Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-09-08

Nv ewes opened. A mist seemed to
clear from my brain. Feebly | moved
and stretched my hand and another hand
closed over it and voice-dear God how
tender and how brave its faltering tones
murmured in my ear, " / am here, my
dearest. What is it YOU wish?"
think could have wept then, but my
anguish was too great for tears. His dear
est; and knew it was true. | knew that
never by word or deed had the faithful
nature swerved from its duty or the true
heart failed in its love. There lay the
bitter sting of my humiliation. There lay
the punishment of sin.
/ have something to tell you,' | said.
| know / am going to debut | cannot
with this ON my soul"
"Do not t.ouble yourself, dear heart"
said the brave and kindly voice. "There
is nothing you have done / cannot forgive.
Why speak of the past? 1t is over
now. | am not blameless. My love
for you made me selfish. You were so
young, and | should have remembered that
and been more generous to your faults"
"More generous to my faults p The
greatness of his love; the strength and
tenderness of this nature | had disre-
garded, how they crushed me to the heart
now. Now, when it was too late.
Ave, think of that, oh sisterhood of
mine-the rank of cold, selfish and neg
lectful wives. Think of it when your
hour too shall come as mine came, and
your soul shrinks aghast in shuddering
horror from the sight Of yourself as you
are
For men are so much what women make
them that ON womanhood shall lie the
larger blame when the impurities and in
decencies and shams and follies of life pass
in review before the Great and Adjust
Judge, Where woman is pure and brave
and strong, so shall she lift man up to
purer life, and give him freedom from slav-
ish passions. For in her weakness is her
strength, and something also of divinity,
since through her shone the Godlight
upon earth. Let her debase that divinity
and man falls lower, and even childhood
grows callous and impure, and over the
face of the sad and desolate world creeps
the plague spot of unbelief and material
ism, so that at last the Infinite is challenged
by the pigmies of His own creation, and
the pitiful ignorance of dull and clouded
intelligence sets itself in array against the
WONDERS IL WOulu ld1n Oeuy.
Like wave that lifts itself and is lost,
so rushed these thoughts through my
! brain. Then | spoke again-feebly, but
with the impulse of an intense and terri
BILE desire:
"Oh, my husband, / have wronged you
I have neglected you. / have never
never for one hour of all our welded life
been the wife you imagined me. Other
! lips have fattered, other voices whispered
love, and have listened. Yes, listened,
and thought il no shame Oh, you cannot
surely forgivem
Yet once again the brave, true voice
! once again the pitying tenderness: My
dearest, the world is full Of snares and
pitfalls. You were so beautiful and |
Il was old, and may have seemed to
you harsh and cold and unsympathizing !;
yet in my heart / loved you always-I
shall love you all my life
"Hush p / cried You do not know
all. See thereon yonder shelf-that
casket-bring it here Quick, quick.
! cannot die till l have told YOU my
secret-till know you forgive"
F; He rose The casket was beside me !;
! the key was in the lock. / motioned him
to open it. The lid fell back the letters
| lay there; many or few / knew not, since
he would have suffice to condemn me.
One out of all that packet.
Bernard" ! said family, "will you
read them-now-now, before l am
dead, so that may know that have not
| deceived you to the last"
My eyes closed. A faint and deadly