The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-10-07
TAKEN AT HIS WORD.

! UNLESS YOU READ 1T AFTERWARD!
TAKEN AT HIS WORD.
Nellie Palmer was lying on the lounge in
her pretty bedroom, crying. and looking
very unhappy. And yet she had been mar
ried only six months; and to such nice,
handsome man," as all the young ladies
declared, that surely she ought to have
been happy with him. And so she had
| been, until-until, to tell the truth-Mr.
Bob Palmer forgetting, or seeming to for
get, that he was married man, had
recently taken to flirting with these very
young ladies' at all the fairs and parties of
Middleton, leaving his wife to take care of
herself. Surely it was enough to make
any six months wife cry-especially one SO
sensitive as Nellie.
Not that Mr.. Robert Palmer loved his
little wife bit less than on the day OF
his marriage-neither that Nellie suspected
him of it, or for a moment doubted his
morals, any more than she did his con-
stancy. But Mr.. Palmer was gay young
man, and loved to amuse himself and to be
amused. He liked the society of pretty
and lively women, both married and single,
and in word, he liked to tlirt and saw no
harm in it. So, while he hung over the
young ladies' chairs, laughing and paying
gay compliments, or promenading the halls
and piazzas with the young married ladies,
his wife would be looking over photo
graph album, or conversing solemnly with
some old gentleman, or noticing some shy
and awkward child, while pretending to be
unconscious of her husbar ID s proceedings.
Not that she was compelle ID to employ her.
self in this dull way-she, usually so bright
and pretty, and agreeable-but she had no
heart for anything else now. Of late all
her liveliness and chattiness had left her,
and she answered absently, and smiled
listlessly, and if compelled to dance OF
sing, did so out of time and out of tune,
to her husbands great vexation. 1t is
thus that many young wife settles down
into dull and faded old wol nan, whilst her
husband grows handsomer and hearter,
and wonders what on earth could have SO
changed her.
"Hollo! been crying again, declared
exclaimed Mr.. Bob Palmer, uddenly ceas-
ing his little whistle, as he entered the
room, on returning from his office
whats the trouble now, Nellie? Canary
refused to sing, or Madame vi. ,lina not put
flowers enough in your new be ,nnet 90
ooh, Bob, how can you9" sobbed poor
Nellie, beginning afresh.
"Look here, Ellen" said her husband,
sitting down on her lounge, and speaking
more seriously; 81 don't like this at ALL
I never come home that your eyes are not
red and swollen with crying. What have
you to cry about, should like to know p
It's an insult to me to 60 sniveling about
the house after this fashion, and moping
away in corners, looking sullen and miser-
able, as you did last night, at NJ rs Maclins.
Why, people will think me perfect domes-
tic tyrant.''
"Ah, Bob, don't speak so! I can't help
it, indeed. do feel so miserable. You
make me so, Bob!''
"I Well, that is rich! Perhap; you'll
be good enough to let me know of what
enormity I've been guilty, that has turned
you into modern Niobe?''
Nothing really wrong, dear: but, oh
if you knew how much wife thinks of her
husbands love, and" here poor Nellie
broke down again. Mr.. Palmer's eyes
opened very wide.
When!t" whistied he, elf this isn't
really absurd. So, she's ijealous!''
"Indeed no, dear Bob, but-but-" she
could hardly speak for the checking in her
throat-"you can't understand the PR de a
woman takes in having her husband reat
her with affection and respect before Q, cry
one, or how it humbles and mortifes ,1el
to be neglected by him, and have other
women consider themselves her rivals
like Isabel Vaden."
Mr.. Bob Palmer laughed outright, and
then he grew angry.
"You are an absurd little fool, Nellie, -
he said. GAS if Isabel Walden were any
thing to me beyond lively and an agree
able young woman to amuse ones self with
at party. Nonsense!''
"She don't think so.' said Nellie; "and
and the others don't think so. They all
think you are getting tired of your wife,
and Isabel flatters herself that she has cut
me out, and is trying to let people know
it."
"FiddlesticksH' said Bob, rising impa-
tiently from the lounge. "Pm astouished
at you, Nellie, and had really given you
credit for more sense, as we'll as temper"
he added, more severely. 81 wish you d
amuse yourself in society, as l do, instead
of going moping about in this fashion,
! You can't expect to have me tied to your
apron-strings; and I'd much rather see you
flirting little yourself, than skulking away
in holes and corners, like a spider, watch
ing your butterfly of a husband, to see il
you can't detect him in doing wrong. You
make me quite ashamed of you, 1 declare. >
Mr.. Palmer took his hat and walked out
of the room with an air of mingled dig
nifty and injured innocense. His wife sal
up, wiped away her tears, and unused a while
with eyes flashing and cheeks flushed will
wounded and indignant feeling.
EYES," she said to herself, "si1,ce HI
has requested it, ,niN amuse myself 'a'
he does, and see how he likes it! Ashdntet
of me, is he ?" And he did not used to b
so when was gay and happy. Oh, Bob