Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-03-31
Tom BuIIOck's Wife.
BY CAROLINE CONRAD.

to Peter Cromer's daughter, provided
objected to marry that young lady; and
in the other, Arabella Cromer forfeited
her right and title to the snug property
Peter her father had left, if she refused to
fulfill matrimonial conditions with me.
The sacrifice on my part would not
have been heavy one; for Tom Bullock
Sem, on departing this life, proved to have
left very little behind him. Undoubtedly
/ said to myself the evening after my
marriage, when the fatal truth had been
communicated to me, Peter Cromer cal
eulated L would snatch at the bait more
greedily, because my own father had left
me nothing.
II was good enough for me perhaps, for
/ had been somewhat cold-blooded about
the marriage. / was not in the least in
love with Miss Arabella Cromer.
I had very little acquaintance with
Arabella before our marriage. The fortune
had struck me as a very nice thing.
Consequently, when lawyer Grabbt
called upon me to know what my pleasure
was said, off-hand, that my pleasure
was to marry the young lady.
"But you've never seen her." suggested
Grabbe. "How do you know you'll like
her She may be as ugly as q hedge
fence"
Brother" said I; "Ill marry her il
she's ugly as two hedge fences"
MAYBE she won't have you," mildly
suggested Grabbe again.
Then she's only got to say so, and sur
render the money" remarked l. Where
upon Grabbe complimented me on my
practical style of looking at life, and de.
parted.
L went down to see Arabella twice be-
fore we were married, and found fine
looking enough young woman, who was
rather chilly in her manners, but seemed
to have no objections to becoming my
wife.
We were married accordingly.
Arahella made a magnificent bride.
pronounced her to myself the handsomest
woman l had ever seen. Her hair, eyes
complexion, features, and form were per.
fectly faultless. congratulated myself
now on her beauty. In the midst lawyer
Grabbe asked for private interview with
me.
Arabella at once quilted the room, with
the remark that Grabbe had something to
tell me concerning herself, and that, as /
had married her only for her money, she
presumed that it would make no differ
ence to me.
1 received the lawyer in very pre-
occupied state of mind. 1t was true that
l had not married Arabella from pure
affection for herself, but fancied it would
not be very difficult to learn to love SC
peerless a creature.
Mr.. Grabbe cleared his throat in a very
solemn manner, and looked nervously al
me over his spectacles before he spoke.
"Are you aware" he began in a horri-
BILE undertone, shat the father, the grand
father, and the only brother your wife
ever had would have died in a mad. house,
if they had not mereifully been permitted
to die somewhere else ?"
l bounded from my seat in wild amaze
ment.
"What is that you say, sir ?" I de-
manded. "Do you mean to intimate that
that my wife, sir"
'Be calm, pray be calm, Mr.. Bullock,
entreated the lawyer, with lugubrious as
poet. II came on purpose to make this
communication to you, because upon you
will devolve the charge of the unfortu-
nate young lady hereafter. You can
Judge yourself of what the likelihood is of
Mr.. Bullock inheriting any faint from
her father or grandfather"
you're confoundedly late in making
your communication" grumbled I. L felt
like kicking the fellow down stairs for
conspiring with Peter Cromer to get me
as keeper for his mad daughter.
81 didn't suppose you would mind,
coughed Grabbe. "You didn't seem to
think of ANYTHING but the money. Be,
sides Peter Cromer desired"
"Aye, dare say he did" broke in
"Desired to keep the matter quiet till hi.
mad girl had hooked me- But I'll have q
divorce. Ill-Pl sue for damages. Pll--'
la the midst of which exposition of my
intentions, lawyer Grabbe backed out OF
the room at one door, while Arabells
sailed in at the other.
She had removed her travelling dress
we were on our bridal tour-and substi
tuted one that was soft cloudy white
and floated about her airily as she moved
She looked more beautiful than ever, and
my anger vanished at the sight of hel
pure face and heavenly eyes. Could 81
perfect creature go mad
"Come here, Arabella," I said. ShC
came at once with down-droopirg lids
and meekly took the seat | indicated be
side me.
~ looked at the sweet face, the mould
ed lips, the serene eyes.
"Well, what do you think about it by
this time? ?" she asked suddenly, with
laugh. would you be rid of the money
again for the sake of dropping the in
cumbrance or sha'n't you begrudge {
small sum out of it to keep me in some
by-place, where nobody will ever see m,
and guess at the truth.
l stared at the strange, beautiful crea
ture without replying.
What could l say?
We made our bridal tour silent pair
/ furtively watching my unhappy wifi
the most of the time.
Returning to New York, I took the frs
occasion to see lawyer Grabbe and get in
structions.
Arabella was to be indulged-that wa
the principal one. 1t would never answer
to cross her.
The consequence was, that when Ara
bella insisted upon returning the CALI
that were made her, and accepting tn,
invitations that were extended us, l die
not dare object, though the agony 1 LIVED
in, lest she should betray herself by some
unexpected outburst, or come to some ter
rible harm, can better be imagined thar
described
Everywhere that Arabella went, went
My wife was great belle. L liked to SCI
her well dressed, and she had the taste o
an artist. Now and then Arabella asked
me, in that Neutrality-suspicious. way, if
wasn't about tired of playing "keeper,
bnt beyond that she made few words will
me. She could talk brilliantly enough
with other people, ut let me Join tn
group, and she was silent
| used to try feebly TO entertain he
some at home but i got only scornfu
answers for my pains, and concluded he
evident dislike of me was one of the phs
ses OF her disorder
The worst of it was that in spite of all
was learning TO love Arabella as | ha,
never loved that other woman. If coul
have sunk the money and saved my wife
it might have gone in welcome.
One day, Grabbe--the fatal Grabbe-
came to me again.
Mrs Bullock had been to him, to Sc