The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-10-15
Misrcllaup.
MY WIFE LUCY.

To begin wi,h-she was pretty. don't know
where to show you another just like her. She
was we'll rounded in figure, with fair face, gol-
den hair and soft, white hands. She had brown
eyes, regular features, and MOBILE red lips. On
o rainy day, certain fine tresses of her shining
hair would escape from the remainder. and curl
about her temples in little gold tendril rings.
Her voice was quiet and melodius and she wore
violet dresses. This is as we'll as l can describe
her
And am afraid this is about all I knew of
her when we were married. We met first in
Devonshire. I was alone in strange place.
She was an orphan, and teacher in a boarding
school. She was gentle aud sad. made her &C.
quaintance-I loved her. I promised to make
her happy ana we were married.
Ny south. western tour being ended, we came
and settled at Kensington. We had been mar.
ried just year when my story commences
l was young, just starting in life, and very
much engrossed il my mercantile business
Neither was "a particularly administrative man !;
and as Lucy was very quiet and composed in
mien, l think we hardly appeared like newly
married people.
had all confidence in my WIFE, 1t was her
neatness, frugality, and good Judgment that won
me, as we'll as her beauty. All homo affairs
the hiring of servants, the domestic arrange.
ment, household bills-left entirely to her man.
agelaent. 1t was great rest to leave my count.
ing house. and turn home ward, for WAS sure of
finding everything right. il Lucy had any an.
noyances, she nevcrsconfessed them to me; and
never took home my business troubles.
As l SAID We had been married year, when
one evening came home as usual 1t had been
fine day. but as left the train great drop of
rain splashed on my nose had ten minutes
walk before me, and commenced the task Father
briskly.
The rain came down smartv as 1 reached my
garden gate. As ] entered the sitting.room,
found Lucy hurIivlly putting away some pa
pers.
The rain is blowing up from the west. You
had better shut the parlor windows, Lucy"
said.
Eyes, WILL she replied, absently rummaginn
in drawer.
The storm struck sharply against the pane
She went and shut the parlor windows, and then
came back to the drawer.
When she looked the drawer through, she
overlooked the table, and finally went to the es-
critiore.
What are you hunting for Lucy? ?"
Never mind she said careessly: "dinner Is
ready, WILL
We went to the diniug.room. She chatted ,f
her garden, and the incidents of the day. She
had planted mignonctte under the windows, that
it's fragrance might come into her as she was
working, she said. The Misses Granger had call
ed, and the man had been to graft the pear trees
Pleasant ordinary talk that suggested nothing
OF the mystery to come.
The rain continued all night, but the morning
was clear | felt myself very happy man as l
stepped from my door into the balmy spring air.
The tulips were in blossom, and the crocusses
filled the whole garden with their fragrance
l walked leisurely down the path, unattached the
gate and went out
few steps distance, under the garden wall,
lay u sheet of paper. 1t looked like something
that should not have been :here and went aid
picked it up.
1t was "A single square sheet of urrulcd paper
and the handwriting upon it Was my wifes Az
l looked at it, word here and there caught nv
eye With arrested attention. commenced /,
careful examination of the sheet. With some
difficulty, read az follows:
My dearest Percy
"Your entreaties, and my own heart will no
longer allow ne to remain silent. My beloved, I
am so miSerahlG' These cl4ndestine letters of
yours which receive are my only comfort in
the world. ! Feed on theEl--lvc on them They
are the only Brightness which ilumnes my dark
way. Ny life is almost unsupportable You
know do not love my husGand--that I never
loved HIM. You, only, know the whole array of
circumstances under which married him. Well
he is my husband now, and 7 try to be a goed
wife; but this existence is like sou.o dreadful
nightmare-dream Percy. 1t does not seem as if
itcould be me who lives, and breathes, and an.
swers to my name. l am so dcsslate aud de-
pressed-so despairing. l have the feeling,
sometimes, that am under spell that my fac.
ulties are paralyzng; aud that shall lose my
mind in this dull, void living. Ouly when your
letters come, / am alive. ! feel that you love
me; and live and feel, and am exclusively han.
Ply and miserable both together.
my husband--as long as l perform my daily
duty, he is contented. He knows nothing of nv
feelings. He considers me a machine for his
comfort. Sometimes, loathe him. Usually /
am indifferent to him.
But tonight, seemed almost rs if dared
to escape to you. Freedom, love, happiness-oh,
may it still be mine Before long will grant
You an interview. l will promise you nothing
more than that row. Percy, my only love, hesv.
On bless you and keep you until we meet
"One word more. Pray be cautious II nv
husband should discover this correspondence. I
cannot answer for the consequence Though
he has never ill.treated me, know him to DO
hard man. Let mo hear from you soon
-, "Yours.'
The name was illegible, for the sheet "a muuh
discoIored and blotted by rain. But it was I.u.
cy's foe delicate chirography; aud I
felt as ii athunderbolt had broken around me.
After moments blank bewilderment. and
strange, bewildering PAIN put the sheet in nv
pocket, and quietly continued my way Such q
nooa OF emotion was stirred within me, that I
summoned superficial calmness from an instinct
OF sef-prcservation.
was conscious of one predominant feeling az
"en' TO the clty-hatred against my wife for
her duplicity. must have looked wretchedly
haI IA