Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-08-18
MORNING LEADER.
THE WIFE OF TWO HUSBANDS.
A SCENE PROM REAL LrE.

l.
When first came TO WOodislee, I came q
curate, for the incumbent was near ninety year
of age, dvery infirm. had hundred pound
year, and the little cottage that is now il
ruins, close by the old church to live in, an,
never dreamed to have done better That wOul,
have been enough and to spare, indeed-with
out my good wife here and the four little one
OF course, who then were not in the question
for the place Is not dear one as to living -
The Brent, which runs by our door, supple,
me well with trout, and l was my own fish
mOngcr. A knife and fork too, were alwayi
laid for me at the squire's board and on Sun
days without exception, was there to u.s.
them.
The Sunday after poor Mr.. Melville, tie ol,
Incumbent died, was as usual at the Grang,
and as was natural, our talk fell On his less an,
on the future vicar.
81 have appointed one in my own mind,
said Nr Markham; ''and if he chooses to accep
the living, as there is no reason whatever fo
the delay, he will read himself in within th'
month or so-a young man not over Iich, whS
knows the people here, and is well liked By
them"
." fear then sir, he will not want a curate
since the parish is so small ~
''No fear not, Grantley. We shall be SONY
sorry to lose you, although We have seen so little
of each other; but will have you in my eve
be sure as will my wife, in whose way curaciel
come somehow more than they do in mine"
And so we parted fof that time with hearty
handshlke
All, what wife that Mrs Markham was =
a fair, blithe woman then, with auburn hair
just busted DER with gold, and wearing her
thirty summers like flower. She with her
pleasant smile was the fit messenger to tell me
ere the month was up that l myself was the
new vicar Of WOOdislee. She took as great de-
light to bring the news as l 10 hear it.
"The vicarage is yours" said she ''and may
this please you Mr. Grantly, as it pleases US
Il was not with ny will that it was kept Sc
cret from you for so long, but you know my
husband loves his kindly joke"
1t was not likely after this, that should be-
come less their friend; and indeed the Markhams
and myself were forever together. Both as
elergymen and flmiliarly inumata, my inter-
course grew very close with them indeed
learned pains enough, even to join their little
concerts in the hall; l read with them old plays
in winter evenings; and the vicarIge was almost
less my home than was the Grange. / am not
sure that they did not choose nv wife for me
if so, have the greatest gift Of all to thank
them for; and they stood both Of them as spon-
sors to my eldest boy. About two years after
had been installed as vicar, began 20 observe
I great strangeness in Mrs. Markham. She
grew absent, started when addressed-especial-
ly if by her husband-wasted visibly, and lost
in part her pleasant looks. The squire did not
see this 4: she had always a smile 10 gree; him
with, however she might look to others and
would watch him sometimes when he was not
regarding her, with concentration Of affection
in her gaze more intense than ever.
Another change was this: the squire's fortune
being very large, his wife had must liberal
allowance, and kept quite little establishment
OF her own. Her charities, besides those that
were in common with his, were extensive. When
any persons needed help beyond that which l
was justified in giving, had been accustomed
to apply To her IS readily as To him, but now
her aims at first diminished, and then altogether
ceased. She parted under some frivolous pre-
tsnce, with her carriage and ponies; and from
bsing rather fastidious and choice in her attire,
she came to dress with great simplicity, and
almost i'll, so that upon that point her husband
rallied her. One night she was singing with
US in the hall as usual, favOrite Scotch song
of his, that she had sung a hundred times be-
fore, when her voice suddenly trembled, as
though her heart was breaking, and she burst
into fit of tears. 1t was one Of those eIquis-
ite melodies of Burns upon the domestic alice
tions; and Markham spoke touchingly 70 me
afterwards of that excessive fondness q his
wife's for him which had so completely over
mastered her. "If / were 10 be taken from
her." said he, do believe dearest Jane would
die
Certainly to watch her anticipating his
slightest wish, and listening to his every word
as though it were 70 be his last, it might well
seem SO. Upon my yenturing to remark to him
that she was generally in by no means good
health, and not in her usual spirits, he thanked
me, and was nervously alive TO this at once;
and thinking little company might cheer her
he sent for his maiden sister from the north To
spend s1me time with them-a quiet elderly
lldv, very excellent, but not in any way gifted
as her brother and sister-in-law were. We two
struck up an acquaintance very soon, and the
squire was wont 70 make facetiOus illusions to
il which would have been embarrassing from
ANYBODY else She soon filled up, IN some
measure, that position of Lady Bountiful IN the
parish which Mrs. Markham had abdlcated-
although / confess she somewhat lacked the
gracefulness Of her well dOing-and evidently
to that lady's satisfaction. 1t left her more to
herself, and at liberty to retire TO her chamber
or elsewhere, as had now become her fayOrite
custom This combination with the other
peculiarities in her conduct, although still
yeiled frcm her husbands notice, did not escape
the quick, womanly eye of Miss Markham
.'i cannot think" said she, as we were tax
ing a walk together about three weeks after
her arrival, what change has come over Jane.
If we did not know herself and George to have
been the most loving couple that ever breathed,
| should be inclined to think her an unhappy
wife; and if l were not thoroughly convinced
OF the badness of her late husband, that she
was regretting his loss"
had never heard until that moment of Mrs.
Markham having been widow, and expressed
my surprise strongly.
"Indeej ~ said my companion Il had
made certain that they had entrusted you
with that revelation; but since You are aware
of so much, you may now just as well know
all"
Ms Markham, whom you perceive, even at
this time, charming and almost perfect being,
sppears extraordinary sensitive and unsuspiclOus
of evil, was as Miss Jane Raby, romantic to the
last degree. She elOped at school at the age
of seventeen, with an sdyenturer named Heath
cote. / never saw him myself, but l have been
told that be was in youth extremely handsome.
and gifted with some attractive but superficial
talents. After living together short time in
great unhaPPiuess, so tar as Jane was concern
Ell, he deserted her and sent her back 10 her
friends. BE did not appear again for years.-I
he must have treated the poor girl very brutal
y, to account for the horror and absolute lnath-
ing which she entertained for him. He knew
that she did Sd, and used that knowledge
for his own Iroit. He had openly bOasted that
e he had not married a milksop like her for
nothing bot for her money" and the moment
which secured to her her money, the very day
on which she can . Ofage, brought this harpy 10
her side again. She bought him of with ran
SONS, then and atmany other times, as the civ
Il fzed naiionshn Olden time bought offthe savage
aud with the like result-he became more fre-
quent and extravAgant in his demands. When
say that ne ives systematic gambler and
drunkard, believe that have mentioned only
his lighter fOib,es, The relics Of her original