The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-12-29


steps, through the garden, jumped into
his carriage, and had driven away before
| had half recovered the stun of what
he had said.
took long walk next day. | kept
as much as possible out OF my wife's
way. The doctors mysterious conduct
had given me vague and secret misgiv-
ings about her; and sense of the
espionage meditated, duplicity inn
posed upon me as matter of conscience,
and such as | had never practiced
before in all my life, combined to en-
barrass me in her presence.
| don't know whether ii was fancy,
but thought her fine black eyes fol-
| lowed me about with steady but
stealthy suspicion all that evening, as if
she were intuitively informed of the al.
tered state of my thoughts, and knew,
with fearful anticipation, that light
was about to break in upon me.
did my best to appear unconcerned
and easy. We played our short game
ecarte as usual after tea. | read aloud
chapter Of Miss Burney's charming
novel Cecilia, and then our portion Of
the Pilgrims Progress, and, lastly, our
accustomed chapter of the Bible.
| saw her look at me, US | did so, in a
marked and suspicious way, and before
we went up stairs she asked a little ab-
! ruptly;
Are you quite well this evening"
Jerry?'
| laughed what a hypocrite | was be-
coming J as well as | was able, and
assured her that nothing was amiss with
me, that | never felt better, and only
wished that she were half as well.
She seemed satisfied and we went to
rest.
1t was my habit, ever since | had dis
covered her liability to the seizures
which have described, and which APP
peared TO me since my secret interview
with Doctor Pelham, the night before,
unspeakably more awful than ever, to
keep light burning in the room all
night. | was therefore furnished, with
out any departure from ordinary habits,
with means and opportunity of observ-
ing all that should pass.
| affected to fall into a sound sleep (;
my wife appeared to me really to do so.
! continued to lie perfectly still, and
to breathe long and deep as before. |
began to feel unaccountably nervous.
About a quarter to twelve my wife
sat up in the bed and looked at me.
had closed my eyes, except the least bit
in life. She sat still as a wax image,
looking at me. Then she leaned over
me and listened. Then softly and
lightly she slid out of bed at the far
side, without q sound, unlocked press
in the wall, and applied black bottle
to her lips.
| had risen, followed her round the
bed with noiseless tread on the thick
carpet, and before she had made three
gulps from its contents, stretched my
hand over her shoulder and SEIZED the
bottle by the neck.
| wish she had screamed; | almost
wish she had tainted | don't know
why, but her silence and stiffness
shocked me. There she stood, looking
up in my face for she covered down a
little, with horrid deprecatory smile,
and her face and Ii ps as white as death.
| think | was Us much Mortified as
she was. felt perfectly freezing with
horror.
"Give me that" | said, gently but
firmly Withdrawing the bottle from her
hand. The smell told me what it was
before l raised it, and read "best
cognac brandy on its scarlet and green
label.
| peeped into the press, or rather
closet, around which shelves ran.
Whole regiments of empty bottles,
similarly labelled, stood there, beside
some half dozen next the door, with
their seals unbroken. This | saw at a
glance. My wife attempted little
swagger, and affected indignation, but
it broke down. The case was too strong
for her. She sat down on the side of
the bed and cried cried also.
She said at last:
"I'll be better wife in the future TO
you, Jerry"
kissed her, and we cried together a
great deal.
Poor thing She made noble effort.
She was very much changed after that.
| used to see her looking at me when
she thought | was not minding, and her
fine eyes fill up with tears. | never
alluded to the occurrence. There was
good in her, and | think my forbear-
ance touched her. Our good old vicar
was often with her. She resisted brave.
ly: and, thank Heaven, quite mastered
her fault.
She was very affectionate, and seemed
to wish to make amends, as if she owed
me great reparation. ! told her never
to think of it more. | reminded her
that it was only to herself she had been
unkind, and did my best to cheer and
make her happy.
But | saw her looking at me as have
described; and sometimes she would
turn away from me suddenly, and !
knew she was in tears. She had quite
lost her gayety and seemed to have
some great care always upon her mind.
took her away for change of scene
to Rhyll. But she began to grow more
melancholy and talked as if she had no
hope of Heaven. The detection of her
mind afflicted me.
About six months after she was at.
tackled with inflammation of the lungs.
1t was an unspeakable comfort to me
that our good old vicar happened to be
visitor at Rhyll at that time. Before
she died, for it was her last illness, she
! bacapna CON, !, a 20 tivalv carana ooJ bono