The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1883-04-11
AFTER MANY YEARS.

"Thus, you see, my own Hortense,
that l must leave you. 1 shall pro-
vide an income of hundred louis for
your expenses. Look forward con-
stantly To my return; and when for
tune again smiles upon Inc 1 shall
come back, never again to be separ-
ted until DEATH"
NHhe weeping wife could not be COM
fofTed. 1t was hard that, so soon after
ner marriage, when the world seemed
so bright and gay, and when wealth
and fortune smiled so serenely upon
her, all should be swept away, and she
left, like lone widow, to protect her
self The husband was almost dis
tracted with the thought of leaving
her. His heart had been bound up in his
beautiful Hortense She had been his
idol from boyhood, the bright dream
of his existence; and when he had at
tained the distinction of one of the
merchant princes of Montreal he mar
ried her and placed her in the very
heart of luxury.
Misfortunes came on swift wings to
che happy pair. One by one. his pos
sessions left him, and worse than that,
Others were involved in his affairs who
we're less able to lose than himself. He
could not look upon the ruin of those
around him; for he had a kind
heart and would not wrong any one
for the world. They that lost by his
Ill fortune admitted that NJ. Valentin
was strictly honest man; and that is
great praise from those who are in
jured by mans ill luck. People are
but too apt to call it dishonesty.
There was but single bright spot
before NJ. Valentin. Australia cleaned
up warm and golden, and with des-
peration born of love TO his wife and
justice to his creditors, he secretly en-
harked for the land of promise. There
was a nine days wonder as to where
he was gone and to what purpose; and
then he died out of the thoughts of the
community as thoroughly as if he had
been deal and buried.
The weeping Hortense removed to
another locality; the fashionables who
had strained every nerve to get in
vited to the house of the rich mer-
chant, never pause to ask after his
wife; and lonely and miserable. with
out friends or relatives, Hortense
dropped and pined, until the beauty
which her husband SO praised was
changed into dimness. She never
heard from NJ Valentin. No single
word had ever cheered her solitude
since he left her. AS month after
month dragged its slow weight along
and no tidings reached her, her heart
utterly sunk within her, and she be-
lieved him dead. What indeed could
she think? 1t was better to think SO
than to believe him unmindful of her,
and day after day she watered his
memory with tears of genuine sorrow,
as one sorrows for the beloved dead.
She put on the deepest mourning
kept her room for months, and when
she finally went out again, and that
only to church, her sorrow was written
plainly in the face, which if it had lost
some of its beauty, was yet most
deeply interesting. So at least thought
the young Eugene Stanbury, ar
Englishman of unblemished character
and prosperous business. He saw hel
at church, devised some ingenious ex
pedient to be introduced, and begged
the privilege of waiting upon her
The lady pleaded her inability to enter
tain company, the impropriety of hel
receiving gentlemen, and thousanC
reasons why he should not visit her.
He overruled them all, besougAt he,
TO waive all ceremony with him, t
consider him as a deeply-attacheC
friend, brother, anything in short, i
he might be permitted to see her some
times and Hortense, weary of he
monotOnous and dreary life, at las
conseg.ed.
Once having renewed the delicious
consciousness of a protecting presence
she found it hard to give it up for tn
mere punctilious fear of what tn
world would say of her. Indeed sh
had long since shaken hands with tn
world, and parted from it, She owe
it no favor. 1t had no right to CRITICS
her conduct. Thus she reasoned Will
listening to Eugene's impassioned en-
treaties that she would lay aside he
sorrow for the dead and become hi
wife.
Still she hesitated. She truly be
lieYed in her husbands death 70
would he not have written had h
been living? OF the many letters sh
lad written him, the many inquire
Z she had instituted, no answer could b
obtained. No one knew anything @
4 NJ Valentin.
II h an hour of more than usual lone
iness and trouble she whispered t