Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-06-20

look the soul OF truth She isn't the woman
she seems
Indeed 9
She seems mild, gentle, smiling, tender,
doesn't she? Well then, she IS if
my marriage were not irrevocably fixed, and
if it were not for those disgusting dam
ages
you don't mean to say *?' said
Rackit eagerly.
'Yes, l do, though. Bless you, the cat is a
gentle, quiet, graceful, purrng animal, but we
all know the claws she sheathes in velvet
you astonish and alarm mel mean for
you,' said Rackit.
Il am astonished and alaEmed for myself
he retorted. you haven't to marry her. j
have
Rackit looked monstrously uncomfortable.
you know, continued Briggs, Pm not very
particular Women aren't angels. We call
them so, but of course that's all Cannon.
And if Mrs Beauchamp had only shown a lit
tie skittishness, | shouldn't much have MIND
ed. Nay, had she dhodyS shown her real tenn
per, could have made allowances. / could
have made up my mind to it, as she makes
up hers to my not having Roman nose. We
are none of us perfect
Especially some of us, | said
'As you say, some of us. She's of the
some. I'll tell you what it is which makes
me so uncomfortable. For so many years
ever since l can remember-she has only
shown her velvet paws now, you'll own that
never once to give hint of the claws looks
suspciously hypocritical, don't it!'
Surely you must be exaggerating,' said
Rackit.
Not bit. Now place yourself in my pc.
sition.'
4 can perfectly
No, you can't; not until you know all.
lid ,hn,,, l,a
lieved to be tender, amiable, without a bit of
deceit, and then suddenly you find the ice
cracking beneath Your feet, while you are
skating far away from the banks, and no hui
name society at hand
tYes, yes, said Rackit, very nervously.
'tWellq
'You suddenly discover that your angel has
a temper-a feminine temper-a temper A l,
and no mistake All her gentleness then was
hypocrisy, and you are left to guess what re-
mains behind
Had Briggs come expressly to heap Goals of
fire on the head Of the unfortunate painter, he
could not more maliciousy have chosen his
words. / asked him what was the source of
this change in his opinion OF the widow.
i can't tell he said. 1T was only because
/ yesterday made few innocent remarks on
her portrait, and when we got into the
brougham she was in such tantarem In
fact we had regular 'row'--the first, and
surpriser Observe, l don't lay so much
stress on that. Perhaps l was wrong. BE it
so but she showed herself to be SO unjust
unreasonable, fantastic, and irritable that
ssaw, as in a flash, my whole married life be-
fore me-a horrible vista o! brats and bicker-
ings.'
Lovers quarrels = said l, alphabetically.
Lovers tiddesticks,' lie replied. Rackit,
old fellow, you have an irritable temper; take
warning in time and don't marry
wont, said that unhappy man, very gloom
lily.
AT any rate do not marry one of those gen.
tie creatures-they are lambs till they get you
in their clutches, and then they're tigresses.
Be warned by me-
4 will
Dye think said Briggs to me, Il could
Suppose were TO break MGR tg ~ l,oI 1aG
there be chance OF her marrying some one
else2'
No. said Rackit, it would only rouse her
sympathy for you
Here Bob cdtue in to say that a messenger
was below, wanting to see Mr.. Briggs. That
gentleman went down stairs, leaving me alone
With Rackit, who looked questions at me.
'rhis is awkward l said.
4 thought said Rackit, Briggs had come
to dispute my claim, and | had armed myself
to resist him ercey. Instead of that, find
him willing to break his leg on the chance of
getting rid of her.
Briggs returned crushing note in his
hand and showing the greatest agitation. We
asked him il anything was the matter, if there
was any bad news.
No. he said, nothing. At least nothing
unexpected
You seem put out
yet l ought to be iolly--highly so. What
l wished for has arrived; and when ones
wishes are realized, one is supposed to be hap
Pr,
That's vulgar error, said Rackit Only
the most superficial philosophy could PROFOUND
such view as that happiness consists in the
realization of our wishes. Men are asses and
don't know what to wish for =
4 believe you're right
I'm sure I'm right. Brown wishes for the
command of a ship, gets it, and has his head
blown off on the first broadsile. Smith wish
es Mary Jane to name the day.; she names it.,
and he never smiles again It's always So
True happiness, l maintain, consists in disap-
pointment'
What a cynic you are If you had re-
ceved such letter as this - but l can't
speak of tit throttles me. Rackit, I'm mis-
cradle
so am T.
Not so miserable as me-
Worse
Impossible; you don't know what it is to
love the woman that jilts YOU
Worse, l love the women who 'front.' jilt
me-
You don't know what it is to love such an
angel as Emily-an angel, if there ever was
one upon earth
You said just now she was tigress.'
80 she is None but tigress would have
written such n letter
He caught up his hat, and then made for the
door.
Where are you going?'
1 don't know Perhaps to drown myself
probably to the Corn Exchange. Good.
bye
He vanished, leaving Rackit thoroughly
miserable. rave never thought HerUey'S Med
itafion among the Tombs lively work, but it is
gaiety itself compared with the reflections
which fell from the once gay and fighty Rack
it. Never greatly entranced by the prospect
of marriage even with the woman he loved,
and considered perfect, it may be guessed that
the prospect of IN rriage with widow who
had her infirmities of temper, was far from
cheering. The grapes which hing so tempt
ing when out of reach, seemed unpleasantly
unripe now that he had clambered within
reach of them.
Ito be contmued)