Holmes_Lena_Rivers.txt topic ['13', '324', '378', '393']
as she thought
how ' had supplanted her in the affections of the only person she
could ever love,
" done want to see you in the parlor," said
, putting her head in at the door.
his unfortunate affair with , the captain had avoided
, but feeling lonely at , he had come over this morning
to call. . absent, he had asked for ,
who was so unusually gracious that he wondered he had never before
discovered how greatly superior to her sister she was! his
favorite pieces were sung to him, and then, with the patience of a
martyr, the young lady seated herself at the backgammon board,
playing game after game, until she could scarcely tell her men from
his. his way home the captain fell into a curious train of
reflections, while , when asked by , if "old marster was
done gone," sharply reprimanded the girl, telling her "it was very
impolite to call anybody _old_, particularly one so young as
!"
next day the captain came again, and the next, and the next,
until at last his former intimacy at seemed to be
re-established. all this time no one had an inkling of the true
state of things, not even ., who never dreamed it possible for
his haughty sister, to grace as its mistress. "
stranger things than that had happened and were happening every day,"
reasoned, as she sat alone in her room, revolving the
propriety of answering "" to a note which the captain had that
morning placed in her hand at parting. looked at herself in the
mirror. face was very fair, and as yet untouched by a single
mark or line. thought of him, _bald_, _wrinkled_, _fat_ and
_forty-six_!
"'ll never do it," she exclaimed. " live single all my days."
this moment, the carriage of . drew up, and from it
alighted ', richly clad. sight of her produced a reaction,
and thought again. was generous to a fault.
was able and willing to grant her slightest wish, and as his wife,
she could compete with, if not outdo, ' in the splendor of her
surroundings. pen was resumed, and wrote the words which
sealed her destiny for life. done, nothing could move her, and
though her father entreated, her mother scolded, and .
_swore_, it made no difference. " was old enough to choose for
herself," she said, "and she had done so."
. became convinced that her daughter was in
earnest, she gave up the contest, taking sides with her.
, was in a hurry, and it was decided that the
wedding should take place a week before the time appointed for that
of her cousin. not to be outdone by . , .
launched forth on a large scale, and there commenced
between the two houses a species of rivalry extremely amusing to a
looker on. . purchase for ' a costly silk, .
forthwith secured a piece of similar quality, but
different pattern, for . . order forty dollars'
worth of confectionery, . immediately increased her
order to fifty dollars. when it was known that . had
engaged a cook at two dollars per day, .
sent to , offering three for one!
had decided upon a tour to , and the captain had given
his consent, when it was reported that and ' were also
intending to sail for . this dilemma there was no
alternative save a trip to or the !
former was chosen, offering to defray .
's expenses if she would accompany them. plan
warmly seconded, for she knew her mother's presence would greatly
relieve her from the society of her husband, which was _not_ as
agreeable to her as it ought to have been. .
refused to let his wife go, unless came home and stayed with him
while she was gone.
accordingly wrote to , inviting her and to be present
at 's wedding, purposely omitting the name of the bridegroom;
and three days before the appointed time they came. was dark when
they arrived, and as they were not expected that night, they entered
the house before any one was aware of their presence. .
chanced to be in the hall, and the moment he saw , he caught her
in his arms, shouting so uproariously that his father and mother at
once hastened to the spot.
" you forgive me, father ?" said, and .
replied by clasping her to his bosom, while he extended his hand to
.
"'s ?" said, and . replied, " the parlor,
with her future spouse. introduce you?"
saying, he dragged her into the parlor, where she then recoiled in
terror as she saw .
", !" she exclaimed. " cannot be----that see you again!"
she added, as she met her sister's warning look.
moment and they were in each other's arms weeping bitterly,
the one that her sister should thus throw herself away, and the
other, because she was wretched. was but for an instant, however,
and then was herself again. presenting to the
, she said, "'t good to take up with what you left!"
no one smiled at this joke--the captain, least of all, and as
glanced from him to , she felt that her sister had made
a happy choice. next day ' came, overjoyed to meet , who
more than any one else, rejoiced in her good fortune.
" deserve it all," she said, when they were alone, "and if
had one tithe of your happiness in store should be satisfied."
asked for no sympathy. " was no one's business whom she
married," she said; and so one pleasant night in the early spring,
they decked her in her bridal robes, and then, white, cold, and
feelingless as a marble statue, she laid her hand in
's, and took upon her the vows which made her his forever.
few days after the ceremony, began to urge their immediate
departure for .
" was no need of further delay," she said. " one cared to see
' married. were stupid things, anyway, and her mother
could just as well go one time as another."
first . hesitated, but when burst into a
passionate fit of weeping, declaring "she'd kill herself if she had
to stay much longer at and be petted by _that old fool_,"
she consented, and one week from the day of the marriage they
started. 's eyes there was already a look of weary sadness,
which said that the bitter tears were constantly welling up, while on
her brow a shadow was resting, as if were a greater burden
than she could bear. , for a union without love! seldom
fails to end in misery, and thus poor found it. husband
was proud of her, and, had she permitted, would have loved her after
his fashion, but his affectionate advances were invariably repulsed,
until at last he treated her with a cold politeness, far more
endurable than his fawning attentions had been. was welcome to
go her own way, and he went his, each having in their
own suite of rooms, and setting up, as it were, a separate
establishment. this way they got on quite comfortably for a few
weeks, at the end of which time took it into her capricious
head to return to . would never go back to ,
she said. without a word of opposition the captain paid his
bills, and started for , where he left his wife at
, she giving as a reason that "ma could not spare her yet."
different from this were the future prospects of and
', who with perfect love in their hearts were married, a week
after the departure of for . proudly
looked down upon her as he placed the first husband's kiss on
her brow, and in the soft brown eyes, brimming with tears, which she
raised to his face, there was a world of tenderness, telling that
theirs was a union of hearts as well as hands.
next night a small party assembled at the house of . ,
in , where was transformed into .
it was the remembrance of the young girl to whom his vows had
once before been plighted, that made . appear for a time as if
he were in a dream. the moment they rallied him upon the
strangeness of his manner, he brightened up, saying that he was
trying to get used to thinking that was really his. had
been decided that he should accompany and ' to ,
and a day or two after his marriage he asked . to go too.
's eyes fairly danced with joy, as she awaited 's reply.
much as he would like to go, he could not afford it, and so he
frankly said, kissing away the big tear which rolled down 's
cheek.
a smile . placed a sealed package in his sister's hand,
saying to , " have anticipated this and provided for it.
suppose you are aware that willed me all her property, which
contrary to our expectations, has proved to be considerable. know
do not deserve a cent of it, but as she had no nearer relative than
. , have concluded to use it for the comfort of his
daughter and for the good of others. want you and to join us,
and 've given her such a sum as will bear your expenses, and leave
you more than you can earn dickering at law for three or four years.
, puss," turning to , "it's all settled. hurrah for the
sunny skies of and , 've talked with father about it,
and he's willing to stay alone for the sake of having you go. ,
don't thank me," he continued, as he saw them about to speak. "'s
poor little to whom you are indebted. loved , and would
willingly have her money used for this purpose."
a little reflection concluded to accept 's offer,
and a happier party never stepped on board a steamer than that which,
on the 15th of , sailed for , which they reached in
safety, being at the last accounts in , where they were enjoying
themselves immensely.
few words more, and our story is told. as . was
getting tolerably well suited with his bachelor life, he was one
morning surprised by the return of his wife and daughter, the latter
of whom, as we have before stated, took up her abode at .
every day the old captain rides over to see her, but he
generally carries back a longer face than he brings. bald spot
on his head is growing larger, and to her dismay has
discovered a "crow track" in the corner of her eye. ,
after a war of words with her mother, she announces her intention of
returning to , but a sight of the captain is sufficient to
banish all such thoughts. thus she lives, that most wretched of
all beings, an unloving and unloved wife.
the absence of their children, . and . remain at
, which, as it is the property of , will be his own
and ''s home.
has changed his occupation of driver for that of a
brakeman on the railroad between and .
conclusion we will say of our old friend, , that he
joined "the __" as proposed, was nominated for constable, and,
sure of success, bought an old gig for the better transportation of
himself over the town. alas for human hopes--if funded upon
politics--the whole ticket was defeated at ,
since which time he has gone over to the , to whom he has
sworn eternal allegiance.