The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-12-22

Zulima reached Baltimore in the
night. Weary with travel and faint
with anxiety, she took a coach at the
stage-house, and went in search of the
hotel, where she learned that her hus-
band was lodged.
As she drove up to the hotel, pri-
vate carriage stood at the entrance; a
negro in livery was in the seat, and an
other stood with the carriage door in
his hand, watching for some one to come
| down the steps. The door opened, and
| by the light that streamed through, Zu-
lima saw her husband richly dressed, as
| if for some assembly. One white glove
was held loose in his hand, with an en-
broidered opera-cap, which he put upon
his head, as he came quickly down the
| steps.
Zulima was breathIess. She leaned
from the window of her hackney coach
and would have called to him aloud
but her tongue Glove to her mouth. She
could only gaze wildly upon him, as
| just touching the step of his carriage
with one foot, he sprang lightly in.
The door closed with noise, that
went through Zulima's heart like an ar
row. She saw the negro spring up be
hind the carriage. The lamps flashed
by her eyes, and while everything reel
ed before her, the coachman of her own
humble hack had opened the door.
mo, no, do not wish to get out,
she said, pointing toward the receding
lamps with her finger. mount again
and follow that carriage"
The man hastily closed the door, and
mounting his seat, drove rapidly after
Mr.. Clark's carriage. Zulima was now
wild with excitement. The blood seem
ed to leap through her heart-her cheeks
burned like fire. She gasped for
breath, when turn in the streets took
those carriage lamps an instant from
her sight.
| They came in sight of fine old man
sion-house, standing back from the
street, and surrounded by tall trees. An
aristocratic and noble dwelling it was,
with the lights cleaning through its
windows, and those rare old trees cur
tanning the walls with their black
branches, now gilded and glowing with
the golden flashes Of light that came
through all the windows.
| The house was evidently Illuminated
for party-one of those pleasant sum-
mer-parties, that are half given in the
open air. A few lamps hung like stars
along the thick branches that curtained
the house, and glowed here and there
through honeysuckle arbor, or in q
clump of bushes, just lightly enough tc
reveal the dewy green of the foliage
without breaking up the quiet evening
shadows that lay around them.
Mr.. Clark's carriage stopped before
| this noble mansion, and Zulima saw him
pass lightly into the deep, old-fashioned
portico, while her vehicle was yet half q
block off,
''Do you wish to get out here" said
the coachman, going to the door. The
carriage that you ordered me to follow
does not seem to be going any fur
| ther."
'T know, see," said Zulima; "not
now, will wait. Draw off to the oppo
site side of the street. and then we sbal
be in nobody's way"
The man expressed no surprise at he
strange orders, but drove back to the
shadowy side of the street and waited
standing by the door a moment, to learr
if she had any further directions to give
Zulima bent from the window; she wa
| GcTfiDiy dSAtdtcu, anu ACA fOlSO SAChi
bled.
"Whose house is this?'' she said hur
riedly. The man told the owner
name. 1t was one celebrated in the his
tory of our country. And Zulima re
membered, with pang, that the daugh
ters of that house were among the mos
lovely women of America.
Smith had told her that her husband
was about to be married. Was it IL
that stately old mansion-house, that sh
must search for rival? How he
cheek burned, how her lip trembled, a
she asked herself the question!
"Did you know" she said, addressin:
the man; "did you know the gentleman
who just went in yonder%
"Oh yes, everybody here knows Nh
Clark" said the man. "I guessed wei
enough where his carriage was driyin!
to, when it started from the hotel. II
is going to marry one of the youni
ladies; at least the papers say So"
Zulima drew back into the carriage
it seemed as if she would never breath
again; she sat like famished bird, ga2
ing on the house without the wish o
power to move.
There seemed to be large party a:
sembled gayly dressed people were con
stantly gliding before the window, an
she could see the gleam of rich wine
and trays of fruit, as they were born
to and fro by the attendants. Some
times couple would saunter out int
the deep old portico, where she coul
see more distinctly by the wreath c
colored lamps, festooned with trumpe
flowers, roses, and honeysuckles tina
fell like a curtain overhead.
Zulima saw one couple after anothe
glide into the fiowery recess, and ava
again, as if the music that came pourin
through the doors and windows wer
too exciting for prolonged tetea-tet'
Still she kept her eyes fixed upon th
spot; she was certain that Mr.. Clar
would be among those who haunted th
{. flower nook, so like a cloud of butte
flies. She knew his tastes well. Sun
enough, while her eyes were fixed 0
the open doors, through which the bacl
ground of the portico was flooded wit
golden light, she saw Mr.. Clark com
slowly down the hall, not alone-ol
/, how she had hoped for that-but with
l beautiful woman leaning on his arm
E leaning heavily with that air of langui
first development OF passion.
His head was bent, and he seemed
be addressing her in a low voice; an
J though he smiled while speaking, Zul
1 ma could see that in repose his face W:
: grave, almost sad. 1t only lighted L
!, when those large blue eyes were LITE
l toward him. They sat down in the po
!, tico, and seemed to converse earnestly
ten ninutes-half an hour, and hours
thus long did the two sit side by sic
under that canopy of lighted blossom
and then Zulima could watch them 1
longer; a heavy faintness crept ov
. her, and In dull, low voice she asks
the coachman to drive her back to Il
hotel.
!. Poor Zulimal she hoped to see b,
husband alone in that portico, If it ".
only for one minute. How long, be
7 patiently, had she waited, and th
beautiful woman never left his side f
a moment. 1t was very cruel.
Q When Zulima left her room early Il
g next morning, she found Mr.. Smit
i who seemed to have just left the stag
coach. She knew him at once, and
recognized her with great cordiality.
81 have come" he said, in lo
friendly voice-"I have come in hop
of seeing you with Mr.. Clark. He is
the hotel. hear
He is" said ZuIima. / saw hi
last night"
Mr.. Smith turned pale; but there "
deep depression in Zulima's voice al
| manner, that treasured him the int
view could not have been made hap
one, to leave that cheek so hueles, Il
eyes so heavT-he was not yet too lai
II saw him, 2 said Zulima, ''but he
not know it; to-day, within anoth