Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-11-27


Lakeside, where Ethel reigned the yer,
queen of hospitality, and time few b,
on golden pinions.
Lord of all the beautiful country h.
surveyed for miles around, the enviet
possessor of a wife whom to see was t,
love. surrounded by every luxury hear
could desire, one would have though
Max Warmers earthly cup of Joy wa
full. But there was one thing needfu
to complete the happiness and thi
was a yacht. So he purchased tin,
vessel and named her sThe E5hel,n IL
honor of his lovely bride, who did no
feel so much fattered, however, whe1
she found that her iranimate uamesak.
mad become most powerful rival il
her husbands affections.
At first, with gay party of ladies
and gentlemen. it was very pleasant tx
spend a day or two on the water, in tn,
fair weather, but Ethel and one or two
other ladies were timid if the wint
was at all high, and often excused
themselves from going and so it came
to pass that the gentlemen went off b,
themselves, and suspect were ungal
liant enough to enjoy their freedom
With Max this pastime amounted tt
perfect passion, and he spent nearly al
his time on the water. Occupied will
her duties as hostess, Ethel was forced
to appear smiling and happy, and tt
provide for the pleasure of those
around her, but when their guests hao
departed, how lonely the young wife
felt, how often she recalled the days,
such little while ago, when Max could
not be happy away from her side. How
deserted seemed her beautiful home.
Even the servants felt no envy for theil
young mistress, who, 'Fclad in purple
and fine linen, Jared sumptuously eve
ry day." or might have SO Jared if hel
heart had not been so heavy. All day
long she sat at the window, looking
down the willow-fringed road watch.
ing for the white wings of 'sThe Ethel, >
which was absent weeks, often months,
at time.
How glad was she to see him when
he came, this truant Max. How alter.
nately she petted and scolded him.
Poor Ethel, young and inexperienced,
did not have your or my wise head on
her shoulders, or she would have done
differently. IF she had only pretended
to be delighted with yachting, and
urged him to go and enjoy himself if
she had provided nice cushions for the
detested "Ethel,'' and warm wraps for
Max, and buttoned him up in his
dreadnaught, and showed him out of
the front door with prayer for a good
breeze to help him along, that
consistent biped would just have sat
down on the first stump he came to and
wondered what in the world she wanted
TO get rid of him for, ana the matter
would have ended by his giving up
that trip at least.
At first he answered her reproaches
with renewed protestations of love, but
at last by seeking refuge i'll the COM
pany of her inanimate rival
One day, after more stormy inter
view than usual between the young
people, Max went off in one of his fits
of temper, and Ethel, angry and bitter
at heart, resolved that it should be
the last time that she should be treated
So.
That very day this imperfect, high
spirited, naughty, spoiled beauty set
about preparations for a journey.
When trunks were all packed, locked
and strapped, she sat down to have a
good cry before proceeding to the most
difficult part of the task she had
imposed upon herself She unlocked
casket of ebony and took from it a
package of letters, and far into the
night she sat reading them, her blue
eyes raining bitter tears the while
Selecting one or two, she retired the
others with their silken string and re-
turned them to the casket, together
with tiny watch, set of diamonds,
her husbands wedding gifts, and other
jewels, all presents in the early days
of their marriage. She then wrote a
short note, and directed that this, to-
gether with the casket, should be giveE
to Mr.. Warner on his return. Next
morning at an early hour she took her
departure, and SO bravely had she
borne herself that even those domestic
spies, her servants, did not suspect
that their young mistress was going
away from her husbands home with
the intention of never entering it's doors
again.
Max, having his sulk out, returned
more than half resolved to mend his
way for the future his conscience had
troubled him not little, and he had
not enjoyed his last cruise as much as
usual. sEBut," he soliloquized, as he
drew near home, ''why can't Ethel let
a fellow enjoy himself. never inter
fere With her. Now, if she were to take
it into her head to go off for a visit, I'd
say, HGod bless you, my dear, go and
enjoy yourself But these women,
when they love fellow, are never con-
tent unless he's tied to their apron
strings" and he began to think him self
the injured party by the time he had
reached the foot of the hill. He miss
ed the little white figure which usually
ran down to meet him, and the chilly,
deserted air of the house, when once
within it's doors, half prepared him for
the servants answer to his inquiry for
his wife, that Mrs. Warner had gone to
the city on a visit several days since.
all forgetful of his nice little speech
on his way home, Max Warner was
half inclined to be angry that his wife
should absent herself for any length of
time without consulting him. Consult
him, indeed! when he was away on the
wings of the wind, goodness knows
where. But the angry feeling soon
gave way to one of mingled grief and
self-reproach when he opened Ethels
letter and read:
"DEAR MAX Il can no longer live
as [ have lived for SO many months; so
/ shall cure what cannot endure, and
the only remedy I fnd is fight. Do
not try to find me, for shall put the
ocean between us, and IN some retired
spot shall try to forget the one who
vowed to love and cherish me, but who
deserted mefor toy
"May ..The Ethel spread her white
wings over and carry you safely through
all llfe's storms, and be to you what [
can no longer be,
"Yenrs only, ETHEL
Poor Max sat half stupified for few
trying to make out what it all
meant Could it be possible that his
poor wife had been SO unhappy as to
have been driven to so desperate a
step2 Had she really intended to leave
him forever? Impossible! She only
meant to try him, and was in all proba-