Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1871-12-21

least fashionable. He wears such stylish
mits and faultLess gloves. What more
can you want ?-Oh damnation l'' and
he seemed quite choked with his own
passion.
ooh, my husband ~ 1 cried, selling
his hands, 1" do not accuse me now-I
am crushed already. Do you know
what the doctor says of Charles ?" And
had never tainted before; but all these
| troubles seemed to come over me like a
black cloud-a hand of iron grasped my
heart. The pulse stopped. All this
was death-welcome death. Anywhere
-anywhere-out of this miserable
world.
No it was not death The world
dawned on me again.
Heavy crimson curtains hung before
the windows and shut out the cold wind.
A cheerful fire of anthracite burned in
the low grate-a heap of live Goals
against the polished steel-and the glow
permeated the room with its cushioned,
crimson seats and lounges-its vases of
sculptured alabaster-its copies of an
tique sculpture and bronzes-its old
majolica and treasures of Sevres and
and Dresden. A refined air that spoke
of cultivated tastes was over all. AS
sat by the fire, with book in my hand
the great mirror reflected me-a tall,
elegant-looking woman, with rather
cold, steel eyes and blue-black hair
"a somewhat square jaw and a hard,
set expression. L was not reading, but
thinking in troubled way. The fire.
light played over my rich velvet dress
and kindled the solitaire diamond on
my hand to a sea of flame.
L. l., 80,
a sort of halfmemory that did not often
occupy myself in that way, but this time
it intimately concerned myself. What
could be the matter with him? ? He had
grown moody-he muttered odd things
in his sleep-and last, but not least, he
had refused me money. 1 would have
an explanation that very night. 1 was
not going 10 submit to it. He came in
while 1 was resolving this-looking
paler than usual, and worn and haggard.
There was wildness in his eyes, too,
which had never seen before
Cup yet, Margaret p" he said.
"Yes; L want to talk to you about
this party. Mr.. Terhune, you were not
serious this morning?"
He pressed his hands over his fore
head once as if to smooth away the nerv-
GUS contraction that worked there.
"Serious ?-yes-serious as-death, -
he muttered, as if at loss for COM
parison.
because I could not believe it, Wal
ter. The great banker, Terhune, short
of fundsI We always have grand
crush, New Years'-so-I ordered the
cards this morning"
"Do you know, Margaret, your grand
crushes have crushed your husband
body and soul-for New Years, did you
say very well, it makes no difference
now" ... . .,.
He seemed wandering, but 1 recalled
him. I" Pm glad you've grown rational
Walter; this morning you talked SO diff
) ferent."
This morning I was fool enough tc
dream that my wife would be my stay
and comfort. L see my mistake now
all is gone-all--"
: I grew really anxious. "What il
gomez" 1 cried.
"We are gone to smash. The great
: house of Terhune will be closed in 6
few days. Can you understand ?''
, It was hard to believe. 1 thought il
the frenzy of fever. "You are Sick"
said, "you rave"
! "You will see," he said "this house
' will be sold over us piece by piece o
: these treasures will pass into strangers
hands. They will let you keep you
clothes, madam; comfort yourself with
, them ~
"You seem to reproach me-" L an
swered angrilg. Am I to blame fo
, the failure ?''
He looked at me with an expression
of pain. L might tell you of extrava
; gance, Margaret-of routs and balls-o
: jewels fit for a princess"
eyes, that is like you men," I an
| e. I,
> is so sweet to throw the blame on tn
= wildly; it must be so, Walter. 1t is
sin-an awful crime; think of the chi
" dren."
/. : a do think of them," he mul
- INJURED. 81 have thought till my brai
Z is on fire.
a at is monstrous," 1 cried; "ho7
> could you venture?-but you did nc
= think of us. It is sort of insanity,
\ believe-that possesses you Speculation
- "a mental dram-drinking."
"Let us forgive one another, Ma
o garrett" he said, bearing my reproache
. meekly. "We have reason."
- But was too proud and angry-to
10 stunned by the news 1 heard-to al
,, swer. rushed up to my own room
i, a storm of rage. 1, the fashionable
5 the courted-the copied-to fall frol
u my high estate. 1, to leave all th
- - splendor which we had gathered abol
u u us-to go in some odious little by
~ ~ street to live, perhaps on one floor
y with the odor Of poor peoples dinner
-, filling the halls-to be forgotten by m
:, - countless friends Ahl L knew tt
y = world well enough for that-yet value
u u its tickle friendship. What would Ii
~ be worth? L thought only of mysel
and of the children too young yet
II know their loss-my peerless darling
i, to be thrown with common little ones
~ to have no advantagesl Oh how tt
~ thoughts surged over me, and left n
still wild-despairing rebellious!
last, 1 wore myself out pacing the flo
1 so wildly. How silent it was in Il
TX house, great hush seemed to fall {
ce everything. The clock ticked mad
on the mantel. 1t was one o'clock, al
pc 1 began to wonder vaguely what h;
become of Walter.
Angry yet, with no sotten1pg thoug
us in my heart-as if he had, with fell pr
Sc pose, done me a great wrong-I we
he down stairs strange, the gas was out.
ht opened the parlor-door and called, II
IL patiently, "Walter, do you mean
I n