The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-11-20
AN UNHAPPY WIFE.

: Isabel walked the parlor of her suite.
It was far past midnight, and the great
motel was nearly silent. Up and down,
with supple, leonine motion peculiar
to her, and football of velvet, turning
her black eyes 1estlessly, and whirling
about if the air stirred in the passage !;
thus she had moved for hours.
Was she heroine in distress? Was
she a woman Of gifts, evolving some
creation from her sleepless brain I
am sorry to bring her down to earth
she was fit subject for romance. But
it must be confessed Isabel was only
waiting for her husband, who was out
late. Had she been sensible, prac-
tlcal woman, she had wrapped the
drapery of her couch round her and
laid down to sweet dreams long ago.
But she had only been wife year.
Her husband was her single tie she
lived her life in him.
Isabel was beautiful. Her flesh was
like marble lighted by fire her hands,
her eyes, her lips, the poise of her
head, her undulating motion, had an
elegance of their own. But when God
lent her the gift of loveliness, He added
thereto the gift of supersensitiveness
through which so many are graded to
melancholy and madness. She had
been the ward of q bachelor uncle, who
felt he did his whole duty if he visited
;ler twice year at her convent, and
answered her sorrowful black eyes with
mods and winks of approval. When
she was ready to enter the world, the
charge of young lady niece SO taxed
his freedom, aud, by consequence, his
sf,i,ifo that ha 1oi h i IL
He hadn't meddled in matrimony. Why
should his autumnal youth be spoiled
by foster daughter
Then Burnham appeared to Isabel
His family and hers had been on friend
" terms whole generations. He had
Just returned from a long tour, and
had the air of other continents around
him, which fascinated her senses.
Afterwards his best grew upon her /;
his generous nature, his pure intention,
mis- mellow thought, the whole fine
structure of his manhood. She knew
little of the world ; she made him her
standard, So that when Burnham came
wooing and made her sure that all his
happiness was in her, she staked her
self, and was blessed in proportion to
her intense sensibility.
When Isabel became a wife, she did
not degrade her hero. Her very esti
mate kept him up to her. Proud and
tender of her, he walked to rectitude,
and softly before her, many moons and
never meant to deviate.
But Burnham was a society man he
had such Jovial friends, who formed
such a jovial and select club. The
Plckwick Club ran over with money
and leisure and graceful gayety. To
be "Pickwicklan," was to be recog-
nized as tip-top globule of the city
cream. Youngsters of family looked
forward to rising into this club much
as the young Roman anticipated the
toga of manhood. 1t welded an alb
surdly strong influence. The "Pick-
wickians" met in elegant apartments,
drank imported wine, attended by per-
feet and silent service, and rallied ut
the hard-worked, sad-visaged world.
Young husbands were considered great
conquests among them, and they i'm
portuned Burnham so much to Join
them that he good-naturedly took to
running in." From taking friendly
cigar and glass, he went on to extend
ing his stays till the fascination of the
club ran through all his veins.
Isabel knew nothing of clubs. She
supposed they might be assemblages of
gentlemen with something of literary
character, such as Addison pictures.
She saw in her minds eye sober citi-
zens grouped about tables, reading,
perhaps smoking, and discussing wis
DOM She waited for her husband be-
cause she was restless when he was
away, not because she had any right
eous tongue in pickle for him.
Feet shuff1ed in the hall. She bent
her neck her whole body crouched to
listen. They drew nearer, zig-zagging;
they paused at her door; and the being
outside, evidently an animal without
hands, began to rub and tumble and
growl for entrance.
Isabel threw the door open, when a
person in very bad hat, with his whole
apparel somewhat on one side, fell at
her feet. 1t was stage scene, but ter
rlbly real with one actor. Isabel start
ed back, raising and wringing her
hands, and staring at her husband like
a maniac. Mr.. Burnham gathered him
self up and took observations. Some
drunken men are abusive; others maud
lin; others jolly; but Burnham was
pompous. He found sofa, and mount.
ed it tremulously 10 harangue his wife
on her duty as "gen'lmen to c'nduct
self like genl' -drivedullcare'w
and made as consummate and disgust
ing fool of himself as it is possiblefsi
a mans body to do when that fine spirit
which governs is drowned.
Isabel stood watching without NOV
ing muscle. The stare drew his at
tention, and he requested leave to ask