Year: 1870

Mr.. Lazelle had been anxiOusly
! looking for his wife for the last half
hour, and now what shock did he
receive. He Immediately ordered his
carriage, and as speedily as possible


returned to his home, returning the
servants with the carriage to await
their mistress order. Home, shall
we say? No, from this moment ne
knew no such word as home, for
Home is where there's one to love us.
He sat down and wrote to his wife q
brief but comprehensive note, and
laid It on her dressing bureau, prepa-
ratory to his departure.


The evening dragged wearily. Mrs.
LaZelle sent many searching glances
through the brilliantly-lighted rooms,
but no where did she discover the OBJ
iect of her search. At length upon
inquiring, she was informed that her
husband had retired several hours
previous. She was soon on her soli-
tary way to her home, unable to di-
vine the cause Ofsuch mysterious con-
duct, but as a guilty conscience needs
no accusing she could not help but
anticipate evil.


She Immediately sought her hus-
band, but found her own door barred
against her. She raped but received
no answer. She then returned to the
library and sat down by the window
that looked out upon the carriage
drive.


After an hour of the most intense
anxiety spent in wearisome waiting
and watching, a carriage drove to the
door and stopped. Two trunks were
loaded, and a gentleman bearing
something in his arms entered it, and
the carriage, mounted by two serv-
ants, drove rapidly away.


She again sought her room, found it
accessible but solitary. She went to
the nursery if haply she might find
her child. Its crib was empty, and
the nurse informed her its father had
taken it with him. Her agony was
now intense, still she believed 1T but
the bewilderment of a dream which
morning sun would vanish.


Patiently she watched the approach


If day, which proved that the would
be dream was a waking reality. Ear
ly were the servants summoned, to
ascertain if possible some cause of the
strange disappearance of their master,
but none could give any information
further than has already been eX-
planned. Possibly he had been unex-
pectedly called away on business, but
why so strange flight? Why that
mysterious disappearance from the
party? Why was her own door bar
red against her? All was very
strange.


She again sought her own room,
which daylight had now visited. Her
eyes fell upon q letter she hastily
broke the seal and read as follows:


MADAM.-"While this mansion af-
fords you a home it cannot furnish
me a dwelling place. Oh, fool that l
have been, thus to be deceived by
woman's subtle smiles. Well have
you worn your fiendish mask, even
one more discerning might sooner
have discovered the treachery, but.
the secret is at length revealed, and ],
who but few short hours before
thought that was basking in the sun
sunlight of true affection, find that l
but the dupe of wOmanis guile. l
shall never see you more. 1t would
be more than could endure to look
upon the face of one who has been the
idol of my heart, yet know she is its
traitor. L shall take my child to
part with you both in one day would
be more than I could endure; yet you
who have another to love, will not so
sensibly feel the loss. Yes, you can
return your affections to their wonted
place. I see that have been usur-
per. However hard to me the strug-
gle, Twill give you up; shall never
drive YOU from this plac9 while you
choose to remain. | think you will
find the income Of the farm sufficient
for your support. With blighted af-
ton and despair, / 1subscribe myself


Yours, lost and ruined,


S. w. EAZELLE.


She finished the last sentence and
fell insensible. The servants gave
the most effective restoratives, yet
several hours passed before she show
ed any signs of consciousness. At
length she remembered the fatal cir
of the evening that had
so rudely dashed the cup of happiness |
from her lips, just as she was about to
drain the refreshing draught, and she
wished in her very heart that she |
might die; but that wish could not |
be realized. There were many more /
days of suffering for her to endure be-
fore it could be said, sit is finished ~


The fatal words she had in an un-
guarded moment uttered, were still 4
ringing in her ear. Oh, that they I
might be recalled, was her frequent /
wish. But was their import still true? /
Did she still love Warren st. Clair |
No! He had been the object of as I
great contempt as he had ever been Of /
affection. She loathed his very name /
the name of one who had made her /
youth miserable, and middle life
wretched. But other loves had more /
than filled its place. Yes, there was
a mothers lOve-the deepest, tender
est, purest, holiest passion that ever
glowed in woman's breast and yet, /
this hardly exceeded the love she now 4
felt for her husband. She had mar
ried because she had thought it an
eligible match, and herself old /
enough to marry he, because his /
house and servants required a mis-
tress, and he was ambitious to call .
this accomplished woman his wife,
EACH uau dpprOaCneu lAS ~ AACuAal
altar with the most irreverent foot
steps, and justly had they merited the
they were now receiv-
ing. But the mysterious goddess,
Fate, had brought together two hearts 4
capable of the most perfect assimila- 4
ton, and in the short time they had /
been married, the husband found that 4
he was becoming more and more at
tached to his New England bride, and /
she, too, soon found that the former
image that lad been daguerreotyped
on her heart was fast fading, and that
secret cords were entwining themselv-
es theresbout. The scenes of former
years had rendered her somewhat
and while in the immed-
late society of ber husband she did
not realize that she really loved him.