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CONSTANCY MISPLACED. 161
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
» Herself With Eijise Its Had With Preci...
tinued deep and to believe exalted in feelings and which once worth drew . When us together I heard , I have that con you - you your
were married , I never doubted that you would be a good and true wife to the man whom you had chosenfaithful to him in your
deepest and most sacred feelings , and that , the thought of your youthful love would exercise an elevating and soothing influence
u hour pon when you , as our it has hearts done met upon in the me . same I have faith thoug , the ht sam of e you hop , e of , the the
same enthusiasm of youth , and if Grod has helped me ever to make which my house has an been abode confided of peace to me , to , to render bring that blessing noble into heart the happy poor
towards then man ' s I cottage thoug the same ht , to also speak end of a and you manl I , how prayed y word you for God in the your to ri bless ghts circle of your the would strivings peop strive le— ,
and hoped that the hour , would come either in this world or the nextwhen we might see each other again , and might say to each
, other , 'X have remained worthy of you ; ' but such , a meeting as this have I never imagined . " Elise had covered her face with
both hands to hide her hot bitter tears ; at last she looked at him out of her tearful eyes , from which the old hard expression had
alone disappeared "— " " , We and cannot said and quietl dare y , " not I beseech part thus you , Elise now . to I will leave go me if
. you assent wi . sh " , but I will you must now . allow Will me to see to you "Volker again . that "— -Elise I will bowed come go you say
shall again yet since meet I have as friends not seen ? " him Elise this gave time him ? her May hand I hope in that silence we ,
and he went slowly away . It was an hour of agony through which Elise had now to strugglea time of bitter repentance and
self-reproach . The veil of self-deception , was rent asunder , and her whole fruitless life was revealed ; the shattered happiness of her
husband and child , the field which the Lord had given her to cultivate which lay so waste , the precious talent which he had
intrusted to her which she had buried in dark defiance—all joined in one of bitter reproach against herand drove her almost to
despair cry as the thought recurred again and , again , " Too late ! too late ! " But there is a blessed power of reaction in the human
heart , and in the midst of this struggle of remorse and repentance , arose for her the star of forgiveness and consolation .
She retired to her room , as she was often in the habit of doing * , before the return of her husband and Julie : she needed solitude to
commune with her own heart : her pride was broken , and she felt herself almost happy in the feeling of deep humility . She hoped
not for happiness , that she had irremediably destroyed ; true there had been a time when it might have been possible for her to
restore harmony between herself and her husband , it was now too late for thatbut she would humble herself before him , live for
himconform ; herself patiently and obediently to his wishes and ,
VOL . XI . N
Constancy Misplaced. 161
CONSTANCY MISPLACED . 161
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Citation
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English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), May 1, 1863, page 161, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01051863/page/17/
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