Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-11-15
A LITTLE CLUB AFFAIR

A LITTLE CLUB AFFAIR.
Isabel walked the parlor of her suite
II was far past midnight, and the great
hotel was nearly sileut. Up and down,
with supple, leonnt motion peculiar to
her, and football OF velvet, turning her
black eyes rcstlessly. and whirling about
II The air stirred in the passage thus she
had moved for hours.
Was she a heOrine In diciress , Was
tho woman Of gifts. evolving some
creation fi0m her sleepless brain ] am
sorry to bring her down to esrth-she
was a. subject for rOmHncC. Bat 1t
must be- confessed Isabel was only wait.
ing for her husband. who was nut late.
Had she been fersihle, piaclical woman,
che hM wrapped the drapery Of her couch
Tourd her and laid down 10 sweet dreams
Tong ago. But she has pnly been wife
year. Her husband was her single tie,
sho lived her life In him.
Isahel was bcautilul. Her hcsh was
like marble lighted hY fire her hands,
her eyes, her lips, the poise of her head,
her uuduiatiur motion, had an elegance
OF their own. But when God lent her
the rift of lovc'iness. lie added thereto
the gift OF upeiscnsitven,ss, through
which 20 many are graded 10 melancholy
and maduces. SIZE had been the ward nt
a bachelor uncle, who FIT lie did his
whole duty II he visited her twice n year
at hes convent, and ans wer,d her sorrow-
fnl black uyos will mods and winks Of
approysl. When she was rCady to enter
fht world. the charge of a young lady
niece So taxed bis freedom, and, by con
scQnemce, his spirits, tina; he laid nini
down aud died. Hs hadu't meddlcd in
matiiuoiy. Why should h.s nut imnpl
yontn bc spoiled 10y foster daughter
The lGobltm thoy,ilcd hlm Into the
grave.
Then Burnham appeared TO l'abel. Ills
family aud hers had been on friendly
terms whole generations. He had Just
returned from a long tour, and had thc
air of other rconiiurrtsgrOufd d him, which
fascinated her senses. Afterwards lii
best grew upon her; his glnefcu- nature,
bis pure intention, lie mellow thought,
the whole fine structure OF his manhood
She knew little OF the world She made
him hgr standard. 80 that WHEN Burn
ham came wco.ng and made her sur
that all his haprncss was m hci, sh'
staked herself, aud was blessed IN pro
portion 90 her intense tCnsih.lHN.
When Isabel became "a wife, she dill moi
degrade her hero. Her very Ustimati
kept him up to her. Proud and tender o
her. he walked TO ryctitude, and softly
before her, many moons and never mean
TO deviatc.
but
(1hc chapter recording so'owon'H f.l
begins with iwl
But Bunham was roclety mans h,
had fuch i1vial niende, Who lormd sucl
% ioviul aud tclrct club. The "pckwcl
clubn ran nvrr With money Nud Leisure
and graceful glytty. go he "a "pick
wlcatm." Was to he recognized gs a tiI
tnp tlpuuie Of the city cream, Young
hit. ur family looked forward to risiu!
intut.is c.uh much us the ,uuug Roman
auiicipa,1A the tnca of manhood.
Wirldrd au 4ttLrdly strong Influence
The "pirkMicki,us" met iu tie2Au
apartments, drank i1puiscd wiuc, az
tended by perfect aud sil.u; service, am
ral.r! al tAu Lard worked, sud- .ylsagel
world Your husbands were gpusidtir
,-reat cnrunl sis among them, and the
mporuncd Burnham tn much TO iui
ihrm tl1I Ls youd.ugtut,dly took 1
Hoinuiu,f h.p From tnkirr a irirudi
cigar and glass. lc went on 10 eyicudiu
his st4,st,u tl, fascination of the em
ran through all his VEINS.
Isabel anew lutbmrof clubs. She SUI
POSED they night bo assomblares Of eui
tlenen with something OF a literary rnnl
actcr, sueh as Addison rieiur,s. She sa'
in her miud's eve sober citizens rroupc
about tables, reading, perhaps smoking
and discussing wisddin. She wa ted tC
hes ha,baud because tho was icstlei
when hu WIS away, not because shr BAL
any rinhtsous tongue in pickle Cor him.
Al D..
mock hrr whole body cruuched to listtl
They drew nearer, zil-z,gging ia,
red nt ler door; and the being uutsid
evidently AN animal without hands, hega
10 rub and tumble aud erOwl for untmnc
Isabel throw the door oirp, when
uers II in very bad lat, with his who
apparel somewhat uu one side, icli
her feet. 10 was "a stage sc4ue, hnl ter,
bl, real with ore actor. Isabel etari,
ll, Is. raisiit her hands, ard etarlnsut b
hush,ul me u maniac. Mr.. Buruha
gathered iimftlf up and took obseiv
lions. somo drunken men are abusiy
othOrs maud in Others jolly. But Bur
hgm was pumpUus. lie found q 81 e, q,
mounted 10 trtmulously TO harnngue d
Wiic on her duty as ''gen lmCn to c'ndu
self like gon'lmen-drivcdul way
and made AS cOnsumnatn ana dir gust
tcOl himself as II is Is for inan's boz
TO do when that fine Spirit which cover
Is drowned.
label Il, al watching without mOyi
mu Gle, rno stare drew hls atm,io
and he requcsted leave to ask II shc "
drunk ana if she meant to "suit him Z
THIN. oyrrwrought by his own el
qumCe, he relaxed and dropped along I
sofa. She saw face swolcd 80 d e
sua', frame uury.less aud heavy
man tnrnp,i 70 "a brsst.
Hsr maid tapped at an inner door
ask !f Mrs. Burnhan wanted Lef now.
.Go To nv dr,ssing-room," replI
Isnbel. towering between tho dameC
eyts and and that locomotive-lahorit
up.n-stcep. p.grade upon the sofa. 'W
for INC tnere.'
She closed the door and went bal
No. being addicted TO harangues q
hapdkercbiers she merely claspsd
hands and looked AT him. thi.,klnr n
pose. that ma woe like hr.shal ey,ar e.,
npun tho world .i..-n ,b. d. i,,.e