Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-07-05
What is the matter?" Iasked, see-

same time on her breast, but I fes
as if something dreadful was goin
to happen"
"She got up from the table, and
drew my arm around her. | too felt
sudden depression of spirits. w
went slowly up to her chamber, wher
we spent the afternoon; and L the
took upon myself the Office of friend
and talked seriously to my cousin abou
her neglect of personal neatness, hint
ing that the cause of husbands es
arrangement from his home, and altere,
manner toward herself, mightall sprinl
from this cause. She was a littl
angry with me at first; but / presses
the subject home with tender serious
ness that did the work of conviction
and as evening drew on, she dressed
herself with care and neatness. Will
fresh ribbon tied in her hair ant
color a little risen from mental excite
ment, she looked charming and lovea
BILE. l awaited with interest to see th'
impression she would make on he
husband. He could not help bein.
charmed back into the lover, l wa:
sure. But he did not come home Il
tea. We waited for him whole houl
after the usual time, and then sat
down to the table alone but neither
of us could do more than sip little
tea.
Iwent homesoon after, with press.
ure of concern at my heart for which
l could not account. All night
dreamed uncomfortable dreams. In
the morning, soon after breakfast,
ran over to see Helen. [ found her in
her room, sitting in her night-dress
the picture of despair.
What is it?' l asked eagerly
What has happened?"
She looked at me heavily, like one
not yet recovered from the shock of a
stunning blow.
+" Dear cousin what is the matter?'
| said.
l now saw, by the motion of her
hand, that it held, tightly clutched, a
piece of paper. She reached it to me.
1t was letter, and read:
" We cannot live happily together,
Helen. You are not what / believed
myself getting when we married-not
the sweet, lovely, loveable girl that
charmed my fancy and won me from
all others. Alas for us both that it is
so! There has been a shipwreck of
two lives. Farewell? l shall never
return"
" And this was all; but it broke the
heart of my poor cousin. To this day,
though nearly three years have passed,
she has never heard from her husband
. | saw her last week, in the coun-
try home to which she has been
taken by her friends-a wreck both in
mind and body. She was sitting in an
upper room, from the windows of
which could be seen beautiful land
scape. She was neatly attired, and a
locket containing her husbands pic
ture hung at her throat. Her head was
dropped, and her eyes on the floor,
when / entered. But she raised her
self quickly, and with kind of start
| saw a momentary eager flush in her
face, dying out quickly, and leaving it
inexpressibly sad.
I" | thought it was john" she said
mournfully. why don't he come ?"
| had to stop here, for Maggy broke
out suddenly into wild fit of sobbing
and crying, which lasted for nearly a
minute.
What ails you dear?" | asked, as
she began to be a little composed.
oh you have frightened me So
If John should"
She cut short the sentence; but her
frightened face left me in no doubt as
to what was in her thoughts.
She arose and walked across the
room in an uncertain way for some
moments, and then sat down again,
drawing her breath heavily.
" If young wives" L remarked-be-
lieving that in her present state the
truth was the best thing to would
take half the pains in making them
selves personally attractive to their
husbands, that they did to charm their
lovers, more of them would find the
lover continued in the husband. Is a
man, think you, less an admirer Of
womanly grace and beauty after he be-
comes husband than he was beforeY
"Husht hushp p she said, in chok-
ed voice. Il see it all! l compre-
hend it ALL" And she glanced
down at herself. Il look hateful
and disgusting"
After plain, earnest talk with Mag
gle, | went home. | give her words as
to what happened afterward.
g l was wretched all the afternoon.
John had acted worse than usual at
dinner time; and what you told me
about poor Helen set my fears in mo-
ton and worried me half to death
Long before the time he usually came
home, | dressed myself with care, Sc
lecting the very things [ had heard
him admire. As | looked at myself
in the glass, | saw that was attrac-
tive l felt as | had never felt before
that there was a power in dress that nc
woman can disregard without loss Of
influence, no matter what her position
or sphere of life.
Supper time came / had made
something that l knew John liked
and was waiting for him with nerv.
Gus eagerness it was impossible to re-
press. But the hour passed, and hi'
we'll known tread along the little gard
en- walk did not reach my anxious ears
Five. ten, twenty minutes beyond hi
hour for returning and still | was alone
Oh | shiver as [ recall the wild fear'
that began to crowd upon me. | wa'
standing at the window, behind th'
curtain, waiting and watching. All a
at once saw him a little distance from
the house, but not in the direction from
which he usually came. He was walk
ing slowly, and with his eyes upon tn
ground. His whole manner was tina
of one depressed or suffering. | drop
ned the curtain, and went back int
our little breakfast room to see tina
supper was put quickly on the table,
John came in, and went up stairs as h
usually did, to change his coat befor
tea. In a few minutes l rang the te
bell. and then seated myself at the Ia
Bile to wait for him. He was longe
than usual in making himself ready
and then | heard him coming dow
slowly and heavily as if there were n
spirit in him.
my heart beat strongly. But
tried to look bright and smiling. Ther
was, oh so dreary look on John
| face as first saw it in the door. II
stood still Just moment with his eye
6xed on me then the dreary look +:
ded cut fash of light passed ov(
it, as he stepped forward quickly, an
coming to where | sat stopped dow
and kissed me. Never before was n
kiss so sweet to my lips.
Il have found my little wife onf
more" he said, softly and tenderly, an
with quiyer in his voice. | laid N