Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-01-13
THE EVENING STAR.
hrs. BEAuCHAMP,s VENGEANCE.
CHAPTER y.-THE SECOND BLOW BEGINS THE
QUARREL. -

or actions, 1t is remarkable that there should
ever be difficulty in getting up good crow"
when one Of the antagonists de- ires it. II
those who love and respect each other quarrel
and regret to do so, surely one would think it
must be very easy to quarrel when there is any
desire for itl Yet, appeal to the experience
of every middle. aged reader, whether he has
not occasionally found It by no means an easy
thing TO pick quarrel. You may be ready
put up his guard, you are sharned into not
striking. You may even lash yourself into a
rage, and strike but, suppose the blow Is not
blow which begins the quarrel.
Rackit found himself in this position. The
widow informed him of her having broken off
the intelligence with the most mitigated rap
fure. But she refused to see this, and accepted
his feeble excuses. When he said he was deep
In meditation, she inquired if it was respecting
"No,' said he, 81 was meditating on my
great picture-the Virgins of the Sum-
With play full reproach she said, I" / thought
lover would have had other objects OF Inedi-
tation."
"But am an artist-and artists. you know,
are always self absorbed
"Women do not like that-and warn YOU,
am a very woman"
Not a tyrant, hope" he said, coldly.
"No," she replied, tenderly placing her hand
on his arm, So slave"
velvet OF which Briggs complained.
"You must make me a sharer in all your
thoughts" she said, " and in all your cares
1npossible-an artist can never"
"Have a care Remember shall have right
to know. As wife, may insist"
"My dearest creature, let MS be perfectly
hand, that shall admit OF no insistance; and
that on the merest trites intend to have entire
3y my own way"
1" Do you revolt already!''
YES" he said, trying to get angry, "already
and always. 1t is necessary to be plain at the
outset never could, and never will, yield
to a woman's caprices.'
Here was blow well delivered from his
}eft; and he expected rejoinder. She looked
little staggered; but taking his unwilling hand
Well, then, it is who must Weld
1t was clear to him that that match wouldn't
hight
with very bad grace" she continued,
i" could even seem TO thwart the man who
was soon to be my husband"
land If he were already your husband!'
THAT would be very different matter you
know"
"Ehr ~ said Rackit quickly
"1n husband she replied, with diabolical
soaxipgness, my confidence would necessari-
ly be absolute"
they were not prepared to scratch-just yet.
You turn from me. Look me in the eyes,
Charles"
He felt that if he looked he was lost; so he
d. dn't But she took him by the shoulders and
turned him round. Their eyes met. Hers
were SO blue, SO tender, SO bewitching, that it
was hopeless.
After an infinite amount of lovers prattle,
which L need not repeat, they were on the best
of terms Swhen Bob came in to say that Char
lOtte insisted on speaking with him.
He stepped into the adjoining room, and
there had TO encounter young woman who
seemed by no means indisposed to quarrel.
'.Mr. kackit, SIR she said, 81 wish to
know this am to sit, or not ?
"Yes, yes, OF course but not yet
Because I'm tired of waiting
al NUall " 6pa D0
But don't want to 60 home with flea IN
my ear"
but don't want to go till have sit. 1t
was settled should sit My family knows I'm
to sit and sit will
$50 you shall but not now"
IL dare say, indeed not now means neyer.''
"You foolish girl, l tell you l want you to
sit, but it m ust be some other day; I'm partic-
ularly engaged just now, and as you don't
want TO wait, go home. If you don't want to
70 home. wait
al want to sit, and don't want to wait. Do
You ne yer find yourself between two stools,
sir!"
,.Often, my dear, but only sit on one"
That's i'll want TO sit on one.'
Several minutes were passed in trying to per-
suade Charlotte that she was not i'll used she
began to cry this made Rackit impatient; and
by the time he had got rid Of her, and re- enter
ed his printing room, he was in an impatient
and irritable frame of mind.
What should await him here but scene
with the widow, who had heard female voice
In anger and tears, and who began to form ugly
suspicious of the morality OF her intended
husband and these she began very plainly.
70 intimate to him. He was in no mood to
listen patiently TO such nonsense, even had
he no secret desire to quarrel with the widow;
and when he had brought her to something
like an explicit avowal of jealousy, he said
Quickly
"Then am to understand you are of jeal-
Gus temper ~
Do not love 7" she answered.
"No eyasions. Speak plainly. Because it
rs requisite that you should know beforehand,
that / am one of those who hate jealousy,
able"
"Then for your sake, - she said, submissive.
ly, L will cure myself of it,
It was plain she was a demon in crinoline
and she would not quarrel.
"You will learn to correct all your bachelor
habits when we are married.
"Perhaps. And yet no one knows. Bad
habits cling TO one like a damp shirt. 1 almost
fear shall never change
"Then must learn to accommodate myself
to them, tor l shall at any rate be always Ger.
tain Of one thing"
Your love-"
seriously, do you think love Ofsuch supreme
1.-THE one important thing in life
"Then why did you not marry Briggs, who
1dores your
.Nothe."
"He does Il assure you. His love Is immense,
OF losing you was so pathetic, SO heart-rendiug-
that, to confess the simple truth, felt ashamed
OF my position. j felt that had no right to in
fict on q human being so great wrong as to
deprive him of the woman he adored."
Mrs. Beauchamp raised her handker chief
TO her eyes and said, almost sobbing, g You felt
that 70
bright CLEAN danced before him. He had
evidently touched the right chord at last Wo-
men are so sentimental
"Yes," he said, $50 profoundly did feel it,
that began 10 ask myself whether it would
not be q nobler part to sacrifice my own happi-
ness--to relinquish my claim-and TO be content
with that proudest of emotions, the preference
OF another's welfare to your own"
"Noble noble fellow ~ she sobbed.
His heart bounded. The success was as
great as it was unexpected. He blessed the
sentimental nature of women, and then contin-
ued:-
.Yes, Emily, l thought this, and feel it
still. Much as / should rejoice to call you
mime, i feel it would be nobler, better wiser, to
give you up"
/" Noble creaturer she exclaimed, removing
the handkerchief from her radient face. "You
make me love you more. BY those words you
have riveted forever the bonds which bind me
TO you"
II was no use. She tcouid have him, and his
struggles were vain. II seemed TO him as il
Nemesis, IN the form Of widow, had attached