Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-11-21

'ditor and Proprietor
AU!
vessel and named her "The Ethel" II
honor of his lovely bride, who did moi
feel so much flattered, however, whe1
she found that her iIanimate namesake
had become most powerful rival il
her husbands affections.
At first, with gay party of ladies
and gentlemen. it was very pleasant tc
spend day or two on the water, in the
fair weather, but Ethel and one or two
other ladies were timid if the wind
was at all high, and often excused
themselves from going and so it came
to pass that the gentlemen went off by
themselves, and suspect were ungaf.
liant enough to enjoy their freedom.
With, Max this pastime amounted to
perfect passion, and he spent nearly oil
bis time on the water. Occupied with
her duties as hostess, Ethel was forced
to appear smiling and happy, and to
provide for the pleasure OF those
around her, but when their guests had
departed, how lonely the young wife
felt, how often she recalled the days,
such q 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 their
young mistress, who, 'tclad in purple
and fine linen, Jared sumptuously eve
~ day." or might have SO Jared if he,
heart had not been SO heavy. All day
long she sat at the window, looking
down tho willow-fringed road, watch.
| ing for the white wings of ''The Ethel. .
which was absent weeks, often months,
at time.
How glad was she 10 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 60 and enjoy himself il
she had provided nice cushions for the
detested " Ethel. and warm wraps fo1
Max, and buttoned him up in his
d:eadnaug ght, 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, and the matter
would have ended by his giving up
that trip at least.
| At first he answered her reproachee
with renewed protestations Of love, but
at last by seeking refuge in the com.
pany of her inanimate rival.
One day, after moro stormy inter.
view than usual between the young
people, Max went off in one of his fits
of temper, and Ethel, angry and bite,
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 sci
about preparations for journey.
When trunks were all packed, locked
and strapped, she sat down to have q
good cry before proceeding to the most
difficult part of the task she had
imposed upon herself. She unlocked
a casket of ebony and took from it q
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 giver.
to Mr.. Warner on his return. Next
morning at an early hour she took her
departure, and so brnvely 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. "But," he soliloquized, as he
drew near home, "why can't Ethel let
fellow enjoy himself. Inever inter.
fere With her: Now, if she were to take
it into her head to go off for visit, I'd
say, God bless you, my dear, go and
enjoy yourseH.' But these women,
when they love fellow, are never con-
tent unless he's tied to their apron
strings" " and he began to t. ink himself
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 its doors, half prepared him TO,
the servants answer to his inquiry fol
his wife, that Mrs. Warner had gone to
the city on a visit several days since.
AL 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 o1
time without consulting him. Consult
him, indeed! when he was away on the
wings of the wind, goodness knows
where. But the angry feeling SCOT
gave way to one of mingled grief and
self-reproach when he opened Ethel'f
letter and read:
"DEAR MAXI can no longer live
as I have lived for so many months; sc
I shall cure what I cannot endure. and
the only remedy I find is fight. Dc
not try to find me, for I shall put the
ocean between US, and in soma retired
spot shall try to forget the one who
vowed to love and cherish ME, but who
deserted me for toy"
"May The Ethel spread her white
wings over and carry You safely through
all LIES storms, and be to you what
can no longer be,
! "Yours only, ETHEL
Poor Max sat half stupified for a fev
minutes, trying to make out what it al
meant. Could it be possible that hi,
poor wife had been so unhappy az K
have been driven to so desperate =,
step2 Had she really intended to lcav,
him forever2 Impossible! She orl,
meant to try him, and was in all proba
bility at her mothers home, impatient
" waiting for him to come and tax,
her home. Buoyed by this hope, h,
went to the city :; he found no trace O
her he sought. The young man be
came wanderer on the fac,
of the earth. taking no pleasure i,
anything, leading a feverish, heart-sic]
existence. One day Frightening up o
something like clue to the where
, abouts of his impetuous young wife
| the next, ready to die Of 11esna,r whe,