The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-02-02

| Five years passed away. Florence Al
wood sas In the bright, little sitting room
Of her spisseer cousin. e-a ~ .
Five ysass Of rspsntanee IN saokclOth
and ashes made Florence Atwood . pale,
| sad-faced woman. All the old selfwin
that had ruined her life was gone bat
at IS abe was far more beautiful than at
| 20. Il y.s
For the last Eve years ahs had been .
wanderer over the face Of the earth.
Never despairing, bat every day hoping
to meet with the object Of her search !;
bat she only sought in vain; and home to
her native land she came, despair at laat
gnawing at her hsartstrings.
Florence, Mrs. wharton will be Of
Tended il you do not 60. She is such an
old friend, you know"
Ny dear, do not ask me to 60. I
would emily b . skeleton 1t the feast"
Fleeenoe, if You 60 on in this way you
will b dead before month. You must
rouse yourself accepted the invitation
more fcs ycsr sake thaa Ay own, for 1
have not ffequented such plscss of laEs.
You will go, just to please ma, woat yoa,
dear w
"I would do anything to please you,
my cousin. Whist would have done all
these years were it not for your good ad-
vice p
That night, At Mrs. Wharton's party,
nearly all the old faces greeted Florence
again. How glad they all we're to see her
among them once more. How they re-
minded her of the past.
Turning her head to look after an old
friend, who had passed her by without
seeing her, her eyes fell on one that
brought the past more vivid before her
than all the rest had.
It was August Marsh, the man who had
done his part to separate her from her hus-
band.
She felt his eyes upon her; she could
not speak to him again, and with eicken-
ing sensation she turned away to look for
her cousin.
She made her way among the throng of
dancers, but her cousin was nowhere to
be seen.
Passing the conservatory, which was
but dimly lighted, she looked in. There
was no one there, and with sigh Of re-
lief she entered and sat in front of pillar
of roses.
She had not been seated many moments
when a shadow fell across the floor.
my dear Mrs. Atwood, this is IN un-
expected pleasure" and August Marsh
seated himself on the settee by her side.
Mr.. Marsh lavished his fascinating
smile, whispered in her ears the same low,
tender tones of Eve years ago.
But how disgusting they seemed to-
night The fascinating smile she re-
turned with look of haughtiness the
tender tones she answered with the moet
frigid politeness.
But Mr.. Marsh was not to be cast aside
so easily. Her freezing manners only
made him the more determined in his
advances.
Mrs. Atwood, rumor says that you are
divorced from your husband. Florence,
hand; "forgivs me, but may say to you
now what dared not say years ago.
Florence, love you"
Florence Atwood wrenched her hand
from his clasp, and in the twilight of the
conservatory Mr.. Marsh could see the
fash Of her blue eyes and the crimson tide
in her pale face.
"Sir, in my case, as in all others, rumor
takes an unwarrantable liberty. am not
q divorced wife, and no man can ever
take my husband'splace in my affections"
"Florence forgive me; I"-
"Leave, sir, this instant
Mr.. Marsh detested scenes, and he left
the conservatory without word.
"Oh, George, George, if you could Wit
ness this scene you would forgive me !"
and Florence buried her face in her hands.
Florence, my wife, do forgive you."
With . low cry, Florence sprang to her
feet. Was she dreamlng3
No; standing before her, with out
stretched arms, was q stalwart, handsome
man, awfally bronsed and bearded.
"My husband-at last, ~ last I" said
Florence, rushing wildly to his embrace.
"Oh, my husband how could you leave
me =? Tongue can never tell what have
suffered all these years." cried Florence,
clinging to him.
"My darling, what have I not suffered
for the last Eve yearsf have often
during these years been near you; and
God only knows whether you would have
been aware Of my presence tonight were
it not for the scene / witnessed from be-
hind that pillar of roses"
"And we will never again be separated
in this world, my husband" said Flor
ence; with q sob.
"Never again, my own dear wife"