Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1873-09-20


Hme.'' zsx K-x...tsa
an hour Pearl was talking and laughing;
her eyes were sparkling. and cheeks and
lips were therry-red.
"TldSis Twin 81 said Mr.fyiftonyeod, 4
setting himself comfortably iii the cuSh
ioned easy chair by the eentre7table, aud
glancing around the parlor with IT'S
itTimson upholstery, its two or three
iiue slzlihtlegs. ami its marble Clytie:
but allowing his gaze to rest finally on
the brown head that rested on The GRIM
son sofa-pillow. .'This is just my idea
|, of happiness. Parties are bores. Don't
you think. so, Pearl 2, .y.. -. 4
/ "No, AiEdeed,' responded Pearl with
animation, sitting up straight. ''rhey
are delightful. This is nice, of course,
but we'd NOPE to death if we never
go out just live in excitement
Mr.. Cliftonwood's ardor was some-
what dampened, but he glanced at the
bright face,4and -straightway began to
make excuses to himself. He had an
Impression that woman enjoyed the
opposite side of question; his parents
being one of Dickens contradictory
couples,'-and that Pearl,in herhearE,
;4sseea SsiA 1haI & SPearl deteaed Sire
siight Shade of disappointment, and, at
tonce attempted to remove it, by being as
tvivacious and as agreeable as possible,
and succeeded perfectly. The eNuber-
aiIce of spirits was so delightful Il con-
l-trast with the previous languor, that
I her husband mentally resolved that the
swonder-working Bourbon should always
+ he on hand.
+ Pearl had few housekeeping cares.
mrs. Robbins, efficient and motherly,
t:lll1 her youthful assistant, Kitty Nc
Rae, took excellent care of the house,
and after few days, discontinued the
tiformalitv of consulting its pretty ineffi
i.cient mistress. who was thus thrown
upon her own resources for occupation
band amusement. The days were long.
Mr.. Cottonwood went early to business,
lslild returned to Il six O'Clock dinner;
1 while Pearl spent the hours i'll lounging,
Sleeping, novel-reading, listlessly wand
1erfaS Udhhd tirehaise, and just before
4tller husbands return, ill making pretty
| toilette. They were not only long, but
wearisome. The Gagged bird fretted and
pined, and wore itself out with beating
its wings against the gilded bars of its
| cage. Then the mother bird had to
! come and spend few days in nursing,
/ leaving on her departure, her unfailing
prescription, ''Fake lust Il little stimu-
liant, dear, whenever you feel languid.
1 lsssEaskAe6 iWheh, as ,fay.sacceed-
led day, She found herself growing paler,
her eyes growing less bright, and her
Tanmated expression changing into one
of ,halIitlan badness and Indifference,
she increased the stimulating draught,
and f'ejeiced fri the restoration of her vi
vacity of look and manner, wondering
more and more that it should be sue
Preceded by ehslifelessness and ldepres-
! sion. At last the occasional stimulant
became a Necessity. She could not rise
from her bed in the morning until Kitty
dliad brouglit it to her bedside, long after
Mr.. CliftQpwood, was poring over his
ledger, thinking between columns. of
his home-nest, and wondering if Pearl
1 was really unhappy, that she was grow
ing so thin and eXcitable and nervous.
Her ambition to look pretty, and to be
bright and animated upon her husband s
Homecoming. was the last to fail her.
Long after she gave up the day to COM
plete illeness alid slumber, she exertetl
| herself to please during the evening. A
little addition to the usual dose would
brighten her wonderfully, and she knew
hoHst6 afess tefstefullys but gradually
she became careless. Her curlS would
be unbrushed, her morning wrapper I'M
changed, and sometimes, the evening
spantsi Ia ,silenee, Mr.. Cottonwood begins
retfi,fsa has paper, andl,iswife lotInging
on tlie SOFA, leqL ing away the effects Of
the days potations. sa4"
it is sad story to tell, but II true one.
-Nppetite is Il frightful power, where
once it grasps the human SOUL and Pearl
poor, pretty Pearl, is like Il humming-
bird in the ehteii ot an eagles AT last
even Mr.. Cottonwood begins to suspect
the poison that is, destroying the life OF
his darling. He consults Il physician
who laughs at his fearssand recommends
! air. andsexeTeise. AR and exereise!
Pearl finds both dull now that no so.
cill excitement is connected with the
t walk or drive. 10 walk and drive with
= ones husband is too dull" that after &
few trials she Absolutely refused to g
out. In dispair, Mr.. CliftOnwOod take,
= her to her city home, and for Il few
weeks the change seems beneficial. j
is so delightful to be in the midst o.
gaiety and excitement. But there
conlest;l reaction, and the g'iod mother
+ resorts to her panaeea. Pearli S exceed
| ingly happy or exceedingly happy or ex
/ ceedingly miserable, either talking con
= tinuallv or entirely silent. Her manner
] becomes the subject of remark, and the
unhappy husband takes her home again
thinking to hseeShis Sro fbles there; for
, mingled with love and sympathy for hi
8 wife, was wounded pride and sensi
e tircueSs. that shTunk from having other
knoA tie anxhfs aand ,hsappoilfliehto 8
L Iihis life. He talked with Pearl, an,
even went so far as to refuse to furnisl
), any stimulatingl drink, but when h
1 found that she would procure it i'll SOM
Z way and anyway, he was obliged t.
l. yield. -sf
G 1t is the second anniversary of thei
+ nlatriage Tse littls ts,rlof iss'sss cheer
! ing, but Mr.. Cliftonwood, as he sit
{ with his head bowed upon his hand
d looks ten years older than then. He il
Il thinking OF Pearl, as she. then Was, AN,
n Pearl ttSs de fftSw WAS. and is shHdderih!
when he takes a look into the future
Il He has teit It be- heart to go to her room
e though dinner has been waiting for hin
2, half an hour, and Mrs, Robbins has pu
n her head iii ut the door, ana shifted an
Il kfily, some half dozen times. He la
:, found her so manF times-lying Oh tn
ii floor or he'd with disordered dress, stupi
= or asleep, tilat he. fears to make this an
is nivefsllss Aiahss I'll: III itliats 1t Is alread
t is by the repetition of such IA scene
n Nhil1 he sits with bowed heal an
5f heavy, heart, The door opens gently,
it quiek, Step, ,erosscsthe the room, and Iw
g soft hands cover his eyes. |
ID "Why, Pearl!'' he exclaims in aston
". lShitftsif, LIS lllS lltst names pflSOne
1t and btfhgiHg her around In front {
vel him.
Al fig r'Well, SIR said Pearl with littl
8plaugil. ''This is our anniversary.
le have dressed up Don't you see? An
r- Mrs. -isphhins iSS gpnIg to have turke
t. for dinner anil am to play for yol
ul and we will forget everythng--every
tldng-won't We?"s She sat down
:. his feet on IL foot-stool, and looked Il
DIS into his face, resting her arms on II
H. knees. He looked down upon the tlli
:. white face, with itssheavy eyes and lii
1y pitifully trying to- look merry; ar
IL lightly touching her brown braids
could only say. "My poor little Pearl
if Then they had II long talk while dim
lie cooled, and when 1t was over, and th'
set sat at the supper table husband al
ed wife looked happier titan they had f
i many day. For some time after til
q! Pearfstlaggled noblv against the ieve
by fsh thirst for stinuants. and thou;
flesh and heart Jailed, the victory seer
81 ed almost ifers, .witru baby Pearl can
ln7 and there followed weeks of exhaustio
ilh during which Ms.s Preston wasach