The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-12-25
|on the envelope, which was il bold nsscu
line hand, and she said to herself, as she di,

+
4 wonder who this can be from r. siDs
Something more than curiosity moved her.
There intruded on her mind a vague feeling
Of disquiet, as if the missiYe bore unpleas-]
ant news for her husband. The stamp show. !
ed it to be- city letter. "A few times. of late
such letters had come to his address and. she
had noticed that he had read them hurried
ly, thrust them without remark into his pock.I
let, and became silent. No.. II % Esd
!. II the thoughts of Mrs Whitman recur.
red, as was natural, to the elegant silk dress
of' which she was to become the owner on,
that day, she did not feel the proud satisfac-
|tion her vain. heart experienced a little while
before. Something Of It's beauty had faded.
IF I only knew what that letter contained, 4
she said, half an hour after it came in, i her
mind still feeling the pressure which had dome
down upon it 50 strangely as it seemed to her
She went to the mantel-piece took up the
letter, and examined the superscription. It
Igave her no light. Steadily it kept growing
upon her that its contents were Of nature to
trouble her husband s. 2.f 3sla Q3a
Mrs. Whitman turned the letter over and
over again in her hand, in thoughtful way,
and as she did 50, the image Of her, husband,
sober faced and silent as he had become for
most Of the time, presented itself with un-
|usal vividness. Sympathy stole into her
heart 58& .6a
| Poor Charles !'.she said, as the feeling in
craased; I'm afraid something IS wrong with
him sa M 3 aa esH .1irsi n
1 Placing the letter on the manteIpiece where
he could see it when he came in. Mrs. Whit
man entered upon some household duties,
but strange impression, as Of weight, Law
upon her heart a sense of impending evil
avague feeling that all was not going we'll
with her husband. # 3a3
4 He has been a little mysterious Of late, !
lshe said to herself. The idea affected her
very unpleasantly. He grows more silent
and reserved she added, as though her mind
under kind Of feyerish excitement. became
active in a new direction. More indrawn as
lit were, and less interested in what goes on
around him. His GOODNESS chills mo at times,
and his irritation hurts me. sA'1t si #sa
+, She drew a long deep sigh Then, with
an almost startled viyidness, 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. ~
1 Something is going wrong with hint she
said aloud, as tie feeling grew stronger
sWhat can it be? f3 sl'@ II Il.
I The letter was in her hand. a'ae na ~
This may give me light And, with care
full fingers, she opened the envelop, not break
ling the paper, SO that she could seal it again
IF she desired to do 50. There was bill of
sixty dollars, and communication from the
person sendinsthe bill He was a jeweler.
III this is not settled at once he wrote,
shall put the account in suit It has been
standing for over year and / am tired Of
getting excuses instead Of my money. af5a
The bill was for a lady $ watch, which Mrs.
Whitman had almost compelled her Husband
Ito purchase. Not paid for Is it possible 2
exclaimed the little woman, in blank astonish-
lment, while the blood mounted to her fore
|hea9. t4sa4 ai3 tsas;} d aS
Then she sat down to think. A light be-
Igan to come into her mind AS she sat thus
thinking . second letter for her husband
|came in from the penny post1nan. She
Opened it without hesitation Another bill,
land another dunnihg letter. asalqgei1 wi
Not paid! Is il possible Pa She repeated
the ejaculation. Itwss bin Of twenty-five
dollars for CATERS and slippers, which had
been standing for three months.s sidE .zsgasia
ot This will nsvdrd do r said the awakening
e--'never-n0hevsf : and she thrust the
|tgosletters into her pocket in = resolgte way.
|iEop that hour until the return Of her shps-