The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-02-19

plainness of person. And there was Mr..
Torrington, rich man now, and single all
these years for love of her. Some one had
laughngly hinted this reason for his bache-
lorhood, and it was ever after one of her ar.
tces of faith. She might have been living
in house in the Avenue, and had every.
, thing she wanted, instead Of being buried ia
the country, and poor as poverty ITSELF Fats
had been indicative indeed, and she wasted
many regret on the irrevocable step so
rashly taken. Perhaps she did not cou.
sciously determine to indemnify herself rs far
"a possible for her imagined losses, but her
She put from her every care, seized eagerly
on every indulgence within her reach, and
considered herself the victim Of LOT i'm
measurablv inferior to her deserts.
As for the husband, his bright visions had
faded years before. The lovers angel had
long since disappeared, leaving in her stead
petulent exacting woman, who hal neither
mind nor heart enou yh to understand him or
her duty. Not that Roderick Dexter often
saw the truth in quite so clear light; life
would have been u little too dreary hau he
done so Can you guess what kept up some
thing of the early glamour about his wife2-
No matter how negligent in other things, she
was always careful of her own attire. Break
fast might be ever 30 ill-cooked or poorly
served, she might not even come down to it
at all, preferring cup of coffee and novel
| in her own room, IF she came she was always
q picture Of tasteful neatness. No matter
how soled the table-cloth her morning dress
was beautifully fresh; however rough the
children's hair, her own was smooth aud lus-
trous. An impression of personal elegance
and refinement was indissolublv connected
with her image in the husbands mind; it
never quite lost its charm through all the
| discomforts, the uuamiableness, the neglect
he had experienced. land herein lies hint
| for those good wives who sometimes forget.
IN their zeal for the family welfare, the
claims of their own adornng.) There were
occasional bright days. oases in his desert,
when the children sat down to table freshly
washed and brushed when comfortable mea
was served, and Elsie beamed sweetly on him,
passed the jelly, and called him "dear." Or
the strength of such meal he could 90 many
days. When it failed the mans large hear
came to the aid of his endurance. lie ful
filled, without remembering it, the apostolic
Injunction that the strong should bear the in
firmities of the weak. AT such times h,
thought with tender pity of Elsie, and wish
ed more than ever that he could bestow upoI
her all the gauds she longed for.
No forbearance, however, could keep OF
troubles of another kind. His own perssten
shabiness could Lot counterbaluute Elsie
expenditure, while the wasteful hOuskeepin,
was beyond his control. His salary utterl,
failed to meet expenses there were accommo
dations at the bank-fatal accommodations
renewed, transferred, and only met in part a
last by the sacrifice of needful comfort an
relaxation. He was silent about these things
Clara might conjecture, but she knew moth
ing; Elsie, of course, could not be expecte
to concern herself with such matters.
If only he could always have been blind
But there were moments, rare indeed, whe
the truth came home TO him; sudden reveal
ings of the wreck that had been. the desoa
tion that remained. These were times tina
admitted no sympathy, and were best pu
out of sight and forgotten as soon as nigh
be.
Who could wonder if the man grew oil
and care. worn, or that his eyes took on tha
sad and patient look with which the world
familiar in another rugged, kindly face?
(CoNTINUED.)