Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1858-07-09

poor man, Arthur had OF necessity
contracted debts in his course, which b.
trusted to success in his profession 70,
discharging. sT
He was presented to Miss CC,,yde a
the house Of .aer sister VINO was recent, i
msssiried, and Came to reside in his ma
tive Town. His eyes beheld in her I
marvel of beauty and accomplishments
Her many engaging qualities were thu
admiration Of the acquaintance sh'
made. "And then," some one woult
not unfrequently be heard to remark
ssthere is the fortune :" for somehow
the unquestioned supposition was tha
Adelia inherited her money from hel
father, and that the sisters had shareo
equally in his estate. H..
After a brilliant wedding, Arthur ant
his bride set off on a tour, which was
condensed into three weeks, at the enc
of which time they returned to thei1
own house, now ready for occupation
on his arrival. 1t was house of ele.
gance, suited to their taste, if not tc
their means. Then Immediately fol-
lowed great party-and now, as ever
the cost Of all these ,ndulgences had te
be met. 1t is but just to Arthur to say
that the orders he had given, and his
lavish expenditure, we're all for the sake
of his bride, and as being appropriate
to her imaginary position and all were
enjoyed by Annie with the inconsider.
ateness to be expected Of her years and
situation.
For time it had appeared beau
tiful delicacy on the part of Mrs. May
bury, considering the contrast Of hel
husbands poverty, that she refrained
from any reference to her fortune; but
after that, his sentiments varied, and
he became secretly anxious to know
where an amount Of the readiest money
was accessible. Those ghosts Of dead
pleasures and debts were narrowing
their circle around him. They could
not be laid except by clinking sound
in bank vaults, and a substance which
looked like the consolidation Of sun
shine, having passage from hand to
hand.
Mere intimations touching the state
of affairs suficed not at all, for the
reason that they we're not understood
so, shortly, Arthur was fain to apply
to his wife, in distinct terms, for per-
mission to use the resources which were
theirs jointly now, he supposed. The
surprise and chagrin awaiting both,
when it came to this, need no descrip-
ton beyond what is included in the mu-
tual recriminations with which the inter-
terview closed.
The two days that folio wed, Arthur
kept himself from home as much as
possible, on visits to real and imagin-
ary patients, while Annie shut herself
in, and through her servants, shut every
one else out. The house and every
ching it contained was the bitterest
to the sight of the young and
SO lately happy master and mistress.
Time enough there had been for pas
sion to subside, and reason to exercise
her vocation. MIR. and Mrs. Maybury
sat at their table once more, and alone.
She had come from her chamber partly
at the suggestion Of pride, afraid that
an indisposition, which demanded less
than usual attention from her husband,
might not serve her as plea more per-
manently, and prevent scandal among
the servants.
But, beyond this, the unforgiving
spirit had passed from her bosom, and
a tender longing-for reconciliation ta-
ken its place. Her husband traced it
in the tremulous hand that gave him
the cup Of tea, and in the meeker ex-
preston of her downcast eyes, when he
ventured to look in them. He traced
it with pity and .remorse, for the fond.
ness in his heart was waking from its
terrible trance, and that moment the
cry of his soul was for the impossible
boon of living over again the last two
days.
In some natural way, the fact was
at length rumored abroad that his wife
was portionless and one had that eve.
ming, without much stress Of delicacy,
appealed to him for either confirmation
or denial. He had replied with haugh'
ty evasion, and springing to his brough.
am, driven homeward. "Pcrtionless
and if so, is she the worse for it %
was the question that had risen to his
lips before his icquisitor !; but he turn
ed it upon himself, and the sequence
was that riches and virtue appeared il
their true relative value.
Arthur attempted some conversation
on incidents Of the day, and Anni'
seconded his efforts as well as she wa
able. AS soon as the tea things wer'
removed, and the room more secur'
against intruders, they put off restrain
with unapimity, and, amid weeping ant
retractions, sought to revive the wither
ed wreath Of welded affection.
But, alas, for human pride and pas
sion! alas, alas, for them! Arthu
Maybury and his wife destined them
selves to suffer the unmitigated penalit,
Of departing from the vows SO recent,
spoken at the altar. Demons Nigh
have gloated in triumph over that scene
begun with promise, but relapsing int
only elements Of discord. The estrange
ment between the pair was wider tha
on the evening when their honeymoo
had SO suddenly set in gloom an
thereafter it seemed as though, seek a
they would, no time Of repentanc
could be found by them.
1 Weeks fingered away, and the sweet
~