The Butler Weekly Times Newspaper, June 6, 1883, Page 6

Adelaide Lindsley; | —oOR— THE “MARRIAGE IN HASTE.” BY MRS- JULIA C- R- DORR. The strangest thing of all is that, though he has always been consider- eda stern, proud man, he never seemed at all enraged at his wife's leaving him, and would not suffer the least shadow ot blame to attach itself to her. He told his friends— he has no relatives—that there has been error on both sides, but that her desertion was entirely his own tault. Well, about a year ago he returned, with the weight of a settled grief crushing him to the very dust; his wife herself would hardly have known him. He gave up all hopes of finding the lost one, and, appar- ently merely to change the current ot his thoughts, plunged headlong into business. Every une predicted the result. He was wild—recklessly so in his pecumary ventures—and_ last week he tailed. It is said he has lost everything, and must begin the world anew. Melancholy—isn’t it ?’’ “It is avery sad affair, indeed,”’ said Mrs. Ellsworth, as she finished reading. ‘‘I feel greatly indebted to Mrs, Fletcher, for it was by her that we were directedto Mrs. Allen. I never heard of any trouble , between Mr.and Mrs. Fletcher—did you, Mrs. Allen??? she inquiréd; turning toward Adelaide as she asked the question. , With an exclamation of surprise she sprung forward. ‘‘You are ill Mrs. Allen—here lean onme. Ger- trude, bring a glass of water and my volatile salts—quick !”” Adelaide was sitting bolt upright in her chair, with her hands clench- ed so firmly that the nails were a dark purple, and her eyes fastened upon Mrs. Ellsworth with a wild, vacant stare. Her lips were very pale and moved rapidly. Mrs. Ellsworth bent her head and tried to catch the half-formed words, ‘‘Read it again —tead it again!’”’ she taintly whis- pered. A suspicion of the truth flashed across Mrs. Ellsworth’s mind in an instant; but, with rare prudence and caution, she kept it to herself. “Gertrude—or Mr. Ellsworth, per- haps you had better come—and give Mrs. Allen the support of your arm; she will be better in her own room where she can he down.’’ They assisted her up-stairs and then Mrs. Ellsworth dismissed Ger- trude, who had tollowed them, and closed the door. By this time a flood of tears had come to Adelaide’s rehef. and her kind friend allowed her to weep in silence. The. color slowly came back to her lips again, her eye resumed its natural expres- sion, and at length with an effort to restrain her emotion, she said, quite calmly. “You must think my agitation very unaccountable, Mrs. Ells- worth,”* “Not by any means, my dear Mrs. Allen. knowledge of your history, it is trne, but 1 am inclined to think it would be much more singular if you were not agitated. I de not wish to learn anything that you thmk proper to conceal. But, if I can assist or com- tort you inany manner, I beg that yeu will confide in me. “I will confide in vou, Mrs. Ells- worth—I must do so. Oh, you do not know how often, since I have been under your roof, I have longed to tell you the whele ot my sad story, and receive from you the counsel and sympathy that I knew you would not refuse me—but I could not trust myself, and now I Presume it is not neccessary tor me to tell you that I am the runaway wife ot Willis Fletcher ?”” Mrs. Ellsworth clasped her hands impulsively. ‘-I knew 1t—I was sure of it. Oh, I am so glad. There are happy days in store for you, my dear Mrs. Allen—no Mrs. Fletcher | T mean. Which shall I call you | now ?”" j “Cail me Mrs. Alien, still,’ re- | plied Adelaide, with a faint smile. | “I voluntarily resigned my husdand’s name, and I do not feel as if I had! any right to resume it now. "” “You have the best right in the world. Do you notremmember that our friend wrote that Mr. Fletcher would suffer no blame to attach it- | self to you, and that he said your} desertion was his own fault?’’ “OQ! it was not so—it was not so,”” exclaimed Adelaide, as she laid her throbbing head upon Mrs. Ells- | worth's shoulder. ‘‘I alone was to | harm now, while he is too blame, but I thought he had ceased he would be I believed that to love me, and that glad to have me go. he dispised me—that he had married him merely because he | was nch,-while in reality my heart was devoted to another. How could I remain under his roof after that! 1 hated the luxuries that were the means of steeling his heart against me, and I could not be de- pendant upon him. Our child died. for her sake only had I remained thus long, and soon after she was buried your application reached me —I at once resolved to offer my own services and you know the rest."” “And what will you do now?’ asked Mrs. Ellsworth. ‘‘Will vou not return to America with us!’’ Adelaide hesitated. ‘**Your friend wrote that my husband had failed Mrs. Ellsworth, do you believe he would receive me now? I fled trom him when he was rolling in wealth, but if [go ack to him now that he 1s poor—if 1 tell him that I am willing to labor with and for him. will he not trust me!’’ And she looked eagerly and antxously in Mrs. Ellsworth’s face ‘*He will—I am sure he will—my poor child, and he will never regret the loss of his fortune if it is the means of proving to him that he pos- sesses such a_ treasure as ~~ your love. Oh, if husband’s and wives would only trust each other implicit- iyi” *sBut Willis was not to blame for doubting me, Mrs. Ellsworth; I did not confide in him as I ought; I con- cealed some things that he ought to have know before our marriage, and when he discovered it, it was very natural for him to suppose I had kept back more than I did.”’ ‘Well, dear. I will admit that you have been very much to blame, and your entirely guiltless, if will give you any pleasure,’’ replied Mrs. Ellsworth, with a smile; ‘tbut I have generally found in such cases that there was some fault on both sides. Now I will leave you to dream of years of bliss that snall make you both forget this long and cruel T am certain you will yet be reumted. May I tell Mr. Ellsworth?’ she asked, turned toward the door. “Yes; but, xf you please do not else for the separation, for as she mention it too any one present.”’ Great was Mr. prise when he learned that the kind and gentle-governess, to whom his wife and children had become so much attached, was no other than the wife of Willis Fletcher, whom he had known by reputation for many years; and the cordial grasp of his hand the next morning, and the hearty, earnest tone in which he Ellsworth’s sur- I have only a very slight} ..jq— “Tam really zlad you are going back to America with us, Mrs. Al- len,”” brought tears to Adelaide’s eyes. Feur weeks afterward, to Frank’s great delight, they were tossing up- on the great Atlantic, — CHAPTER XI. It was early morning, and the city was hardly astir, when a lady, wearing a traveling dress and closely yeiled, entered the drawing-room of one of the first hotels in New York. She seemed to be waiting tor some one, and she paused sometimes he- j tore one window and sometimes be- fere another, while her smal! toot beat the carpet with a restless, un- easy motion. It was Adelaide, and before many minutes had elasped Mr. Ellswerth joined her. “What, are you up and dressec already, Mrs. Fletcher?” For eur herome had ere this resumed her real name. *sOh, ves, and I have been wait- ing for you this halt-hour! I thought you would never come.’’ “I am ready to attend you to your husband’s boarding-house, as I promused, Mrs. Fletcher; but I do , not believe his physicians will allow ou to see him yet. They tell me he is very ill indeed. Had you not | better wait at least one day more ee | cannot, indeed 1 cannot wait | any ionger, Mr. El!sworth. It 1s | now three days since we landed, and it he 1s so sick, I must help take care Itcan surely dc_ him | | of him. ul | to recognize any one.”’ | “Very well—we will | but you control then; self. go must your thought I} Why, you’re trembling now so that) you can hardly stand.’” | “+L shall be strong enough when re- | we are in the open air,’’ was the ply, and they were presently on their way. In about twenty minutes they ascended the steps of a large brick) house in a comparatively retired, and at that hour quiet part ot town. Mr -Ellsworth rang the bell—a tidy servant-girl answered the sum- | mons. *“*How 1s Mr. Fletcher this mern- ing—can you tell us?’” “Ne, sir; but walk in here, and I will ask some one whe can’’—and she opened the door of a neatly turn- ished parlor. ‘*There is old Betty —that is the nurse, sir—just crossing the hall. ’” «Ask her to be good enough step here one moment.’” The girl did as she was bidden, and Betty soon appeared, courtesy- ing and smoothing down her apren. but saying that she could only stay a minute, for she must hurry back to the sick gentleman. Adelaide grew pale, and involun- tarily drew the folds of her veil more closely over her face as soon as she caught a glimpse of the old woman’s portly figure. Old Betty—for by that name she was universally known —had been a servant in Mrs. Fletch- er’s fami'y from the time of her marnage. She had watched over little Katy and had nursed her in her last illness, and the associations call- ed up by her unexpected appearance had nearly overthcown the fortitude tor which her old mistress was struggling. **How is Mr. Fletcher thts morn- ing, my good woman?’’ asked Mr. Ellsworth ; ‘this lady is an old friend relaitive—can she see to of his—a him?’ *“*Oh, my, no, sir!’’ repled Betty —‘the mustn’t see anybody—so the doctor said, sir. He is very bad in- deed, and only yesterday the doctor was saying to me—I used to be in Mr. Fletcher’s family—‘Now you must keep your muster very quiet. Betty; nursing will do him more good than medicine, and you must not let people be coming in io see him.’” Mr. Ellsworth was just begining with, **But this lady,’’ etc., when Adelaid rose from the chair where she had tallen faint and trembling — Betty’s appearance, and turn- ing toward her she the veil raised which had hitherto concealed her features. “The Lord bless us—the Lord te bless us!’? exclaimed the old wo- man, lifting her hands in bewildered astonishmeut. “Oh, my! if that !ain’t Mrs. Fletcher, now! and I thought you was dead. ma’am; in- deed I did! Have you come back to stay, asked the faithful creature in a low hesitating voice, ma’am ?”” while something that looked very like a tear gathered in her eye. = i ‘For the present at least. Betty; | that is, it you will let me help nurse Mr. Fletcher. You will not refuse | your old mistress that favor, even if the doctors do say nay, will you Bet- ty!” : | **L would be the last one to keep ja wife from her husband, ma’am, and surely it’s your mght to bethere ; j but you must not let him see you when he is awake—he hegins to | know us now, and this morning he called me ‘Betty.’ ’’ | **I will do just what you tell me | I may do, and nothing more, Betty,’ | replied Adelaide. Ane turning to Mr. Ellsworth, she ne | | i | t { | | NEW | His Buggies are New /PLFTY THE Subscribe F*or The Boss Liverman. } | Has opened a | if STAB LE, One block west of OPERA HOUSE, His Teams Fresh and Spiritea and Z fy THE LARGEST PAPER PRINTED IN THE COUNTY. hischerges aie reasonable. CALL AND SEE HIM. THE WEEALY ST. LOUIS POST - DISPATCH. The brightest spiciest_ and best tamily paperin the West is offered tor 1883 at the tollowing extraordinary low rates. Ten copies to one office 1 year, $ 6 00 Twenty “& < ti ae 10 00 I oo Single Copy, One Year, y There is no weekly paper offered tor OU IR JOB DI | A IR I M I UN | double the money possessing the excel- lence and merits of the POST-DIS- PATCH. It is a paper for the family, for the merchant, the mechanic and the farmer. If you have not seen it secure a copy from Postmaster or send to the of- fice tor it. WAS NEVER AS COMPLETE BEFORE Sample Copies tree on application. Special arrangements made with Post- masters and Agents. Address, POST-DISPATCH, St. Louis. From a Dray Receipt to a Wedding Card. THE HORNS PRINTED NEATLY, CHEAPLY AND QUICKLY. ‘ thanked him! earnestly for his many acts of kind-} ' ness, ‘Say nothing at all about it, my dear madam, nothing at all—and now I will not detain you. Mrs. Ellsworth will see you in a day or two,”’ and, with a kind shake of the hand, he bade her adieu. Continued. | ronage of their many customers. and Money to Loan On Farms at 7 per cent Interest and Commission On 3 to 5 Years Time. Money furnished on short notice. W .E. Walton at Butler National Bank. Grocery House C. DENNEY Sheir well known at and popular stand on the East side of tne square, are leading the GROCERY TRADE IN tar BUTLER. .7t Their stock 1s composed of Feed Flour and the best qualiy of Staple and fancy Groceries, Glass, Queentware and Cutlery. THEY ARE AT LESS EXPENSE Than any house in the eity, anp therefore do uot fear competition. They pay liberal prices for Produce. They solicit » continuance of the pat- |__ WONDERFULLY CHEAP! Elegant New Editions of Standard Publications. In cleer BOOKS OF FICTION. H t Will gladly attend te their wishes at any and all times. Goods delivered in the city lin— | promptly. i wrrarts, By Cusmume Kicsirr. 269 pages fs one voice. | JERE Chas. 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