The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-11-02
MY HUSBANDS FIRST LOVE.

SAID the letter Jnat my husband, Walter
Eth, ridge, of the law firm of Masons s.
Etherldge, tossed carelessly into my lap,
after rapid glance at the daintily writ
IN pages.
She was Miriam Delamater.
And Miriam Deamater was my hus-
bands first love.
Now, Walter and I had never talked
about the matter. How could I talk
about it? would not. More than once
when we were first married, he had spoken
me OF his fathers ward, with whom he
had grown mp from boyhood, and who
bad been almost as ii sister to him. But
my lip, even during our blissful honey
moon, had curled incrednlously as he said
his, and [ nad speedily turned the con.
!erSation into a different channel.
But knew all about it, nevertheless
| had learned that long before he had
known me, his first love bad bowed at the
shrine Of this stately maiden. this peerless
blonde beauty. | knew that [ had not
been his first love, and that this girl, Mir
am De!amatrr, had been
| And now she was coming to see us!
wondered if Walter did not perceive
hat / was troubled, and il he did not
share N some degree, as a mans nature
might, my own unrest? But no. He sat
sIpplng his coffee and running his eve
over the latest dispatches from the seat
OF war, as y acidy as ever Presently he
rose. METZ holds out WE'LL" he said,
E" but the siege cannot last much longer.
When did Miriam say she was coming ?"
and he took mp 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 Englesby'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 a very supc-
rior 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 that / did not like it
was superior" woman
But there was little time for thinking
or re9retting. 4 wall from the nursery
summoned me up stairs to the relief or
my good, faithful Hannah, who was try
ing to quiet the baby while her thoughts
were in the kitchen.
I'm glad you've come, Miss Barbara"
she said. shall be only Miss Barbara to
her-the child she had loved and tended
as long as We both live. "This boys
a-teethen, just as true as preachen' He'd
never worry so If he want But take him
child for the bread is riz, and it's time il
was in the Oven."
1t was a hot, breathless morning. Sit
ting down by the window with little
Allie on my lap, re-read Miss Delama
tcr'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 beauty
years ago. Now that you have crowned
her queen OF heats, am doubly ANXIOUS
to know her"
doubted whether the fair writer bad
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 stored hills
around her, news had come to her that
her old friend and companion had taken
unto himself wife. AS for the ravingI
about my "grace and beauty" in the quiet
country bone where Walter had found
me, that mode of procedure was not the
fashion. Perhaps did my coming guest
great injustice, but / telt as if the pretty
speech was made simply for effect and |
fear it hardened my heart against her.
| tried to feel that there was species
OF indelicacy, a lack of true womanly feel
ing indicated by the approaching visit
How could she thus thrust her unwelcpme
presence-Inwelcome at least to me-
into our home? But moment of ref1ec.
ton showed me the absurdity of that idea.
Walters father had been her guardian.
AS boy and girl they had played togeth-
er, sang together, studied together.
Whether or no any warmer feeling had
ever found lodging in her heart, there
could be but little doubt that she cher.
ished for him something closely akin to a
sisterly affection. 1t was right that, after
her five years of travel, she should, if she
wished, come to his home as to brothers.
and find welcome there.
And as tor my good, noble, true.hearted
husband, could not trust him?
SO thrust the demon jealousy into my
hearts darkest closet, and turned the KEY
upon him. No ray flight should 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 un-
Uaneled.
Allie betook himself to his nap at last,
and then, ION hospltable thoughts intent"
[ went in pursuit of Hannah. The dark
mood of the early morning had passed,
and 1 flew about my small house only
intent upon making il fair and nreo.nt