The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1871-03-23
Chr eGanilp Gnrle.
NV Jealousy.

] a
! az sky as it hung over our cottage
90 home, starry blue, with here and
there n patch Of white, floating gos
samer; and the harvest moon com
ing up and flooding all the world
with golden splendor. remember
how the crimson roses hung above
the doorway, heavy with their own
sweetness; and what suggestive
odors hoated up from the flower
beds in the dim old garden. I can
even remember the dress I wore,
pure white, because that was the
dress in which my husband loved
me best. Did he love me atall?-
Or was it my yellow gold that won
him?
Immediately after our marriage
We went to Europe, where we ram
bled about for year or two, win
tering in Rome, and spending our
summers amid the Alps. Then we
returned home. But the nomadic
spirit was upon us, and we took
what our country afforded in the
way of gypsy life. In the midst of
this wandering, in a little country
town amid the lakes, my first trou-
bic came. On the second day Of my
sojourn at this place, to which we
had come in accordance with my
husbands wish, 1 missed him. He
was fishing for trout, one of our
party suggested; and in the after
noon we strolled down toward the
stream. Passing a small cottage,
we heard voices, and something
familiar made me glance that way.
There stood, side by side, my hus-
band and a woman-a young wo-
man, with glossy, raven hair? 1
passed on in silence; but that night
when my husband returned and
sought me was reserved and cold.
1 refused to dance and 1 would not
sing for him. He followed me from
place to place, his eyes full of grave
solicitude. The instant we were in
our own room, he caught my hand
in his.
MY darling" he said, @what
troubles your
For my life I could not tell him.
I was afraid to let him know that
doubted his integrity.
Horace I questioned, timidly,
''do you love meY'
His fine EYES opened wide with
astonishment. But he answered
passionately:-
Love you? Ay; better than you
will ever know, Violet"
did you-have you ever loved
any one else?' faltered.
"Neyer, Violet, on my honor"
I was happy, yet not entirely salts
fed. 1 was woman. Eve ate the
forbidden fruit with paradise all
around her.
Then who was it." 1 faltered,
"that woman-I saw you with-this
afternoonY'
He started and flushed very red
for a moment; then he laughed.
"Oh," he said, jealous, are you?
Then 1 am sure you love me. But
seriously, dear, I ought to have
apologized for my long absence
That woman was a friend, an old
friend of mine-she's in distress
and 1 had to help her. Are you
satisfedY'
nodded my head in assent yet
my heart was not quite at rest. At
ter that we went down to our little
sea home and settled into 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 custom; so, after having or
dered tea, / dressed myself and sat
down on the rose shaded porch to
await him. Sunset, dusk, evening;
the moon soaring up above the sea
Still he did not come. Dinner and
supper had both spoiled; the flow
ers in my hair were fading, and I
was sick with weary waiting and
suspense. Horace had never re
mained away so long since our mar
riage. What could detain him sol
Very slowly the night went by. u
o'clock came, the moon dropped
from sight, leaving me in darkness.
An owl hooted from the top of the
old willow and the surf beat with q
heavy, sobbing sound.
I worked myself up into perfect
tremor of alarm and nervous excite
ment 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 sus-
/ pense. He did not love me! Ii
never occurred to me that he might
be detained against his viii.
When, at last, the clock was on
the stroke Of three. I caught tho
/ quick tramp Of his horses feet
But it did not greatly relieve me-
1 felt angry and instead of running
down to meet him, as my woman.
nature prompted me, l yielded tC