Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-06-14
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE PASSING CLOUD.

"Do you want me to get anything for you
in town."
Adrew Thurston spoke very calmly, and
chance visitor might have thought he spoke
kindly. He certainly spoke differently; but
his lips were compressed, and there were lines
upon his brow which were not usual. Ordi-
narily he would have said, as he drew on his
glove-"Now, my love, what can get for you
in town ?" and he would have spoken gaily
and frankly, with sprightliness and sparkle.
For they had been married not year yet, and
only the day before Andrew had declared that
they would never outlive their honeymoon.
sDolly," he had said, with kiss, when we
cease to love, we shall cease to live; for life
could be nothing without love-"
But now cloud had come-very small at
first-not bigger than mans hand-but yet
cloud Dolly had never complained Of ia
tigue or weariness, and yet she was far from
robust On this particular morning she had
arisen with an aching head, but she did not
tell of it. She did not smile as was her wont,
and her husband asked her what was the mat
ter His question seemed to imply that mau>
ners had fretted him, and there was almost an
accusation in 1t, and replied rather shortly
"Nothing."
"But there must be something. What is
it?"
This to the wife, rendered over susceptible
by her headache, seemed a disputing of her
word aud she answered,-
81 tell you-uothing."
"Bt, Dolly, you wouldn't act so if there was
nothing the matter"
"Act how ?" demanded the wife, flushing
under this direct charge. "What have l
done ?"
What could the husband reply to this p
What single act of hers-what word, even
could he point out? Something in her man
ner had Jared upon the sensitive cords of his
heart, and cloud had come between them |;
but how could he tell it? How could he give
to another an idea of that which had no form
or substance, and which he had only perceived
because it dropped discord into the exqusit
harmony of his jealous love ? He could make
no plausible answer, and this fretted him still
more.
30, nothing, nothing" he said drawing
back. "If you don't choose to confide in me,
all right
The wife's eyes flashed now, and she spoke
| quiekly-spoke so quickly, aud so feelingly,
that the husband was, in turn, offended; and,
with hasty word upon his lips he went away
to his chamber and made ready for the city,
which was distant but few miles from his
suburban residence.
When Andrew Thurston re. entered the sit
ting-room with his, hat in his hand, he asked
| the question we have already heard, "Do you
want me to get anything for you in town ?"
| How cold his voice sounded to the wife
who sat, with bowed and aching head, by the
curtained window. 1t did not sound ike the
voice of her husband, and she did not look up.
She would wait till he come to kiss her, as he
always did before he went away, and then she
might be able to speak-to speak upon his
bosom where she could hide her face-but she
dared not to trust her voice now. She knew
she could cry ifshe spoke, and she would not
| have her husband see her do that if he were
angry with her. But he did not come to her.
He turned away without another word, and
was gone.
Andrew Thurston knew that his wife must
have heard his question, and as she did not
! Immediately answer, he allowed his anger to
express itself in slam of the door as he went
! out He pulled on his gloves very vigorously,
| and stepped off with measured and majestic
| strides But not long go. The fresh morning
air famed his brow with cooling influence
and he began to think. He missed something.
| For the first time since he had been married
he was going away without his Wife's kiss
Surely cloud had arisen upon the domestic
horizen, and something very much like a
storm had come upon their peace. He was
unhappy; and the more he mediated the more
unhappy he became.
"Dolly was to blame," he said to himself
But this did not heal his wound.
81 may have been hasty," he acknowledged
after further reflection. "But STILL" he as
sured himself, ''she irFitated me-"
Thus he reached point very far from
soothing or satisfactory in Its influence. BE
was forced to acknowledge that he had al