Chapter I: Front Matter

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WIVES AND WIDOWS;

OR,

THE BROKEN LIFE.

BY

MRS. ANN S. STEPHENS.

AUTHOR OF "RUBY GRAY'S STRATEGY," "FASHION AND FAMINE," "THE CURSE OF GOLD," "THE REJECTED WIFE," "THE OLD HOMESTEAD," "THE WIFE'S SECRET," "MABEL'S MISTAKE," "THE GOLD BRICK," "SILENT STRUGGLES," "MARY DERWENT," "DOUBLY FALSE," "THE HEIRESS," "THE SOLDIER'S ORPHANS," ETC., ETC.

When falsehood genders in a human soul,
Blossoms may hide the reptile in his creeping,
But every pulse will stir at his control,
Or feel the burden of his poisonous sleeping,
Until the tight'ning circle of his coils
Binds down the heart, which God alone assoils.

In honest hearts the gentle truth reposes;
As nightingales, with rapturous music filled,
Nestle down, softly, in the clust'ring roses,
While the sweet night and moonlit air is thrilled
With perfect harmonies,--truth will arise
And send its voice, upringing, to the skies.

PHILADELPHIA: T. B. PETERSON & BROTHERS; 306 CHESTNUT STREET.

TO

MISS ELIZA S. ORMSBEE,

OF

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND,

THIS BOOK IS

MOST AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED.

ANN S. STEPHENS.

ST. CLOUD HOTEL, NEW YORK,
NOVEMBER, 1869.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE

I. LEAVING MY HOME 25

II. MY NEW HOME 31

III. A NEW LIFE 35

IV. THREATENED WITH SEPARATION 40

V. AFTER THE WEDDING 48

VI. TELLING HOW LOTTIE INTRODUCED HERSELF 53

VII. OUT IN THE WORLD 59

VIII. OUR GUEST 63

IX. FANCIES AND PREMONITIONS 70

X. NEW VISITORS 76

XI. THE BASKET OF FRUIT 81

XII. BREAKFAST WITH OUR GUEST 86

XIII. JESSIE LEE AND HER MOTHER 88

XIV. INTRUSIVE KINDNESS 92

XV. THE TRAIL OF THE SERPENT 97

XVI. AFTER DREAMING 101

XVII. LOTTIE EXPRESSES HER OPINION OF THE
WIDOW 106

XVIII. THE UNWELCOME PROPOSAL 109

XIX. OUT UPON THE RIDGE 112

XX. ADROIT CROSS-QUESTIONING 118

XXI. THE EVENING AFTER BOSWORTH'S PROPOSAL 121

XXII. SOWING SEED FOR ANOTHER DAY 125

XXIII. AN OUTBREAK OF JEALOUSY 130

XXIV. THE OLD PENNSYLVANIA MANSION 135

XXV. THE MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER 139

XXVI. SICK-BED FANCIES 143

XXVII. THE FIRST SOUND SLEEP 147

XXVIII. THE INTERVIEW IN THE WOODS 150

XXIX. TROUBLES GATHER ABOUT OUR JESSIE 155

XXX. MRS. DENNISON GATHERS WILD FLOWERS 159

XXXI. LOTTIE'S ADVICE 165

XXXII. MRS. LEE DREAMS OF PASSION-FLOWERS 169

XXXIII. COMPANY FROM TOWN 173

XXXIV. OUR VISIT TO THE OLD MANSION 177

XXXV. YOUNG BOSWORTH'S SICK-ROOM 181

XXXVI. LOTTIE'S REPORT 184

XXXVII. MY FIRST QUARREL WITH MR. LEE 188

XXXVIII. MR. LAWRENCE MAKES A CALL 192

XXXIX. LOTTIE AS A LETTER-WRITER 197

XL. YOUNG BOSWORTH RECEIVES A LETTER 200

XLI. OUT IN THE STORM 206

XLII. JESSIE GETS TIRED OF HER GUEST 208

XLIII. A CONSULTATION WITH LOTTIE 211

XLIV. THE MIDNIGHT DISCOVERY 216

XLV. BAFFLED AND DEFEATED 221

XLVI. LOTTIE OWNS HERSELF BEATEN 225

XLVII. MR. LEE SENDS IN THE ACCOUNT OF HIS GUARDIANSHIP 227

XLVIII. COMING OUT OF A DANGEROUS ILLNESS 231

XLIX. LOTTIE SEEMS TREACHEROUS 237

L. CONFIDENTIAL CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE WIDOW AND
MRS. LEE 240

LI. THE FATHER AND DAUGHTER 247

LII. THE FATAL LETTER 252

LIII. DEATH IN THE TOWER-CHAMBER 257

LIV. MRS. LEE'S FUNERAL 261

LV. OLD MRS. BOSWORTH'S VISIT 265

LVI. LOTTIE'S REVELATIONS 268

LVII. MRS. DENNISON URGES LAWRENCE TO PROPOSE 272

LVIII. AFTER THE PROPOSAL 277

LIX. A HEART-STORM ABATING 282

LX. THE TWO LETTERS 286

LXI. THE DEPARTING GUEST 290

LXII. WHOLLY DESERTED 297

LXIII. OLD-FASHIONED POLITENESS 302

LXIV. NEWS FROM ABROAD 306

LXV. LOTTIE LEAVES A LETTER AND A BOOK 313

LXVI. MRS. DENNISON'S JOURNAL 316

LXVII. OUR FIRST VISITOR 323

LXVIII. THE WATERFALL 329

LXIX. THE THREATENED DEPARTURE 338

LXX. THE MIDNIGHT WALK 348

LXXI. AWAY FROM HOME 355

LXXII. OUT IN THE WORLD AGAIN 358

LXXIII. FIRST WIDOWHOOD 362

LXXIV. LOTTIE'S LETTER 385

LXXV. LOTTIE IN PARIS 392

LXXVI. THE CASKET OF DIAMONDS 395

LXXVII. ALL TOGETHER AGAIN 404

WIVES AND WIDOWS.