The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1870-03-24


"Of course am! !"
| looked down c0mplacently at my
dress of pink Grape, dewdropped over
with crystal, and the trails of pink "a
zlleas that caught up its folds here and
| there. a diamond bracelet encircled
the one white arm, and little cross
bIazed titfuIly on my throat. had
never looked better, and felt sort of
girlsh pride as my eyes met the airy
reflection in the mirror.
'Come, Gerald, make haste Why.
you haven't begun to dress yet !"
Where were my wifely instincts that
| | did not see the haggard, drawn look
in his features-the fevered light in
his eye? ?''
~ can't go tonight, Madeline-I am
not well enough"
"YOu are never well enough to o.
bige me, Gerald. am tired of being
put off with such excuses"
| He made no answer, but dropped his
head ia MS hands, on the table before
| him.
"Oh, come, Gerald" urged petu
! lantly; lit is so awkward for me to go
alone Arrays"
He shook his head listlessly.
81 thought, perhaps, you would be
willing to remain at home with me,
Madeline"
"Men are so selfish" / said, plain
lively; land | am all dressed. Claudia
took a half hour for my hair. ! dare
say you are determined not to go"
No answer again.
"WeIl, if you choose to be sullen, |
can't help it," | said lightly, a. Fturn-
Ell and went out OF the room, adjusting
my boquet holder, the tube-rose and
heliotrope3 seemed to distil incense at
at every motion.
Was / heartlesS and cruel Had /
ceased to love my husband? From
the bottom of my heart | believed that
[ loved him truly and tenderly as ev-
er IA wife did but / had been so spoiled
and petted all my brief selfish life, that
the better Instincts were, SO to speak,
| entorned alive.
l went to the party and had my fill
of adulation and homage, as usual.
The hours seemed to glide away,
shod with roses, aud winged with mu-
| sic and perfume; aud it was not until
wearied with dancing, / sought a mo-
mentary refuge in the half-lghted tea
,onl, that | heard words awakening
me, as ii were from dreatn.
Gerald Glen !"
| / could not we'll be mistaken in the
name-it was scarcely common place
enough for that. They were talning
two or three busiuess-like-loOking
| gentlemen-in the ball without; and
could catch, now and then, fugitive
word or phrase.
"Fine. enterprising young fellow y
-"Creat pity !'-"Totally ruined; 20
/ Bpss and MrMorken says "-" "Reck-
Ies5ness and extravaganza of his wife ~
All these vague fragme-tS | heard ;
and hen stme one said:
"And what is he going to do nOw ~
"What can he do? Poor fellow!
am sorry but he s1ould have caIcuIa-
ted his iacome and expenses better"
"Or his wife should. Oh, these wo'
men! they lie at the bottom Of all
man 5 troubl9"'
And they laughed. Oh, how could
they? / had yet to learn how easy II
l., in this world, to bear other poople's
troubles.
rose hurriedly up, with my heart
heating tumnltuously beneath the pink
azaleas, and went back to the lighted
saloon. bsr, Albany Moore was wal
ting to claim nay hand for the next
dance, Are you ill, Mrs. Glen? How
pale 20
IL an, not very well. l wish you
would have my carriage called, Mr.
Moore"
For now / thought that home was
the proper place for me.
Hurried by some unaccountable i'm
pulse, | sprang out the moment The
clrriage wheels touched the curhstcne
and rushed up to my husbands room
Tae door was locked, but could see I
light shining family under the thres
hold, ] Knocked wildly and persistent
ly.
"Gerald, dear Gerald! for Heavens
sake, let me in"
+! Something fell on the marble hearth
stone within making IL metaiic click
aud my husband 6Hened the door ~
tie. had never seen hi,it. ldoK 80 i'a''
before or so rigid, yet so detern, ned
"Who are you?p he demanded WIZ
| ly.
"Why can you not leave me in
peace?"
'It's /, Gerald-you Madeline-your
own little wife,"
And / caught from his hand the pis
tol he was trying to conceal in his
breast-its mate lay on the marble
hearth, under the mantei land | flung
il out of the window.
"Gerald, would you have left me?'
al would have escaped" he cried
sn, 4 half delifious, to all appearances
.I bt-disgrace-misery reproach
e,, | ,vou.d have escaped them all !!
His he afi feli weary like Il child, OF
my should 81. ! drew him gently to
sofa, and sln OtTered him with thou
sand murmL'Sed words-a Thousand
mute caresses Fer had it not beer
all my fault?