Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-05-24

. had much color"
: ''Perhaps my memory is at fault; bu
t [ have version of Bertha with rounder
ruddier cheeks than see to-day"
''That great baby in her arms will
suggest a reason for the change. 1t doe
not come from failing health.
My friend seemed SO entirely at eas,
on the subject that said no more; bu
[ did not feel satisfied. We talked fo
an hour in the library, when dinner wal
ANNOUNCED, and we Joined his wife a
the table She had on white lawr
dress, dotted over with small blue for
get-me-not, and plain lace cap. A
slight warmth was visible in her cheeks
and her eyes, as she lifted them to mine
were full Of smiling welcomes. She
looked pure and beautiful as conse.
Grated vestal. 1 saw my friends eyes
rested proudly and lovingly upon her
for few moments ere he gave himself
up to the agreeable work that lay be-
fore him.
noticed that while my friends wife
did, with pleasing alacrity, the honors
of the table, urging one dish after an
othesc upon her guest and her husband,
she ate very little herself: The fact
must have escaped the observation Of
my friend, or he certainly would have
demonstrated. I could not help saying,
as saw her playing with, instead Ct
eating her desert.
Don you eat anything, Bertha?''
| hol bor me n hn-
fore her mara; @e--and always ad-
dressed her with the old familiarity.
"Oh, she lives on air, spoke up my
friend smiling. $50 don't initiate her
example while at Fern Dale. I am
made of grosser stuff and can't eat on
without the substantial things, that
make up what are called creature com
FORTS
Bertha smiled in return, and looked
beautiful, but too ethereal in my eyes.
After dinner we drove out, leaving
Bertha at home with her children and
domestic duties. Not a word was said
about her going with US. Our. drive
was over breezy hills, and amidst
scenery of the most charming character
felt new life in all my pulses as he
went rushing through the exhilarating
air 1t was sundown when we returned,
both of us keen for supper as though a
hearty meal ha : not been taken a few
hours before.
The warmer glow II at mantled Ber-
tina S cheek at dinner time had faded;
and as looked at her across the tea -ta-
BILE, I noticed an expression of weari-
ness about her eyes, and languid fall
ing on the lips that made me feel un-
comfortable. She asked if [ had en-
joyed the ride, and listened with much
apparant interest to my descriptions of
many points of the fine scenery through
which we had driven [ was little
surprised, however, to learn from re-
mark she made, that she had never
looked upon it herself.
After supper my friend and retired
to the library, and there we spent the
evening alone; talking of old times, dis
cussing the merits Of new books, or linger-
ing over the current topics OF the day.
Bertha did not join US. Once l asked
for her. | had pleasant recollections of
hours spent i'll her company.
"Oh, she's buried with her childfen,
or closeted with her cook answered
my friend, smiling in his easy, good ma
tured way.
"Bertha has become famous house
wife,"
II know it-I know it," replied my
friend with a slight closing of his brows.
But women will take their way. Her
children and her household have com
pletely absorbed her.
"Do you think this absorption of her
life a good one-a healthy one-for
either mind or body?" I asked
''Perhaps not. But there is a won
derful power of adoption in nature as
you are aware I guess it will work out
right. [ often wish it were different;
yet, as wishing does no good, [ never
permit myself to get worried over what
can t be helped. I am something of a
philosopher, you know, and manage
under all circumstances to keep quiet
mind. IF Bertha likes her way best
why so be it; she's good, loving, over
indulgent wife to me, and | wont force
her out of the world she seems most
pleased to dwell in-though our tastes
do run parallel in so many things; and
we might enjoy so much together
My friends feelings lay close to the
surface, and saw his eyes glisten as he
turn'd them away from me. He loved
his wife as tenderly as any man who
loved his own ease and pleasure as well
as he did. She was, in his eyes, the
paragon among women. He was proud
of her-very proud of her
On the next morning, when I met
Bertha at breakfast, and looked mar.
rowly into her face, saw more of the
work of exhaustion than l had noticed
the day before. The pearly skin lay in
fiat surfaces on her cheeks, forehead
and shrunken nostrils, instead of show
ing rounded undulations. Her lips
were very thin and white. Her eyes
large, dark and lustrous-shot out upor
you from a farther distance in theil
shadowy orbits. She had no appetite
and only made feint at eating, as
could see; while her husband piled away
the steak, mullins and omelet in mos
liberal fashion, and kept himself SO busy
at this pleasant work as to permit hi.
wife's abstemipousness to escape obser
walton.
"You don't look very well this morn
ing," said l, feeling really concerned
Bertha smiled family, as her HUSBAND
turned look of inquiry upon her face
and then answered. ...-.
"My head aches little" and ther
, added, II hope my fretting baby didn'
| keep you awake. l don't know, wha
allied him. He didn't sleep for an hou
at time all night. Husband had to g
, into another room. He can't bear tn,