Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-05-03
er than words could that she was an

went back to the bathroom, and af-
ter a fiOunce In the clear cold water,
came out considerably cooled down.
and as a natural consequence. much
better-natured. Not so with Minnie
She had nUrsed her anger, and kept
it warm.
Little scenes of this kind had got to
be of almost daily occurrence, and the
inexperienced wife felt that miseries
and unkinduess were constantly accu-
mulating, aud looked down into her
own heart there to see that love was
dying out, leaving nothing but the
ashes of the past to remind her of af-
fection' presence Constant bicker-
ings, faUlt-fndiDdings, little unmanly
iujustices like this of the afternoon,
had come to be not the exception but
the rule, and Minnie saw very little
reason to hope for a better state of af-
fairs for what with nervous weak
ness on her own part, brought about by
hearb-aches, and loss of sleep, she had
long since ceased to govern her own
temper and so in this most unuatu-
raj but extremely common relation,
stood this young married couple.
The dinner-bell rang, and the trio
descended to the dining-roOm, there to
find meat miserably cooked, potatoes
Watery, biscuit heavy, and scarcely
anything eatable but pudding, which
Minnie had herself made in the morn
ing, and the luscious Strawberries.
which, however, were not arranged
very temptingly, owing to the inter
ruption Mister Radcliffe had made
Arthur said but little, for he saw by
the fash of Minnie's eye that her
temper was up, and knowing his side
was the weakest, wisely refrained from
an encounter.
This evening had been set apart for
a visit to an old school-friend, whom
Minnie had not seen for a long time,
and, Arthur had promised to accom-
pany her. So, directly after dinner
she commenced making preparations.
wi at are you dressing up so for,
Minnie ? Expect company 2,
rs it possible, Arthur Radcliffe,
that you have forgotten that we were
to go to Mira Arnold's this evening ?"
why, to-t0-pight isn't Thursday
night. is it Well, l declare, so it is
but the fact is, Minnie, we shall have
to postpone this till tomorrow even
ing, for I promised Van Wick to come
up to Lodge and help him work the
third degree tonight. By George, it
is deueedly hot to put the poor fellows
through, but expect we shall have
some rich fun"
And I am to be disappointed again,
just for that stupid old masonry. How
dare you treat me so, Arthur Radcliffe?
How dare 90u ? / wish I was deed, y
and the tried, heart broken woman
burst into a fit of passionate weeping.
Another scene. D-n it, how |
do hate such foolishness, and with
out another word Monsieur Radcliffe
stalked from the apartment-doWn-
stairs slamming the street door enough
to take it off its hinges.
So the weeks passed on, the breach
growing constantly wider, and no ef-
fort made on either side to bridge it
over.
The baby's health did not improve,
He seemed TO grow more nervous and
restless, and less inclined to sleep.
So Minnie's physical health diminish
ed accordingly, and the weight on her
spirits kept her constantly depressed
aud morbid. Arthur did not notice
those premonitary symptoms. Busi-
ness and pleasure outside, fault-fiind
ing and sulks at home, occupied all
his time, and Minnie gave herselfup
to the care Of her baby, and tried to
forget her husbands S existence.
One night Arthur was ava kened from
a deep sIsep by a shrek from his wife
and hastily rising, found that the in
fant was In cOnvulsiOns. Their phys
ician was summoned, and the case i'm
mediately pronounced hopeless and,
sure enough, the little sufferer linger-
ed only a few hours, and, more dead
than alive, Minnie was borne away to
her chamb Der.
In vain did Arthur endeavor to com
fort her she loathed him, and told
him so. By his persistent conduct
that nothing serious was the matter,
be had destroyed the last hope of the
child's life and by his neglect and un-
| kindness he had entirely alienated her
heart from him.
They followed the remains to the
grave without speaking, and the next
day Arthur went to business as usual
and returned at night to a desOlate
home-no wife-nO baby. Minnie had
! flown and left no trace of her dis
appearance. A little note was pinned
to the cushion
sARTHUR-I nave occupied the position
of unlOved wife long enough, therefore
| leave you, taking with me my own and
1 baby's wardrObe.-MIENIE
Good God !'' burst from the lips
/ of the agoDized man, what a wretch I
/ have been /" as the full knowledge of
/ his past conduct and present conse-
! uaences suddenly awake ned his long
/ sIumbering conscience. "Oh, Father
4 IN Hea ven, where shall / find her r.
But Deity gave no answer.
He visited all her relations, but they
had not seen her. Detectives were
engaged, policemen privately put upon
the track, but weeks passed on and
the almost frantic man had yet gained
no information.
Weeks rolled into months, and f.
nally a whole year had passed since
Minnie left her husbands house, and
Arthur, pale and carewOrn, wreck
of his former handsome self, wander
4 ed around in unfrequented places. and
paid out fabulous sums of money foI
time which had been employed fOl
him, but had never been productive o.
the least benefit.
There was to De an examination a
one Of our uptown public schools
and Arthur received a note from one
of the detectives, asking him to meet
I tllul luGE6 dL GuCn d udg anu nOu
Wondering what it could mean, and j
any tidings had been gained of Minnie
he presented himself punctually at thu
time, and was given an obscure seat II
J the hall, where he could see all with
out being observed himself.
A little figure, clad In black, will
hair pushed plainly back from he
pale, intellectual brow. stepped on t.
; the platform and commenced the ex
z animation Of her pupils, class 0
young ladies, ranging from fourteen &
f eighteen years of age.
5 Arthur's heart almost stood still
? for there was his darling alive ant
-: we'll and he hid his face and groane,
D to think that she no longer loved him
e and most probably would persist in re
0 naming away from him. How shoul,
? he again win her? Would she eve
0 forgive him ? These and ten thousau,
: similar questions ran through his brai
:. with the velocity of lightning. III
a aaoerlv watched her every motor