Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-05-14


lie had anticipated frowns, but instead thereof he
was greeted by smiles as bewitchng as those which
Q captivated him in years gone by. Agreeably dis
appointed, as we are free to confess he was he APP
pied himself TO the performance of those little at
tentions, which go far towards making up the sum
of domestic happiness. The evening passed off
most delightfully."-. Nell was in her best spirits as
well as voice, and gay chattcd or sung as her hus.
band preferred. llarcourt congratulated himself
on the remarkable obtusencss Of his wife's memo
ry, and trusted her good sense had led her to APP
preciato his motives, in the abrupt expressions of
the morning. The next day he half expected
reference to the conversation of the morning pre-
vlous, but like many other things of the same lrail
tenure his expectations were cut off.
Day after day passed with no alusion to the mat.
ter TIL alter tea, one evening, his wife put into his
hands bill for goods to a very large amount. Sur
lprlsed, and somewhat angry withal, he inquired
what 1t meant as he crushed the paper in his hand.
His good humor had induced her to venture an
expose OF her doings for the past two weeks as
she lett quite sure that when he found the purcha-
ses already made, that he would cheerfully assent
to all her arrangements, and the bill she had given
him fell due that day.
llnrcourt was man enough to abstain from re-
proaches, as his his wife explained the why's and
wherelores OF her late purchases. She said
Mrs Wiley had done the same, and their upper
apartments were TO be furnished precisely alike"
" But does Wiley know ali this:"
pleascs.o
=" Does she know that he is already on the point
of bankruptcv?'
"No! How should she? He never tells her
any thing about his business. He says he leaves
that at his Office"
Has she not observed his careworn expression
for the past month";
"She has never mentioned it to me-"
vi dare say not. Women have eyes for every
thing else. They can admire fashionable goods
out never think of scanning husbands face-O
no."
"What mean you Harcourt? Has any thing
happened?'
mo; but will, soon enough for all reasonable
purposes 1t was only yesterday he came to me to
endorse for him, at the Suffolk, for five thousand
Perhaps this very piece Of extravaganza will prove
his ruin"
"Did you sign?"
SHOW could do otherwise? We have always
been friends, and he had done me many a good
turn ere this"
"Well, husband, he ought to have more conf
dence in his wife"
"What! and expose himself TO tears and re-
proaches?"
Mrs. Wiley loves him too well for that. Make
a wife the confdant in business as well as pleas
ure, and she viii prove herself worthy of til
Are you sure that you could bear poverty"
| "What, near you:'
w GIG W lcll you tlldt announcer week might
find US beggars, could you bear the stroke:"
Yes, II had my husband still. But there's no
lear OF that. You know me too well, TO doubt my
willingness to iorego all things for your sake"
"Of which this bill is the proof"
May, husband, you wrong me. Did for once
suppose | was embarrassing yuu would ber that
the whole might be returned"
mo tears, Nell! Well trust for safe harbor
somewhere; but at present. it must be confessed n !
storm IS approaching which will wreck many bark
AS MIR, Harconrt left the house, he ighed in bit.
terhess oil spirit lie had already assumed obliga-
tons for another he felt confident he should be
obliged to meet His own liabilities were enor |
nous; and this new and useless addition, was an !
other drop to his full cup lie pondered LONG on
ms wres advice to Mr.. Wiley to make his wife
MS contldan and half resolved to try 1t for himself
whey was at MS Office before him, pacing up
ana down IN extreme agitation. 1t was some min
utes ere he could command himself to speak; and
"neh ne did, he could only confess that all was
over That day, the world would know he was a
ruined man and how to break it to his wife he |
knew not. If she could be prepared. He could
pear anything better than to witness her grief, or
10 listen to her reproaches.
In vain did Harcourt labor TO reassure him. He
had always allowed her unlimited indulgence, and
now to feel that she might suffer for the very ne
cessaries of liie-it was too much--the man was
subdued, and poor Wiley wept aloud
There is something in the tears of mani God that
luppeds 10 deeper SynpalhleS OF the neart One
may nerve themselves to resist the passionate out
burst OF womans grief; but the deep agony of man
deies consolation. Treading in the same path
ana on the verge OF the same precpice, Harcourt
resolved to summon courage to unburhen all his
fears and trust to the affection of his wife for sup
port IN the reverse that might so soon overwhelm
HIM.
The day passed on, and as Wiley had declared,
the world became familiar with the details Of his
! bankruptcy. That evening, Mr.. Ii. explained his
embolrassments, and as he half hoped, though he
dared not acknowledge it even to himself his wife
proved herself worthy Of the confidence bestowed.
with GOODNESS which surprised him, she entered
into the minute details of business, listened to his
explanation of political causes, and discussed the
ways and means Tor future support, as though want
had been familiar household word. The liab-
ties he had assumed for Wiley he prepared to meet
/ promptly, as he well knew that by so doing he
would mitigate, in some degree, the pognancy of
his alction.
Day after day, Harcourt urged his friend to tell
his wlie that he could no longer support the STYLE
to which she had been accustomed but his fearful
ness could not be overcome and the harpies of the
law were the first to announce the painful truth
Costly furniture, together with choice articles of
; ornament, were named one by one in the inventory
OF household utensils, and seized upon to satisfy
IN part, the numerous demands of impatient credit
ors Poor Wiley shut himself in his room, and re-
5 fused even to see his wife, so much did he fear her
capacity to bear, with calmness, the wreck around
] her.
. AT length, moved by her woman's love- she gain
ed access to him, and by her efforts to console res
: tored him in degree to his manliness. Not re-
proach escaped her. She only grieyed that he had
deemed her unworthy of confidence from the first
perhaps her extravaganza had fastened his ruin,
S when by IA word seasonably spoken he could have
averted it ALL This resignation on the part of one
= he deemed but lily prepared to submit to misfor-
o tune was more than he could well sustain, while
at the same time he bitterly felt the force of her
= remarks If he had only told her months before,
r all might have been we'll Now it was too late
e Still nerved as he was, by her submission, he set
e himself to repair the deficiencies of the past. lie
i flew to his friend, told him how like an angel
foolish fellow his wife bore her disappointnents,
y and bpDUpd his in