The Van Buren press., 1859-11-18

friends went of laughing.
"You have frightened and mortified me, -
he said, but you will make nothing by
the ruse. l did not suppose you would re-
sort to so mean trick
Here followed performance quite as ex-
citing, if less romantic than the balcony
scene in Romeo and Juliet
Mrs. Searles positively declared that no
thing should prevent her from fulfilling her
engagements.
If she scas a woman, she considered her
word sacred.
She forgets the promise to love, honor
and obey, 1 muttcrcd.
The next day went in search of a nurse
to take care of our boy l would have
gone for my mother, but that worthy and
venerable lady had visited us, and she and
my wife Were not smtten with mutual ad-
miration. My mother was old fashioned
and industrious, and disliked new tangled
ways. Certain lurking memories of that
visit deferred me from applying to her in
my troubles.
After due search and consideration, a
pretty girl (yclept Kate) was installed as
nurse.
Kitty myself and the baby, now made a
very comfortable trio, left alone by our
selves, as we generally were.
Now, a baby is such kiss-inviting OBJ
ject, and got so in the habit of kissing.
that, upon my word, Inadvertently kissed
the nurse two three times.
| Baby was altogether to blame for this.
l was not known as g Mrs. Magdela
Searles' husband" Happy man.
She made engagements in other places
One day modestly asked her for some
money.
Why" she exalair,4d, +" labor from
pure philanthropy. 1 do not take money.
But you or | must take it or else we
must starve. am not earning anything
now. l am engaged in the noble employ.
ment of rearing an immortal soul / am
the agent of Providence, and must take
care of that which has been committed to
my charge. 1t has been given to me help
less in mind and body, showing that we
are to take care of it till it may gain
strength in both. And if / do not fulfill
my mission it may be taken away from
me-"
Mrs. Magdela said she loved her baby,
but that she felt she owed a duty to the
world which she meant to perform.
And l." l replied, cove duty to
God, which mean to perform to the best
of my ability"
My wife gave me such look / trem-
bled beneath it. presume she would have
chastised me if she had not been too high
tminded to strike poor, defenceless man.
Perhaps she thought it enough to leave me
to wither at my remembrance of that terri
BILE look
Kitty myself and the baby made our ex-
cursions abroad, too, and enjoyed ourselves
very we'll. But when was peace allowed to
ever remain unrufiled? Some serpent will
trail through the fairest garden. Malicious
observers saw fit to attribute improper mo-
| tivcs to me in regard to my attentions to
Kitty, as if a man was to be blamed for
thinking. kindly of his child's nurse !
My wife, too, began to grow suspicious
She hated to see us together SO much. An
other thing that annoyed Mrs. Searles very
much was that the baby loved Kitty better
than it did her.
She began to sigh and weep. great DEAL
On one occasion she spoke to me about dis.
missing Kitty.
One morning she came weeping into my
room, and handed me letter from an an
nonymous friend. 1t read thus:
Mrs MAGDELA SEARLEs--Dear madam-Yout
sympathising friends feel for you. It is sad fact
that your husband has wandered from the path of
duty. 1t is your duty to separate from him.
woman that will take another woman's hus-
band from her, is not too good to kill her child
Every one knows that it is impossible for YOU to
take Of it therefore your friends think it
| would be good plan to send it to the Orphan AS
sylum where it would be cared for at less expense
ent nurse, whose conduct is a disgrace to her sex
You have the sympathy of the whole town.
Believe me YOUR FRIEND.
Recovering my self-possession, said
Well. SO it seems that people talk abou,
us. A pretty set of people: ito find fault
with me for wanting my boy taken care Of
1t makes no difference to them whether my
child lives or not Send my only son to
the Orphan Asylum Iii see them in
Jericho, first. Let them attend to their
business, and I'll attend to mine, which is
to take care of my boy +; and Kitty shall
help me until his mother cam
My wife was looking beautifully sad
/ Paul." said she, " have been Yer,
unhappy for some time. / saw you kiss
Kitty. one morning. OF course | do no
believe this wicked letter but DID Sc,
you kiss her.
"My dear Msgie," Ireplied, :" do not
see you surrounded by admiring crowds. o
rather hear of it, for will not see YOU.
know they admire you as q reader Of Shak
speare-not as the wife Of Paul Searles.-
They admire your gifts as woman. VIII,
is it that reads Hamlet With you? 1 an
not jealous Of him. You exercise you
talents together. Donot think I am jsal
ous-I only wish to show you how. in tn
exercise Of your duties. you may becom
\ intimate with those associated with you
lso il is with Kitty and l, AS nurse OF m