The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-09-22
THE WIFE SECRET;;
On, ny First AND LAST NOVEL.

~-lHH WIZ ~ SEChEI;
On. nv First AND LAST NOVEL.
lystaanha rAs.t. lies % E}
ys. 80 =: ones nj he'd svsr had = secret
Assss.sss -yss,.I PROMISED some day to tell
when - wsre nrst married, and for time after
warn ~ Wsee poor; neither Of M were used to
poverty. was tho youngest aud had been the
pct, Of large famiiyf was inexperienced 10 every
way. sSd sosaevhas spoiied BY indulgence. ksa
stm, my husband, was several years Older than bis
'itssa wsk;hs wss good, grave aud wise; there was
In his character that made people sfraid
of6in, wksn he coarted me. my sisters held him
ID twe yet, strangely enough, l, coward IS l was
ID most respscts felt nothing OF this ave I'll! after
wards, bat treated hin with girlish aadacisy and
Tyranny. knew my power.
muat net allow myselfto tell you Of our happi-
ness dusfng the 6rst months alter our marriage;
that hes nothing to do with this story; for then
hsd not ghost of secret from my husband. IL
iseus that was forced TO be very quiet during
the earlier part ofthe day, when the scratchog of
Keoelm's pen was almost the only sound 10 be
heard 10 cur honses but iudemniaed myself In
the evening for the mornings silence. dearly
loved 10 talk 70 Kenefm used then to show him
tie fnnermost thought Of my heart be was s,
gentle aud reverent, and 10 return gave me bis
full confidence, sometimes speaking to me OF
tktnes FAR beyond my comprehension, glsddeofng
me by oayt0Y tn8k 0fte0 q rev EAnuom Worus OF
mins would suggest the solution Of perplexities
over which be had long poDdered
Well, We were poor had twenty pounds A
year; for the rest We depended upon my husbands
earnings. We had married 10 the spring, the fol
lowing winter Keneim fell III, very III. Necessari-
~ his illness increased our expenses and l. with
ont sny regard TO cost, or any thought OF whose
labor musf pay fJr all, procured everything that
fancisd might piease him or do him good When
he was cousalesceut the doctor ordered him not to
g.. N Tod "a In
ashe listened TO this decree; it smote me with
sharp, sudden pain; remember ran away to
weep. 49,;
want money This was all his answer to my tear
fui remonstrauce, when long, loUg before be was
stropg, saw him settle down to work
sFor Che hrst time shrank away from his mild
glance; for the frst time the deep tenderness If
HIS tone sounded to me as reproach.
went from his stEdy into the garden. 1t was
spring; but paid no heed TO the loveluess of the
sunny morning. To-day was too miserable to
weep, for the first time 10 my life perhaps stood
leaning my head against tree, absorbed in self
reproschfui Notwithstanding for the hrst time,
how dreadful thing it was to want money.
had one friend living near; she had been Ken
eIm's friend for years and years, but now she was
especially mine. 1t CHANGED that she passed our
gate that morning, and seeing me, came In lew
moments.
"You, Minnie, Of all women in the world. to look
upon this sweet day with 50 sad a faces What aiis
yeu, dearl KeDem 10 getting woii"
s.But be will be Ill agsia. The doctor says he
shouid have change and perfect rest and-he IS a,
work. have been extravagant-we want money
She was grave immediately.
-aPoor dearl" she said; ssno wonder you are not
merry--Oh, that money" She softly stfoked my
hand, aud FELL into medtative silence.
Presently she cried, quite abruptly, "Mlnnie,
You shall write a novel;"
Il started, and blushed as if she had proposed to
me 20 commit a crime.
aYes.n she repeated, 'ycu shall write q novel
have little leisure-nothiug else, aias!-at your
sersice-you write, Will revise, ana manage all
besides"
"But-Kenelm."
g"WouId he not like it. Ahl-perhaps not--I
had forgotten. Good, almost perfect as els, he
has his prejudices."
'aBut If / could write bookl If could earn
enough money to take him to the seaside would
risk the rest. 1 will not be afraid; will try and
write novel-only he shall never know unless
succeed"
"Is it we'll to have secret from your busbandt"
"Just this one. Unjust try. Itwould be 50 glo-
rious If / were to succeed"
"You should know best. But Minnie, had
rather yOu told him."
nNo. no, no; not unless succeed. What makes
Won thuk that can write a book 7"
81 have seen little attempts Of yours-do not
blush and bits, only bits. of your letters to Ken
elm. II Mrs Ksnelm Cameron writes her book as
simply and ferventy as Mianis Grey wrote her
love letters it will do-always provided that, be-
fore she begins it, she quite makes up her mind
what IL IL to be about"
"That 10 the puzzle"
at VIII not long remain 80, il the book is des-
tined to be written. l am going from home; you
shall have my address; let me help you in any way
/ can"
/ took leave of her absently, already bordering
what my book vas to be about.
oHor three days and three nights continued to
ponder this matter When KeusIm asked of what
was thinking, blushed, giving the stupid All
swer, "NOtbing particular" He looked surprised,
but said nothing further.
Now, In all that follows, 1t may seem to you that
IL l had given the matter playful turn, and my
husband had trusted me N he ought TO have done,
no uahappiness would have ensued. 1t was not ia
my power to think of my secret lightly-directly
had q secret from my husband. turned coward,
and became morbidiy timid in his presence. And
he-hs did not suspect me of wrong doing-it was
my want of confidence towards him that he
mOurned. / think have heard Kenelm say that
IL is 10 the natures acted upon, not in the acts
themselves. that the elements Of Tragedy and
Comedy are contained. suppose We each acted
rs II was our nature to act.
when those three days and nights of meditation
had proved frutless drowned my hope in tears.
had found no subject OF which felt competent
to treat, no cause to advocate, and despaired.
day or two afterwards an acquaintance sent
Us tickets for concert; 10 the evening she called
for as. My husband was not well enough to COL
hated to go without him; but he sent me because
was beginning to pine in too quiet life. l felt
very ungratefnl towards the friend who carried me
of, 20 sorely sg sinst my will.
81 1t was classical concert of instrumental
music; lsved such music. Yet by.andby found
that WAS not listening to it. was writiug-nay,
rather con;emplatiDg-my book! 1t did not sug,
gsss itself to me bit by biz, but seemed to grasp
Il all--plot purpose, incidental once. literally
Rugged myself under cover of my little white
CLOAK, and said, "This will do.''
Exquisite. 10 1t mott" my companion exclaim.
"A HtDrv bad y sxx,~ .T th,
music. Her glance dwelt wonderingiy on my
excited face. a4.- s-
Nov was only anxious to get home. Threaded
that might forget. Fortunately my friend was
sleepy during the drive-the rapid motion CONT.
nued the excitement, the music had produced -
When We stopped at my gate, and the lady woke
up to say ''Good-night," astonished her by the
fsrvor OF my "Thank your yen do not know what
you have done for me-"
"Ars you such an enthusiast" she asked. "Had
known II, would have sent you tickets before.
will remember you In future-good night"
i let myself into the house. had made Kenelm
promise not to sit up. and had ordered Ann to go
to bed How glad was OF this!
$ The lamp aud the FIRE burned in the parlor, and
the little supper-tray was ready.
e 4 bad made No noise; stole up to my room,
found Kenelm asleep, looking very wan and worn;
bent down and kissed him lightly, then ran
away.
In the parlor sat down to write, and wrote
hour after hour. When the lamp went out, 1
looked up in consterpation-it was growing light
Very carefully gathered together my preciou.
sheets; ! put them within book Ia cookery book
] remenber,) and hid that at the bottom Of my
workable. crept to bed, cold, tired and happy
but did not fall asleep till broad daylight.
Whom woke, kenelm stood by my bed side
With my breakfast upon tray. as 1t Iete!"
asked, starting up.
"NeArly eleven, love. Did You enjoy theconcert.
Minnie Z" $500
"The concert-oh yesl, Then recalled everv.
thing, felt as IL he must hod out my secret by
looking at me, and l turned away yawning.
mot quite awake yet, sleepy one, he comment
nov vas 10 manage to write 10 the daytime
Vas the problem that occupied me while ircrs-
cd. Wv '''
: When was ready, went to Keuelm In his stu.
~. "Must you write to dayip asked