Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-09-16

round the neck and tell him all my secret
bat ] was afraid and ASHAMED.
When | had heard him 60 down stair
aud shut the parlor door behind him,
sprang up. My Bluebeard chamber wa.
unlocked; all my papers lay about the floor
Isecured the key, but, as got into bet
again, it fell from my trembling fingers.
regained it. The noise had disturbed Keneln
heard him coming, and buried my face il
my pillow. As clasped the key ! renew
ed my fervent vows never again to have ;
secret.
Next day noticed that my husbant
seemed very, very sad. His mediation hat
only availed to draw more of his father.
anger upon himself-he had been Of no ser
vice TO his brother.
When we had talked over this and some
other family matters, silence fell. | fell
afraid of what might come next, fol
Kenelm's eyes watched me earnestly
minnie, nv wife, it is you who wan,
change now" he said presently. "You look
i'll, and you must be very weak to have
been SO much disturbed as you were yes
terday merely by my sudden arrival. Would
you like to 60 home for little while?''
"Oh Kenelm! SO much!" know that my
face kindled brightly: for indeed ] longed
after them ali, and thought that IL would be
a delicious rest to be at home with him.
"Poor child! thought you would like
it. So you have pinned for home, Minnie!'
"You should not say that. This is my
home. will not 60 to my fathers if you
say such things"
"Well. well! do not believe | reproach
you. darling; we will part in peace"
"Partl"
81 think it will be as well that you should
90 soon for in few weeks l must work
very hard, and shall be even duller company
than ever"
Do you think will go home alone! Oh,
Kenelm. what does this meant"
THAT is what cannot tell" he said
"But know that you are neither well nor
happy; know that our poverty has pressed
its privations upon you; know that you
pine in your dull life here"
"What more do yor know!" | asked def
ant!y.
He answered with mild, even-toned voice,
bu; bsolutely hurting me by the urgent
pressure of his gaze, Z" know that in some
sad way-by my own fault, it may bel
have lost my wife's confidence; also know
that this is not one of the things l will
learn to do W ithout."
"What more, siri" demanded hotly.
"This is all. " hen you are at home,
Minnie, and am alone again for a little
while, we may each be able to find out in
what, and how far, we have erred, and then
be able to begin our married life afreSh."
He spoke as if such serious danger i'm
pended--as if such utter ruin threatened
our peace, that shuddered; but he spoke,
too, as if he forgot all the happy, happy
months when had been devoted and con-
tented wife, and only remembered the last
few weeks-this made me angry; it was
unjusi!-he was exaggerating everything.
81 will not go h"me unless you command
me. and am your wife, whom you have no
right to send away; you are cruel and un-
just"
"AnI SO! We were moi talking of
rights; WAS planning for your happiness;
but indeed work in the dark. l do not
see why you should call me cruel and un-
Just. Again repeat, I do not stoop to sus-
pect you of wrong; your having a secret
from me, and the obstinacy with which you
keep it, is my only ground Of displeasure.
It may be that my own character is alone
10 blame; that am too stern; but I have
hoped that my wife loved me too well to
ear me-"
"She does! Oh, Kenelm, she does!" |
,prang after him as he turned sadly away.
But then my looks belied my words; the key
,f the Bluebeard chamber feel from my
lress. and stopped the picture of guilty
confusion.
He picked it up. "This is not the FIRST
time you have let i. fall" he said, as he
ave it to me.
Then he knew that my last nights sleep
had been feigned. 1t hardened my heart to
.hink how deceitfu he must believe me to
De, and to re0ember the innocent, holy
motive of all this long concealment.
Kenelm went to his study, as imagin ed
shutting himself in there for the morning.
felt utterly reckless Unknown to my
self, desire for revenge was beginning to
ningle with the other motives that deter
mined me to persevere to the end. thought
hat the lower now sank in my husband IS
esteem the higher should | rise by-and-by
when he knew all, when my hour of triumph
came.
Once more locked myself into the empty
room. packed up my manuscript, address,
ed Il to my friend, and wrote a note to
accompany it, passIonately entreatHg her
TO let me hear soon--to do everything quick
Iy. Then put on my bonnet and shawl,
hid my precious roll under my arm. and set
off for the Post Office.
AS walked hurriedly along beneath the
lines in our lane, and then through sub
urban streets, my thoughts were quite en-
crossed in planning for the disposal OF the
fairy fortune my book was to bring me. Sud-
denly | swerved aside, and turned sharp
corner; in another moment I should have
met my husband, whom had believed to
be safe at home. Had he seen me! /
thought not. had disappeared before the
abstraction ofhis look had cleared to re-
cognition.
made little c.rcuit-accompished my
purpose, ard turned homewards.
My heart sank when saw my husband
pacing up and down beneath the lines. He
b ad seen me, then, and was now waiting
for me. The lines were in full blossom, =