Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1871-06-30
MY HUSBANDS FIRST LOVE.

Ah OODAhD ~ hO
She was coming to make us visit
so said the letter that my husband, Wal
ter Etheridge, of the law firm of Ma
son & Etheridge, tossed carelessly into
my lap, after rapid glance at the dain-
tily written pages.
She was Miriam Delamater.
And Miriam Delamater was my hus-
bands first love.
Now Walter and had never talked
about the matter. How could | talk
about it? [ Uould not. More than once,
when we were first married, he had spo-
ken to me of his fathers ward, with
whom he had grown up from boyhood,
and who had been almost as q sister to
him. But my lip, even during our blis-
full honeymoon, had curled incredulous,
as he said this, and | had speedily
turned the conversation into different
channel.
But | knew all about it, nevertheless.
had learned that long before he had
known me his love had bowed at the
shrine of this stately maiden, this peer
less blonde beauty. [ knew that had
not been his first love, and that this girl,
UlIlO N1ll KILL bClcbltlcbUtl3 HtA OGClls
And now she was coming to see us
I wondered if Walter did not perceive
that was troubled, and if he did not
share in some degree, as mans nature
might, my own unrest? But no. He
sat slipping his coffee and running his
eye over the latest dispatches from the
seat of war, as placidly as ever. Pres
entity he rose.
"Metz holds out we'll, )" he said, "but
the siege cannot last much longer.
When did Miriam say she way com
ing ?"-and he took up the letter.
"To-morrow-no, to-day" answered,
as we glanced down the page together.
This is the 18th. She will be here on
the evening express"
"That suit of Engleby's comes on at
one o'clock" he said, taking up his hat,
"and fear we shall not be through at
five. But never mind. will manage
to meet her at the depot, somehow.
am glad she is coming, Barbara. You are
so lonely sometimes, and she is very
superior woman. | am sure you will
like her."
He kissed me hastily, and hurried
away to the office.
Heaven save the mark If there was
anything on earth | did not like, ii was
superior" woman!
But there was little time for thinking
or regretting. A wall from the nursery
summoned me upstairs to the relief OF
my good, faithful Hannah, who was try
ing to quiet the baby while her thoughts
were in the kitchen.
"I Pm glad you've come, Miss Barba-
ra," she said. shall be only Miss Bar
bara to her-the child she had loved
and tended-as long as we both live.
"This boys a-teethin', just as true as
preachin'. He'd never worry SO if he
want But take him, child, for the
bread is riz, and it's time it was in the
even."
1t was a hot, breathless morning.
Sitting down by the window with little
Allie on my lap, re read Miss Delama-
ter's letter, lingering longest over this
passage =
"Do give my love to your wife. l re-
member hearing the young men rave
about Barbara Wilson's grace and beau
ty years ago. Now that you have
| crowned her queen of hearts, | am
UOuDly dIlAIOuS W hIIOW H6I.
| doubted whether the fair writer had
even so much as heard of me until the
day when, standing beneath the shadow
of st. Peters, with the blue skies OF
Rome above her head, and its storied
hills around her, news had come to her
that her old friend and companion had
taken unto himself wife. As for the
raving about my "grace and beauty
in the quiet country home whele Wal
| ter had found me, that mode of proceed
ure was not the fashion. Perhaps | die,
my coming guest great injustice, but
felt as if the pretty speech was made
for effect; and l fear it hardened my
heart against her,
I tried to feel that there was species
of indelicacy, a lack of true womanly
feeling indicated by the approaching
visit. How could she thus thrust hel
unwelcome presence-unwelcome al
least to me-into our home? But g
moment of reflection showed me the
absurdity of that idea. Walters father
had been her guardian. As boy and
| girl they had played together. Whether
| or no any warmer feeling had ever found
lodging in her heart, there, could be lit
tie doubt that she cherished for him
something closely akin to sisters af
fection. 1t was right that, after her five
years of travel, she should if she wished
come to his home as to a brothers, and
find welcome there.
And as for my good, noble, true-heart
| ed husband, could not trust him?
So l thrust the demon of jealousy in
| To 4 IL tY1r a
the key upon him. No ray of light
could visit him; no breath of air should
strengthen and vivify him; no voice
should break the silence to which |
committed him. He should die there,
unshrined and unenameled.
Allie betook himself to his nap at
last, and then, "on hospitable thoughts
intent" went in pursuit of Hannah.