The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1866-06-09

not interest him now. Would Kate
never Gomez" he thought, as he looked
for the fortieth time at his watch.
She came at last, just in time to run
up stairs for hurried dinner toilet
came smiling and lovely, with her hair
blown by the fresh wind and her eyes
sparkling radiantly. Elwyn-dog in the
as he was-could have knocked
Colonel Warrington down for the invol-
untary glance of admiration with which
he looked after his fair companion.
Presently Mrs. Kate re-appeared in II
dress of lustrOus silver
green silk, lightened up by the flash of
emeralds at her throat, and frosted green
MOSES dropping from her hair.
"Why have you put on that odious
green dress?" asked Elwyn, catching at
some slight preteXt a5 an escape-valvc
for his ill-humor. You know how
much l dislike green"
"Oh, WE'LL" said Kate nonchalantly,
"You are so fidgcty, Charles. What
difference can it make whether l wear
green or yellow? 1t is an entirely by
gone fashion for husbands and wives to
study one anothcr's whims q III Darby
and Joan. We dress entirely to please
the public, the gay world, you know.
And l put on this silk dress to please
Mr.. Garnett he admire5 green so
much ~
Charles Elwyn stared at his wife in
speechlesS establishment. What did it
mean? She had always been the hum
blest slave to his slightest wish or cap
rice, and she smilingly set him at def
ance. What evil spirit had possessed
her?
She never came near him all the even
ing-ncvcr sought his approval by the
little shy glance5 of appeal or the ques-
tioning looks that had been so ineXpres-
sibly dear to him. No-shc chattcd
away, bewitchingly self-reliant, the cen
tire of an admiring group, until Mr.. El.
wyn was ready to rush out of the room
in a transport of evaporation.
"Allow me to congratulate you or
your treasure of Il wife, sir" said Colo.
mel Warrington. 81 have always know
she was u beauty, but l never appreci
atcd her claims as Il wit"
Elwyn glared specchless at the polite
Colonel, who was evidently surprised a
the ungraciOu3 reception of his littlC
compliment.
"Just what ! might have expected,
he muttered to himself, plucliing ficrcely
at his moustachc. "What in the deuc
did l bring her here for, if | didn'
want every fool in society to fall down
and worship hcr"'
"Would you like drive after dinner
Kate" he asked one evening afte
about three days spent in this very cdi
flying manner.
81 couldn't possibly this evening,
she said, adjusting the wrcaths of iv.
that depended from her shining hail
"We've arranged such nice moonligh
party to ride to the navy yard"
"Wcll, what is to prevent me fror
driving you there >" asked Mr.. Elwy
anXiously.
"Our party is all made up" said Kat
coolly. "I'vc promised to go in MI
Garnett's carriage. lie is so delightful
ly agreeable, and like him so much"
"The dickens you dO," groWlcd f.
wyn, his face elongatlng and GROWN
dark.
"But I'll tell you what you might d
if you pleascd,n suggested Kate innC
Gently. Miss Raymond would like
go, I've no doubt, or Mrs. Everet, an
there could be no possible objection
an extra carriage in the party, so that
"IIang Miss Raymond and Mrs. Eve
ret !" calculated the irate husband.
"With all my heart, my dear" sal
Kate only. "Only you sec it is qui
impossible for me to break my promi,
to Mr.. Garnett."
f Mr.. E!wyn's temper was by no mcal
improved when he stood on the hot
steps and watched the merry party dri\
off, their gay voices and jubilant laugl
ter rc-cchoing throughout the evenil
9 air like morkcry of his own gloom
| reflections. He had never felt so ute
= ~ forlorn in the whole course of h
life.
{ "Dear mo, what a beautiful cvcnin
for Il ride" sighed Aurora Raymond
| looking up from volume of poems,
), Mr.. EIwyn re-entered the drawing
) room, looking not unlike Il man WI
had Just had a molar extracted.
; But he didn't take the hint, acting,
= Miss Raymond afterward indignant
/ remarked, more like Il bear than ma
/ and sat down to the pcrusal of the new
G papers. Alas, for the midnight cur
y and oriental cye3-thcir spell was br
= ken.
How long the slow creeping hou
~ seemed before Kate came back! Lol
o ere the sound of carriage wheels graft
l. on the pavement before the door
ic went up to his own room and tried u'
" lcssly enough to amuse himself wi
e books and lctter-writing. All his
l. forts were unavailing; between hi
and every occupation to which he tur
= ed crcpt one gloomy thought-a sc
C pang-to think that Kate was hapl
l. without his society, and that she nev
missed his absent voice and smile.
l. 81 wonder if Pm Jealous ," hemutt
cd to himself. "It's not an agrcCal
T. sensation, at all events. ! wonder
~ Kate felt so whenever ilirted with \
to rora and the widow?"