The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-10-31
PA. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 81 mhS%U%
ache for Lily's husband.

and he said
"Do you not feel sorry for poor Ar
thur
A hard, bitter light came into the
sorrowing mothers eyes as she an
swered him.
"Feel sorry for him--her murderer 7
DO you think l could feel grief for the
man to whom gave my first-born to
love and cherish, gave her to him, be.
lieving that he would make her happyi
But instead, he brought her back TO
me in FIVE short years to die. And she
was murdered, my beautiful Lily, not
by any crime that the law can punish
that would have been quicker and
more merciful-but the slow torture
that killed her, our queen Lily, as we
called her, in five years"
Weldon was shocked.
He had never heard of such thing;
| and Mrs Everett continued
" 'Tis the drop by drop of little ills
that wear away the most invincible
barrier, and our Lily was once just
like Leila, though only those that
knew her then would believe it. But
il you had known under what constant
suppression our queen Lily was kept,
you would not have wondered at the
change. When she had only been the
bride of half year she suffered keen
ly that worst of pains-the heartache
and she grew to realize fully that
mans love is of mans life part, but
woman's whole existence 1t was a
slow but sure way that Arthur War
den took to tame his bride, but she
could not be curbed. She and Leila
were alike in that respect. When he
took away all the joyousness he took
away her gay spirits, and that is death
in the end to all natures like our Lily's.
There was never time when Arthur
failed to make cynical remarks; in
truth, he kept my love-cherished child
under continual cloud of disapproba-
ton. If she laughed, she was silly (;
if she enjoyed society, she was frivo-
lous if she wanted anything pretty
she was Just like all the women-
didn't care for anything but dress if
a noted person spoke to her and she
mentioned the fact, she was vain be-
cause those above her noticed her /;
and if she spoke to anyone under the
ban of society, she was told that no
lady spoke to such a person. And oh,
it was wonderful what an effect it all
had on her, our darling! She vino
had laughed to scorn all restraint from
a lover now yielded meekly; but she
was crushed, not cuibed. She had
grown tired of fruitless resistance, and
now the sequel of it all is told by the
folded hands and silent lips of my
murdered child. Murdered the same
as many others will be that are on the
torture-rack to-day; and yet no man
ever thinks that he is treating his wife
upkindly. But men have such pecu-
liar ways of showing their affection for
those that are nearest and dearest.
When Arthur began to think that
Lily must be ailing, he brought her
home to gain strength but she died,
aud he, her murderer, is to day receiv.
ing the coincidence of scores of pitying
friends !"
All, how every word of Mrs. Ever
ett's struck home!
Had not Mr.. Weldon's treatment Of
Leila been almost an epitome of Ar.
thur Warden's treatment of Lily?
How he remembered now of hearing
an acquaintance remark that Leila was
growing delicate, and they thought
she'd go just like Lily.
And Weldon could not help admit
ting that the tiger-lily had changed tt
a stately celia; but she should no
wither and die if he could make any
atonement.
That evening, when they were alone
; he actually kissed her, which wa
something novel of late, and then said
"Lelia, darling, can You ever forgiv'
me- Are my eyes opened before it i
too late to make amends? Won't yor
kiss me, wifey7 and on this, the ami
versary of our wedding, we will begil
the second year anew, and all tina
. pleased me in my little sweetheart vii
doubly please me in my precious wife.
And Louis Weldon never forgot tn
lesson he learned; and when the roya
color came slowly back to his Leila
pale cheeks, he realized fully tina
gravity and decorum will do for busi
ness men and the world generally, bu
love and gaiety are as essential as tn
breath of life to make home for thos
!, we love.
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