The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1861-03-07
Alas! that is hopeless.


because his heart beat quicker. and his
thought was unduly excited. =.
Not long time after Mr.. Whitman
left home, tho city postmaster delivered
letter to his address. His wife exam
ined the wiring on the envelope. which
was in bold, masculine hand, and said
to herself, as she did So
Il wonder who this can be from?" -
Something more than curiosity moved
her. There intruded on her mind q
vague feeling of disquiet, as if the mis-
sive bore unpleasant news for her hus-
band. The stamp showed it to be a rity
letter. A few times, Of lato, such let.
ters had come 10 his address. and she
had noticed that he read them hurried
ly. thrust them without remark into his
pocket, and became silent and sober fac
ed.
Mrs. Whitman turned the letter over
and over again in her hand. in thought
full way. and as she did so. the image
Of her hus band. sober. faced and silent
as he had become for most Of the time
Of late. presented itself with unusual
vividness. Sympathy stole into her
heart.
Poor Charles!' she said. as the feel
ing increased; ..I'.n.Sfraid something is
going wrong with him."
Placing the letter on the mantlepiece.
where be could see j. when he came in.
Mrs. Whitman entered upon some house
hold duties, but a strange impression. as
Of weight lay upon her heart-a sense
of impending evil-a vague, troubled
disturbance of heI usual inward self sat.
isfacIion. r..g..
II the thought OF Mrs Whitman re-
Cured, as WAS natural. 10 the elegant silk
dress Of which she was TO become the
owner On that day. she did rot feel the
proud satisfaction er vain hear. expert
enced little while before. Something
of its beauty has iaded. de-.
"If only knew what the letter con-
tained.' she said, half an hour after it
had come in, her mind still feeling the
pressure which had come down upon it
so strongly, as it seemed to be.
She went 10 the mantle piece, took up
TIE letter and examined the superscrip
ton. 1t gave her no light, Steadily
it kept growing upon her that its con
tents were of nature to trouble her
husband.
"He's been little mysterious OF latc.'
she said to herself This idea affected
her very unpleasanily. 'He grows
more silent and reserved" she added, as
thought under Kind of feverlsh excite
ment, became active in new direction
"More indrawn, as it were, and less in
terested in what goes on around him.
His coldness chil.s me at times, and his
irritation hurts me-"
She DIRE " long. deep sigh. Then
with an almost startling vividness. came
before her mind in contrast. her tender,
loving. cheerful husband of three years
before, and her quiet, silent. sober-faced
husband Of to day.
Something has gone wrong with him!'
she said aloud, AS feelings grow stronger.
What can it be?"
The letter WAS in her hand.
This may give me light. And.
with careful fingers she OPP ned the en-
vclope. not breaking the paper, SO that
she could seal it again if she desired to
do 20. There Was bill for sixty dol
lars, and communication from the
person sending the bill. He was a jew
.ler --A
''If it is not settled at once" wrote.
II shall put the, accoun. in suit. 1t has
been standing for over year; and am
tired Of getting excuses instead of mon.
sy."
The bill was for lady's watch. which
Mrs. Whitman had almost ompelled her
husband to purchase.
"Not paid for! Is it possible?" ex
claimed the little woman, in bland aston.
ishment, while the blood mounted to her
fore head.
Then she sat down to think. Light
brgan to come into her mind. AS she
sat thus thinking. second letter for her
husband came in from the penny post
man. : he opened it without hesitation.
Another bill, and another dunning let
ter.
.'Not paid! sit possibl.?' She re-
peated tie Il ejaculation. 1t was a bill OF
twenty. five dollars CATERS and slippers.
which had been standing for three or tsur
months.
This will never dol" said the awak-
eniug wift--"no-never!' And she
thrust the two letters into her pocket in a
resolute way. From that hour until the
return Of her husband at dinner time.