY
she queried,in jocosc tone of the young
woman, who still stood by the window,
gazing out absently into blankuess
She started, seemed irresolute for an
instant, land then went slowly over to her
benefactress.
II was thinking she answered with
a tremulous accent, "of your goodness TO
me; how kind all of YOU have been to
me and how you have all trusted me"
She hesitated and then continued
mournfully:
"And that the time has come when |
must tell you something dreadful for
you to hear and humilating for me to
speak"
"Do not distress yourself unneces
sarily, Nelly" counseled Mrs. Nilliors,
kindly. "No doubt YOU have made mis-
takes and know rrowS, "a we all must
do, Whatever you think right and best
to tell me, dear, say ii your own time
and way"
II am as grateful for your consilcra-
tion as | am sure of your symp thy,
said Nelly, more cheerfully You al
ready know that my marriage was a mis-
take, and that he whom l welded was
not an honorable man, she proceeded,
shudderiug and reluctant. but you
have neither heard nor surmised the worst.
| was an orphan, without any kindred
whatever, when / met Rufus Wynne,
whom did not believe wicked, although
| knew he had been wild, and that his
reputation was not enviable. | knew,
too, that he was faulty; that he could be
unreasonably Jealous; that he was not
truthful,and that he had fierce temper.
But | fancied that my wifely influence
and his affection for me would remedy
these defects. All! but my hopes were
delusions; my reasoning was as fallacious
as fond. Not year after my marriage
| had become the most pitiful of crea-
tures-an ulyv1d, neglected and abused
wife He no longer even affected the
suppositious graces that had won me,
and he ieered at my misery and horror
when | behcld his character in its evil
and hideous reality
The unhappy Nelly paused and hid
her face that was hot with shame.
but III all this, dear, you were,and are
blameless," averred her companion con
solingly.
"There are many who would not be
lieye so, protested the girl sorrowfully.
There are not a few who contend that
wife must always be the cause or the
accessory of her husbands wrong doilg.
There are those who would not hold
blameless the most innocent of all wom-
en- if she were the wife of one whose vo
cation is theft-and such is the calling
of the man who still pursues and claims
me, commhnds and threatens me"
Elizabeth NillierS was shocked and
troubled. As sympathetic and magnani-
nous, and fond of the girl AS she was,
she would scarcely have liked so unde-
sirable an individual as Rufus Wynne to
cross her threshold, d,even in peaceful pur-
suit of his wife and he was to bring
dsquiet instead OF peace, and gloom in
stead Of gayety.
"You are indeed, unfortunate she
responded, soberly. but you have some
serious reason for telling me these things,
have you not?'
"Unhappily have, assented Nelly, "a
decidedly serious reason, You do not
apprehend, perhaps, that he SO persistent
ly follows and asserts his rights only that
he may force me to become his accom-
plice; but | desire to avoid all useless
details" And she had, indeed omitted
discreetly all irrelevant incidents of her
vicssitudes, that could only have shock
ed her patient and wondering listener.
'Some days ago he discovered my where
abouts, and has since compelled me to
see him lie has learned that you have
many yaluables in the house, and he has
planned moment she bowed hcl
head in her hands and sobbed bitterly
"he has planned burglary to be eXccu
ted tonight, while DR.. Villiers is away
If fail to make their entrance--the in
gress of himself and companions-casy
and secure, | am to die. Need tell yot
more ?-oh Mrs, Villiers, say that
need not,
Her agitation was intense, her innocen
shame pitiful,
"No, my dearest girl, you have told
me sufficient Pray compose yourself
DR.. Richard will providentially return
home before sunset, and we will submit
the matter to his Judgment" ,"
'For, doing what is wise and right,
shall die" moaned poor Nelly, as sh
went family up to her room. "For ex
posing my vicious tyrant, he will xii
me"
The night-warm, soundless and darl
with heavy, low-lying clouds-came a
last When, somewhere in the distance
a sonorous bell changed the hour of mid
night, the great house was all silent, an,
not n CLEAN of light came from the clos
ed and darkened windows.
| Presently several forms, like grim blacl
phantoms, skulked from the shadows o
the old trees that tlanked the furthe
wall Of the spacious area; and one, tn
tallest of them all, led the way to
latticcd door that was ajar and opene
upon an inclosed balcony.
Then symmetric, silvery figure moN
ed before them, ghostlike, through tn
| Uloom aud thpV follnwpl 1umlIv Npit