The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-06-12
From the Galaxy.
THE HARLEY PATENT.
TcoNTrNUED.l


The Spring came and passed. and
the Summer, and still the patent OF his
process was not obtained He did
not go home during that time. The
purity of the home atmosphere would
have stifed him. Chaste at soul he
lived in kind of debauch OF in
trigue, wire-pulling, toadylsm. dlplo-
macy. He hated his life. 1t was his
solace to think that though Ruth all
this time was working for her own
and the boys support, and dimming
her brown eyes with anxiety and sus-
pense through his long absence, and
frequently his long silences, she was
having a far easier life than he In
the meantime, he had got to his last
resource; he had had to ask her first
to mortgage, then to sell their little
place. He had not troubled himself as
to her qualms about doing this;
that she had quietly ! acquiesced
when he made his demands was
sufficient. That changes might be
coming upon the brown-eyed wife,
who made no protests, who had always
believed in without requiring to I'M
sderstand him. did not once occur to
him; or, if it did occur family, he
would not increase the irritability re-
sulting from his many disappoint-
ments by dwelling upon it. He said
to himself that Ruth must Just trust
him through this trial; that the fu-
ture should compensate her for all.
He knew it would all come out right.
in the end, and she must think so, too.
Anyhow, it was too late. now to re-
cede. There was no help now for
what he was doing eT ta..i *
He was dressing one evening early
in October for Miss Prochaska's first
reception = of the season. He had
acquired good taste in dress; not fop-
pish taste, for that, with his awkward
legs and long arms, would not have
answered But everything he wore
boots, linen, broadcloth-was of the
finest texture. His long yellow hair
hung below his black coat collar; he
wore small mosaic studs and lilac
| gloves; there was faint odor of hya-
cinth about his person. His face had
| refined by the impressions he had
lived on. He looked well, even dis-
tingue. He had an especial object in
looking we'll that night, for he was to
have the opportunity. OF hearing
| Will SOHlc HlSu OuCIdl VI UIucI, WIZ
could assist him, if be would. in push
ing the business of his patent. 1t
was, In fact, somewhat critical occa-
sion. Washington was just. filing up.
Men were fresh, and had more leisure
than alter the meeting of Congress.
IL was the beginning of golden OPP
portunity, and he felt every nerve
frightened as he stood in his room re
fecting upon what this very evening
might accomplish!
just then something happened; a
servant knocked at the door and hand
| ed him a letter. He took it, looked
in perplexity at the scholarly scroll in
which it was addressed, and at the
coarse brown envelope. He laid it
down and drew off his lilac gloves.
But for the post mark which was
i. Refuge he would have anticipated
dun. As it was, he opened it leis
urely. While he read his face grew
sickly white; in a minute more it
turned peevish. He said to himself,
Now, of all times, for such thing
to happen" He walked across the
floor, : Horriblelo he said to himself
again. And yet" moodily, ''of what
earthly use would it be for me to
go? ;" Upand down the floor again
Impossiblel To give up every
chance, when my going. would do nc
earthly good!" muttering with ner-
YOU: irritation. Then, walking about
a little longer, stopping before the
glass aud looking at his sickly- white
face, UGH / am all unnerved: and
| must be at Aurora's in half an hour
1t would be madness to lose such a
chancel"' =
He got his pen. and paper, sat down
and wrote a page, folded the sheet
and addressed it to Mrs. Gilbert
Harley, Refuge, Penn Then he put
on his lilac gloves again, turned the
! gas down and went out ssH
The days and mouths of Gilbert's
absence had been long, slow days ane
months to Ruth Harley. She die
not fret much, the neigh bors thought
lit wasn't her way She did not blame
her husband, for she had loved hin
and believed in him, and she WASH
4 changeable; but if she did not re
proach him, it was not from insensi
| bility; if she did not resist him, whel
she yielded one thing after anothe
and reduced herself to self-depend
ence tor him, 1t was not from
weak ness. Her nature was pc
without converting her. Inhu
ences were to her something a
cold is to placid water of a still night
There is neither protest nor assent OF
the part of the water. The action o
the cold. is positive, the water i
simply passive. The cold, acting &C