National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-05-12
TIE PASSING CLOUD.

Do YOU want me to get anything fol
you in town y
Andrew Thurston spoke very calmly
and chance listener might have thought
that he spoke kindly. He certainly spok,
deierentially but his lips were compressed
and there were lines upon his brow which
were not usual Ordinarily he would have
.aid, as he drew on his glove: 50 Now, my
love- what can get for you in town 2
and he would have spoken gayly and
frankly, with sprightliness and sparkle; fol
they had been married not year yet, and
only the day before Andrew had declared
that they would never outliye their honey
moon. Ellie he said with a kiss, ''when
We cease to love, we shall have ceased TO
i've; for life could be nothing without
oyen
But now cloud had come-very small
n tirst-not bigger than a mans hand
but vet cloud. Ellie had never com
planned Of fatigue or WEAKNESS, and yet she
was far from robust. On this particular
morning she had arisen with an aching
head but she did not mention it. She did
not smile as was her wont, and her husband
asked her what was the matter. His ques-
ton seemed to imply that her manner had
iretted him-there was almost an accusation
init - and she replied, rather shortly =
Nothing"
But there must be something" said he,
"What is it ln
This, to his wife, rendered over suscepti-
bic by her headache, seemed disputine OF
tler word, and she answered . tell you
nothing
" But Ellie" he said, "you wouldn't act
so If there was nothing the matter"
" Act how 2" demanded his wife, flushing
under this direct charge. "What have
dat
What could her husband reply to this
What single act of hers-what word, even,
could he point out ? Something in her
manner had Jared upon the sensitive chords
o his heart, and a cloud had come between
them; but how could he tell it2 How
could he give to another an idea of that
winch had no form nor substance, and
which he had only perceived because it
dropped discord into the exquisite har-
mony Of his jealous love He could make
ID plausible answer and this fretted him
,tlll more
"Oh, nothing, nothing" he said, drawing
back If You don't choose to confide in
me, all right"
Ills wfe's eyes flashed now, and she
spoke qmckly-spoke so quickly, and so
',Ingly, that her husband was. in turn,
offended; and, with hasty word upon his
NiS he went cut into the hall, and made
ready for the city, which was but few
miles distant from his suburban residence.
v hen Andrew Thurston re-, altered the
N,lng-room, with his hat in his hand, he
a'hed the question we have already heard,
10 You want me TO get anything for you
IN town p
How cold his voice sounded to his wife,
Mlo WI sat, with bowed and aching head, by
,u ,le curtained window. 1t did not sound
uAe the voice of her husband, and she did
u'' look up. She would wait until he
'i'e to kiss her, as he always did before |
~ went away, and then she might be able |
u 'peak-to speak upon his bosom, where
e could hide her face-but she dared not I
NN' her voice now. She knew she should .
! IL she spoke, and she would not have /
:. husband see her do that if he were
fbg'y with her But he did not come to
n.l' lie turned away without another
wore, and was gone.
andrew Thurston knew that his ,wlte
d5 ,ri'' have heard his question, and as she
l.: not Immediately answer, he allowed
! anger to express itself in a slam OF the
I,% 1,' as he went out. He pulled on his
5,o.eS 5,o.' very vigorously, and stepped off with
.,vlsafed Ivy, strides. But not so long. The
~ ~ morning air famed his brow with a
a. ing influence, and he began to think.
missed something. For the first time
1--WE he had been married he was going
>na rom home without his wife's kiss.
bo.! bmely cloud had arisen upon the domestic
c1rr1 '1oh' and something like a storm had
saJ upon their peace. He was unhappy;
ynI he more he mcditated, the more
'-lappy he became.
R,,. i'ne was to blame" he said to himself
,, lazy, ',lls did not heal his wound Il may
,rr.I & Deen hasty," he acknowledged, afteI
'ner recollection. /" But still" he as
SL TL himself, = she irritated me"
.,,,h;. I;!s ne reacked point very far from
IIe an" OF satisfactory IN its influence.
sll,,s ""s forced to acknowledge that he had
Il, s''.'i "gI himself, in a moment of irritation
On, PeaA hastily and unkindly. When h
CO. ,'e' the train he took his seat in a
eys- and pulled his hat down over his
lie did not wish to converse When