The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-02-11
HOW HE WAS UNFAITHFUL


"You haven't been IN splrsts for ever
90 long, Roger" the bright eyed little
sOouse ofMr Meredith makes rather pee
yIsh comment, whilst she watches across
the cohee.urn her husband annihilatlng
His breakfast very hastily indeed, because
hp has only few minutes in which to
catch the eight o'clock train for town.
II 40 wish you'd either tell me what's the
matter or else adopt q different style"
Roger Meredith tries very hard not to
,rnwn and in a measure succeeds. But
luis face looks right thoughtful and grave
"You imagine all sorts Of odd things,
Lillian: it's one oil your habits you know.
And This Is one of the odd things"
"DOn't Try TO throw dust in my eyes al
Ter that fashion," retorts Mrs. Meredith,
rather tartly, rising from tho table. And
then she suddenly finds herself getting
ridiculously angry and cannot help It, or
at least does not Try to help it; and all on
a sudden Is conscious Of having said sew
eral most bitter things about total lack
Of husbandy confidence on Rogers part,
apd-tor aII she can say-a WEAKNESS Of
ever having made her his his wife: Then
she feels kcenly that she has made a fool
Of herself, and rushes from the room.
Roger Meredith's eyes flashed once very
ferceIy indeed, at his wife's excited exit
Then lie finishes his breakfast with an
expression solemnly calm enough for an
ideal Of patience itselI, and not long after.
ward leaves the house without again
seeing Lillian.
Perhaps, alter aIl, there is some decided
excuse Ior Lilian'5 hystcrical Outburst.
Her husbands manner has certainly been
most sober and preoCcupied during FULLY
a week past, apart from tho fact Of his
having remained oil night in town-for
imperative business reasons, as he OK
blamed 10 hcr-no less than three nights
out OF this same week. Lillian has been
making up her mind for quite while TO
tire al arrow Of reproach, aud speak the
first really harsh word that has yet passed
between herself and Roger during their
one truly halcyon year OF wedlock.
And the arrow has been fired: Mlser'
able indeed does poor Lillian feel alter ha,
wing despatched it. Certainly two good
hours Of alternate emphatic crying and
pensive meditation elapse after her hur'
iied retreat from the breakfast room tc
The seclusiOn, of her own chamber. When
Jane knocks at the door and states, that
Mrs Frillington is down stairs Lillian docs
not iecl at all inclined 10 see that estIma.
BILE lady. Indeed, 1t Is on the end Of
Lilian's tongue TO send down word she Is
unwell and cannot see any. one, when the,
thought suddenly occurs TO her that prob
ably Mrs. FriIlington's Iilippant, gossippy,
misChioVous style Of conversation may
have a rOusipg effect even hit had nothing
else and she feels dull and inert enough,
Just now, not 10 object II somebody
assaulted her with stout pin.
Aud SO Lillian directs Jane to say that
she will sec Mrs. FrillingtOn, and is pres
emily shaking hands with a plCasant.lacedi
leshy little person, individually forty
rapid in her style Of speaking, iull Of a
liveliness and spiritthat entitle her TO be-
ing called good company" even by her
worst enemies.
1t is not long before Mrs. Frillington
has detected, or Iancied that she has de-
tected, marked signs Of depression in her
friends manner. Somepeople would pass
over such q discovery in well.bred and
considerable silence; not so Mrs. Frilling'
ton. Something iswrong, she plGyGully
insists, and playful demands, also to know
what the something is.
At last, Lillian, somehow even against
her will, admits that there has been a
slight disagreement-"only very slight,
you know"-between herself and Roger
that morning.
II daresay l was altogether wrong" she
adds, quite penitently. "Roger is such q
kind, good husband, you know, that It's
ashame for me ever to find fault with
him"
Whereat Mrs Frilllngton coughs rath'
er sharply. .D.
"Oh, yes, Sshe murmers," Of course"
A faint flush dyes Lilian's checks.
You're certainly not satirical, l hope :?
she makes somewhat emphatic comment
"satiriCal? Why how can you accuse
me Of being 80, my dearP" And Mrs
Frillington ends her sentence with az
emphatic little laugh. "But I'll allow
Lillian, love, il you don't mind, that ra
'her queer thought did occur TO me when
you made that 0miablc criticism on your
husband"
And pray what was your queer
thought, i'll may DO ipquistiyo enough &c
"Only this, my. dear; that VIC wives
know 80 little, after all, regarding oul
husbands true characters. When VIZ
trust them we IRE so often deceived, and
when"
stop, please" Lilian's voice rings
trenChant interruption. "Do you mean L
imply anything oil that sort regarding
Roger4 l hope not, Amelia. Because |
for one, am q vile whose knowledge o
her husbands character is thoroughly per
feet"
Are you sure oithat2' Mrs Frnllng
ton speaks, whilst smiling what Is some
how not smile. Then the smile leave
her lips and is replaced by very seriou
look indeed. II almost feel 1t my duiy
LilIan-though a most disagreCablc duty
pray belleVe-to tell you Of something
which lhsve recently heard concerning
-concerning-"
Roger" questions the young wife
esger'voced and keen.eyed
Mrs Frillington mods an oracular it'll
Please explain what you meanr'
"Doyou really insist"
OteouFOO insist"