Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1849-12-20

took walk or ride
One morning, feeling myself not quite we'll,
returned earlier than usual, about O'Clock, and
went into the house by back entrance as neither
knocking or ringing announced my arrival, my
wife was not aware of nv return.
| sought her first IN the drawing. room. but not
finding her there, proceeded to her bed room, and,
while passing through my dressing room, to it,
was surprised by sudden rush to the bed room
door, which was instantly bolted from within. /
distinctly heard low whispering, and as thought
hurried receding step; yet altogether was not
kept waiting more than a few seconds my wife's
maid opened the door, when to my greater per-
piexlty' beheld my wife's usually pale face suf-
fused with crimson bushes also detected her
maneuverng comb through her hair to hide as
instantly suspected, her bushes from me, or her
dlsordered curls.
" What is the meaning of all this" thought
" 1t is strange The maid, too, looks confused
and frightened"
My wife did not hasten to meet me with her
usual sunny welcome there was not even one
smile to greet me. AT length, recovering herself
little, she with hesitating manner, said" Well,
love, how, goes on the farm Z"
But was erieved for the frs, time in nv life,
felt that | was not welcome. felt something
was going on that was not to know; so, merely
saying-''1 will tell you when we meet in the
drawing ROOM" abruptly quilted her.
Not knowing whittier | was going, or why
| suffered so sudden, so frightful revolution of
feeling, | hurried down stirs, rushed through the
hall, across the lawn, and plunged into the fir-path
that leads to a sequestered part of the grounds !;
nor, did slacken my pace until was fully mile
from the house. when / threw myself upon the
green bank by the side of the river, the most mis-
cradle of men. |, who, one half-hour before, was
the happest of men, now. unaccountably unutter-
ably wretched
Pride had, at the moment, prevented my asking
for an explanation that thought, ought to have
been given unsought; and | determined not ask
Lady - ,chy my visit was evidently so unwel-
come.
But, thenceforth, | resolved to keep watchful
eye upon her. A thousand cruel thoughts crow
ded upon me, now tha, l discovered there was
something which my wife concealed from me !;
she-whom thought so artless, so free from all
duplicity.
At this period had attained my thirtieth year.
Lady - was only two years younger than N.Y.
self; but from her sweet and girlish style of beau
ty, and gay, happy manner, no one would suppose
her more than twenty. She had been educated
on the Continent. knew that, soon after leaving
school, she had received matrimonial proposals.
if she had not been actually engaged to gentle
man-before quitting Paris. Hitherto, this cir
cumstance had never given me the slightest unea-
siness; butnow my thoughts Involuntary reverted
to it !; it haunted me day and night
Between my wife and her maid there was an
unusual intimacy, owing as | understood, to the
latter being, what is called, an old follower of the
family. This woman was one Of the tallest ev-
er saw, and large in proportion; her face was
handsome, the features strongly Defined her eyes
large, intensely dark and penerating her long
black ,ingiets looked false +; in appearance you
would have said that she was nearer fifty than
forty This person, with her erect figure, was,
taken altogether what many would pronounce a
very ine woman, but somewhat masculine.
Having described my wife's maid, how shall
tell you Of the horrible suspicion which seized
upon my imagination!
/ thought - perchance--this maid - was
- her foreign lover in diguise.
And yet did not, could not believe it, though
the frighlful idea never, absented itself from my
brain To hint such thought tony beloved wife.
could never bring myself to- strove, rather,
to Danish the idea from my mind, as suggestion
OF Satan.
From that day became changed, both in the
outward and inward man. My happiness was
gone my naturally light and cheerful manner gave
place to irrtabity and gloom. Time flew on,
days and weeks passed without any particular oc-
currence, until one morning, having arranged to
accompany gentleman in the neighborhood on
fishing excursion, informed my wife that
should not return until evening, when would
bring my friend to dinner. Immediately after
breakfast, off we started in dog cart. We had
not proceeded more than four miles, when, in tur-
ming a corner of road boy, who was shooting
sparrows, fred so near to the horses head. that
it took fright and dashed off at furious gallop,
nor stopped until we were upset in ditch. We
were compelled to give up our days excursion and
leaving the groom to take care of the bruised hor-
ses. nv friend and walked home, and entering
the house, after conducting my friend into the
drawing room, hastened up stairs to relate our
I I