Nevada County picayune., 1890-04-30

Snakcn ner voice.
 When we were ready for bed the cloud returned and broke. 1 saw her knecling form trembling from head to foot while she was saying her prayers, and heard sti6cd sob. Arising. with averted face, she went to bureau on the far side of the room, took a miniature from draw CT, kissed it twice, and furtively slipped it under her pillow. When we had lain down, and the light was out, l knew, gentle and gradual as was the movement, that she drew the picture from its hiding-place and pressed it to her bosom. Passing my hand caresslngly over her check felt that it was wet.
 Augusta" 1 said, softly, "can not l comfort you: What is 1t, my poor dear? Surely you are not grievlng over sorrow that will be cured as soon as will MT. Deane' s abscence?"
 She clung to me in wild storm of tears. She was but twenty, and had not had a secret from me in ten years; so got this one.
 Law business, imperative and not to be deferred, he said, had called Frank to Richmond. With all her sweetness of temper, his wife had been spoiled child Tn her fathers house, and her husband had never crossed her. She especially desired that he should be at home while I was there, and could not be con- vinced that the matter in hand could not be transacted as well by corres- pondence as in person. From plead ing she passed to remonstrance, then to indignant protest. The result was that reef of horrors to the newly wedded-the first quarrel. Frank told her that she was unreasonable and childish, and asked her how she expected him to make living for herself and him if she kept him tied to her apron-string.
 And 1 called him unfeeling and cruel yand-brutall !" confessed the penitent, between her sobbs. II have cried myself to sleep for two nights over it. If l could but see him for one minute-long enough to beg his pardon--I could let him go again for six months, if necessary. If you had seen his face when I said that last wicked word He turned as white as death, and bit his lips hard to keep back the bitter answer l deserved! How could 1 do it. How could 1 do it!
 It did seem ineXcnsable to me-a slightly-priggish damsel with a we'll formulated creed of wifely duty and department, but lectured her mild ly in consideration of her genuine distress.
 "He has generous heart, con- cluded. "He will not bear grudge, you may be sure, and his very soul is bound up in you"
 The neatly-cut plaster did not draw the lips of the wound together. Indeed, it bled afresh.
 ''He never said an unkind word to me in his life, my suffering, patient, ill-used angel! And l wouldn't walk down to the boat with him, although 1 knew he was longing to ask me to do it. didn't even go with him to the door, and when he kissed me goodbye just let him do it, and stood like dumb block while he walked out of the house. oh, Nancy! so slowly and unwilling ly! It wasn't a bit like his step! 1 didn't stir to go to the window, where had always stood every morning to kiss my hand to him when he went to the office. But l watched him from away back in the room where he couldn't see me, and saw him go down the path and stop under the honeysuckle at the gate to look up at the window. When he didn't see me his face turned abso- lutely dark-the most awful thing! and he rushed off down the street with never a glance behind him. That was our first parting. We parted under a thunder cloud, Nan cy. 1 have lived in the heart of it ever since. If you hadn't come l think I must have gone crazy, thinking and living it all over"
 My sympathy quietcd her some what, l hope, but l am afraid the battered platitudes of which, as is ..I. rlt In. of i'm