The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1871-08-17
ry bushes, she read, through happy
tears, these beautiful words =

4
| with inclOse for it our check for forty-seYen
| dollars and hfty-cents. Yours, etc"
There was crisp, orange-lettered
| check, the more than realization of
her widest hopesi She felt that these
editors were her dearest friends, and
longed to do something to express
| her gratitude to them. 1t was almost
too good to be true and, as she walk
ed happily home, one hand in her
pocket clasping the wonderful letter,
she feared she should wake and find
1t all a dream. Going in, she found
on the table her husbands hat and an
unopened letter, with Liverpool
| postmark, addressed to her in Tom
LaWrence's Well-knoWu hand-Writ-
ing. Of course it was from Carrie !;
| she never aCOWEd direct her own let
ters. But where was Robert? She
went through parlor and sitting
room seeking him, tearing open the
letter meanwhile. Not finding him,
she was about going up stairs; but
| remembering the precious check in
her pocket, turned back smiling
| happily as she recalled its contents,
and locked it safely in her desk, quite
unaware that Robert was watching
her from behind the bay window
curtains. Yes, he had seen her come
in, more joyously than for weeks
past, with Toms letter open in her
hand seen her look carefully about
! the rooms, hastily secrete q billet in
her desk, and pocket the key. She
never used to lock that desk, or have
any secrets. To be sure, she showed
him her letter afterWard, but that was
| franz 4 ha SYo1O~,,,,c
fully hidden, was doubtless from
Tom. And yet, while all his worst
fears were thus revived, Annie's eyes
were so pure and true, her manner so
loving and happy, he could not doubt
her long. After night of reflection
he resolved that if she had a secret it
could not be an unworthy one he
would trust her and respect it. If
her heart ever did regret its choice,
he would win her back by patient
tenderness; for he well knew that if
ever man had guardian angel, his
little wife was his.
Now followed many happy weeks,
during which Annie showed no alb
| sence of mind, made no mysterious
| journeys, received no private letters.
| Roberts resolutions were easily kept
and he almost forgot the perturba-
tiOns of the summer. Coming home by
an earlier train than usual one frOs-
ty evening in November, as he turned
| up the hill from the station he saw
his wife, a few rods before him, COM
ing from the post office with a letter
| in her hand. She went slowly home
ward, reading as she waMed, too
| much absorbed to hear him behind
| her. What can interest her so ?' he
| wondered. Just then the envelope.
q common yellow one, fell from her
hand, fluttered down the icy path to-
ward him. lie picked it up, intend
| ing to laugh at her carelessness, but
| the one glance at the address drove
all color from his face, all testing
| from his mind. "Mrs. CYNTHIA Sui
livan," in strange, masculine hand.
! For moment Robert stood still: the
November night seemed to close dark
| and cold around him with q chill that
penetrated to his heart. Looking up
| at last, he saw his wife's light figure
for an instance on top of the hill clear
| ly traced against the lowering sky ::
| then it turned into their own avenue
and disappeared. Sintram-Iikc The
husband stood listening to the demon
within him. Every half forgotten
mystery rose as an accusation against
poor Annie, carrying all good reso-
lutions away like a flood. " A secret
correspondence! A feigned name!
| What could it all mean ?" Crushing
the hateful envelope III his hand, he
strCde tiercely on, determined to
show it to her and demand to be told
all. He reached his gate just as An
ME entered the house. The light from
within cleaned down the path mo-
ment, then the door closed, and all
was dark and cold.
''She does WELL" muttcred Robert,
bitterly: 'she shut me out Other con-
fidence long ago."
Suddenly the door re-opened.-
Annie came quickly out and down
the avenue toward him. Does she
see him? Oh no! She is searching
for the lost envelope. Her husband
drew back into the shadow of the
hedge, watching unseen her flurried
motions.
"What shall l do ?' she exclaimed,
in low, troubled tone, close beside
him.
His jealous mood swept over him
like a wave; he stepped suddenly
out before her, saying, in cold, hard
voice, as he thrust forward the en-
velope:
'Perhaps Mjs is what you have
| Iost!"
His unexpected appearance, pas
siOnate gesture and rude tone gave
Annie a terrible shock. Starting
backward, catching her breath with
a gasp of fright and pain, she lost
her footing on the icy slope, and fell
down an embankment of several fee .
to the carriage drive beloNZ Terri
fed and remOrseful, Robert was be-
side her instantly, only to find her
: lying, white and silent, on her side,
her left arm broken under her,
, Neither of them ever knew very
clearly what happened during the
> next half hour. Robert took his
wife into the house. The doctor
came, set her arm, prescribed for a
/, disposition to fever, and ordered en-
, tire quiet. Annie scarcely spoke.
t The doctor was surprised TO see one
, so usually bright and brave now ap-
2 parently entirely subdued with pain.
} How could the good man know that
5 the husband, whose loving concern
7 was shown in every look and move
| mcut, had been the cause of the acci-
dent and of the mental distress, be-
t side which the physical pain was as
/ nothing? Annie had been perfectly
} aware of her husbands state OF mind
5 when he sprang out upon her. She
! knew that ne suspected her OF some
2 thing wrong; that he was angry
= ! had preiudged her cruelty. With
r oil Ior sweetness of fpmugT and
: warmth of heart, she had a good
| share OF personal dignity and wo-
: wanly pride; and to be condemned