Middletown transcript., 1870-07-09
Popular Iales.
WHAT CAME OF MY JEALOUSY.

l.
1t was misty, yet sweet, September
night. / can see the sky hung over our
cottage home, starry blue, with here and
there patch of white, floating gossamcr
and the harvest-moon coming up and
flooding all the world with golden splen-
dor. | remember how the crimson roses
hung above the doorway, heavy with
their own sweetness; and what suggestive
odors fioated up from the fower-beds in
the dim, old garden l can even remcm-
Der the dress in which my husband loved
me best. Did he love me at all? Or
was it my yellow gold that won him?
Immediately ly after our marriage we went
to Europe, where we rambed about for a
year or two, wintering in Rome, and
spending our summers amid the Alps.
Then we returned home. But the no.
madic spirit was still upon US, and we
took what our own country afforded in
the way of gypsy life. In the midst of
this wandering, in a little country town
amid the lakes, my first trouble came
On the second day of our sojourn at this
place, to which we had come in accord
ance with my husbands wish, Imissed him.
He was fishing for trout, one of our party
suggested and in the afternoon we stroll
ed down toward the stream. Passing a
small cottage, we heard voices, and some
thing familiar made me glance that way
There they stood, side by side, my hus-
band and a woman-a young woman, with
glossy, raven hair I passed on in 81
lence; but that night, when my husband
returned and sought me, | was reserved
and cold; [ refused to dance, and would
not sing for him. He followed me from
place to place, his eyes full of grave solic-
itude. The instant we were in our own
room, he caught my hand in his
My darling" he said, I" what trou-
bles you ?"
For my life 7 could not tell him.
was afraid to let him know that doubted
his integrity.
Horace" I questioned, timidly, g do
you love me ?"
His fine eyes opened wide with aston
ishment. But he answered passionately.
e" Love you 2" Ay, better than you
will ever know, Violet"
" Did you-have you ever loved any
one else ?' I faltercd.
Never, Violet, on my honor"
was happy, yet not entirely satisfied.
I was a woman Eve ate the forbidden
fruit with Paradise all around her
=" Then who was it, | faltered, that
woman-I saw you with-this after
noon ?"
He started, and flushed very red for a
moment, then he laughed.
"Oh! he said, Jealous, are you ?-I
am sure you love me. But, seriously,
dear, | ought to have apologized for my
long absence. That woman was a friend,
an old friend of mine-she's in distress,
and | had to help her. Are you salts
fed %
I nodded my head in assent, yet my
heart was not quite at rest. After that
we went down to our little sca-home, and
settled into sober, married life; and for
months our bliss was perfect and then
that dreadful night came
Horace had been gone all day. He did
not come home to dinner, as was his Gus
tom; so after having ordered tea, dressed
myself, and sat down on the rose-shaded
porch to await him. Sunset, dusk, eve-
ming; the moon soaring up above the sea
Still he did not come. Dinner and sup
per had both spoiled; the flowers in my
hair were fading, and was sick and wea-
ry with waiting and suspense. Horace
had never remained away so long since
our marriage. What could detain him
so Very slowly the night went by
Twelve o'clock came, the moon dropped
out of sight, leaving me in darkness An
owl hooted from the top of the willow,
and the surf beat with weary, sobbing
sound.
I worked myself up into perfect tre-
NOR of alarm and nervous excitement,
and by degrees the old doubt, or fear, or
whatever it was, stole back to my mind |
My husband was cruel to keep me in such
suspense. He did not love me! 1t nev-
er occurred to me that he might be de-
tanned against his will When, at last,
the clock was on tho stroke of three, |
caug BIT the quick tramp of his horses feet.
But it did not greatly relieve me. | felt
angry, and instead of running down to
meet him, as my woman's nature prompt
ed me, 1 yielded to my pottcd, wayward |