Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-11-28

ana was wealthy ana accompiisneu. one
was beautiful-ah. so beautiful and
when she married she loved her husband
very dearly; bu. not as he loved her.
She was not so unselfish as he, and be
was not to her what she was to him-the
only one necessary to his happiness. She
was worldly woman, and she loved the
follies and designations Of the city too
much to settle down into the quiet of a
country life. After short season of
happiness with her husband she grew
weary Of the monotony Of farm life, and
he ever ready to crafty her slightest
wish, went back with her to the city.
There she commenced round of gayety
and dissipation which soon rendered her
husband sick Of the hollow life around
him, and eager to go back to the peace
and quiet of his old home. But the
lady was not willing to leave the city,
and to please her, he remained with her.
Matters went on from bad to worse.
At length child was born, but il lived
only few brief hours and then went to
a better land In the course Of time an
other came. 1t was a sweet rosy girl,
the image Of her mother, and Mr.. Nor
gan hoped that i; would be a charm so
potent that his wife could not neglect il
as she had him. for the frivolous world
she was moving in. His hope was not re-
allied. Mrs. Morgan loved her child,
but she loved admiration more. and she
neglected the first to gain the latter.
Her husband talked with her kindly
and tenderly, begging her to be true to
her duties as wife and mother, but TO no
purpose. He was powerless to move
her. The old life was continued, and
the husband slowly came to think that
she cared neither for the child nor for
him.
At last a change came. Little Mar
gle grew pale and thin. The doctors
said she would not live through the win
ter, and that she might die at any mo-
ment. Even this could not draw her
mother form her habits which had now
grown to be second nature. She felt
incapable Of making the effort to do
better. even had she been desirous of do
ing so.
One night she came home late from a
concert. She had refused to stay at
home, though her husband had begged
her to do so, as Margie was worse. He
met her at the door, and there was some
thing so terrible in the sad gaze with
which he greeted her that she sprang to
him in alarm
What is the matter" she hurriedly
asked.
He made no reply, but led her into
the chamber where he had spent in sor-
row the hours she had devoted to mirth
and pleasure. One glance told her all.
Little Margie lay on the bed with her
little hands folded on her breast, her eyes
closed, and look of peace upon her face.
But i, was only the childs body that lay
there, for her soul was far away in the
better land.
"When did she die" asked the mo-
ther family, the sense Of her guilt rush.
ing over her with fearful force.
when you were at the concert he
replied coldly.
She sank into chair and covered her
face with her hands Her husband gazed
at her pityingly for moment, then his
face grew stern and hard.
Margaret" he said, and his voice
was so cold that she looked up in aston.
li.hment; "this child's death breaks the
last bond between us. You have long
since convinced me that was not nec-
essary to your happiness; and whatever
love once bore you will be laid with
this little one in her grave. Tomorrow
/ 20 back to my home. shall take my
child's body with me. AS you neglected
her in life, you will not care for her now
that she is dead. suppose we will new
er meet again. You will not miss me,
and shall not care to force my presence
upon you
There was no passion, no wrath in his
8 tones. His manner was so calm. and his
voice so cold and icy, that the guilty wo-
man felt that all between them was in
deed at an end. AS he finished speaking
be turned and left the room. He did not
see the white. anguished face that she
turned to him, nor hear the low cry of
!. agony with which she implored him to
come back.
An hour later the servants found her
lying senseless on the bed by the body Of
her child. The swoon was followed by
a long attack of fever, and when the
unhappy woman woke to consciousness