The Cecil Whig., 1869-11-20
NV Husbands Second Wife.
A woMAN's REVELATION.

throat. had never looked better, and
felt sort of girlish pride as my eye met
the fairy reflection in the mirror.
"Come, Gerald, make haste!-why, you
haven't begun to dress YETI
Where were my wifely instincts that l
did not see the haggard, drawn look in his
features-the fervered light in his eyes?
81 can't 60 tonight, Madeline-I am
not well enough
"You are never well enough to oblige
me, Gerald. l am tired of being put off
with such excuses"
He made no answer, but dropped his
head in his hands, on the table before him.
"Oh! come, Gerald,'' I urged, petulant-
ly. "It is so awkward, for me to go alone
al,rays"
He shook his head listlessly.
81 thought perhaps you would be will
ing to remain at home with me, Made
line
"Men are so selfshr' l said plaintively:
"and am all dressed. Claudia took half
an hour for my hair. dare say you will
be great deal quieter without me-that is,
if you are determined not to go.
No answer again.
"Well, if you choose to be sullen, can't
help it, said, lightly, as I turned and
went out of the room, adjusting my silver
boquet holder the tuberoses and hello
tropes seeming to distill incense at every
motion.
Was heartless and cruel? Had cease
ed to love my husband? From the bottom
of nv heart l believe that l loved him as
truly and tenderly as ever wife did, but
had been spoiled and petted all my brief,
selfish life, that the better instincts were,
so to speak, entombed alive.
Iwent to the party, and had my fill OF
adulation and homage as usual. The
hours seemed to glide away, shod with
roses and winged with music and perfume;
and it was not until, wearied with dancing,
I sought momentary refuge in the half
lighted tea-room that l heard words waken-
ing me, as it were, from dream.
"Gerald Glen ~
l could not well be mistaken in the
name-it was scarcely commonplace enough
for that. They were talking-two or three
stout, business-like looking gentlemen-in
the hall without, and I could catch, now
and then, fugative word or phrase.
"Fine, enterprising young fellow -
"great PITY totally, ruined, SO Bees
and MeMorken say.'-'' reckless extrava-
gance of his wife,
All these vague fragments l heard; and
then some one said:
"And what is he going to do now9'
"What can he do Poor fellow =! am
sorry; but he should have calculated his
income and his expenses BETTER
''Or his uite should. Deuce take these
women-they are at the bottom of all a
mans troubles"'
And they laughed. Oh. how could they?
1 had yet to learn how easy it is in this
world, to bear other peoples troubles!
rose hurriedly up, with my heart beat
ing tumultuously beneath the pink azaleas,
and went back to the lighted corridors
Albany Moore was waiting to claim my
hand for the next redowa.
"Are you i'll, Mrs. Glen? How pale you
lookr'
ell am not very well. I wish you
would have my carriage called, Mr..
Moore"
For felt now that home was the place
for me!
Hurried by some unaccountable impulse.
sprang out the moment the carriage
wheels touched the curbstone, and rushed
up to my husbands room. The door was
locked, but could see a light shining
family under the threshold. l knocked
wildly and persistently. -
"Gerald. Gerald! for Heavens sake let
me inr'
Something fell on the marble hearth
stone within, making metallic clink, and
had never seen him look so pale before,
or so rigid, yet so determined.
"Who are you ?' he demanded, wildly.
"Why can not you leave me in peace?"
"It's I, Gerald-your Madeline-your
own little wife,
And I caught from his hand the pistol
lie was striving to conceal in his breast
its mate lay on the marble hearth, under
the mantel-and flung it out of the win
dow.
"Gerald, would you have left me''
81 would have escaped!' he cried, still
half delirious, to all appearances. "Debt
-disgrace-misery-Ae reproaches! l
would have escaped them all!.'
His head fell like that of a weary child
on my shoulder. l drew him gently to a
sofa, and smoothed him with a thousand
murmured words, thousand mute ca
resses! For had it not all been my fault'
And through all the long weeks of fear
that followed, nursed him with unwaver-
ing care and devotion. l had but one
thought, one desire-to redeem myself in
his estimation; to prove to him that | was
something more and higher than the mere
butterfly Of fashion l had hitherto shown
myself!
Well, the March winds had howled them
selves into their mountain Businesses; the
brilliant April rain-drops were dried on the
bough and spray-and now the apple-blos-
SONS were tossing their fragrant pillows of
pinky bloom in the deep blue air of latter
May.
Where were we now?
Itwas picturesque little cottage just
out of the city, furnished very like a mag
nified playhouse. Gerald sat in cush-