American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-11-01

with a jealous, moody, exacting affection
which rather repealed that attracted it
object.
| She had indeed fallen in love with hin
for the name of his past cOnquests, ant
for the fascination of manner he still re
| tanned; but the marriage had turned on
worse than ill. He had drunk out pleas
! ure to the dregs, and now only wanted
rest and quiet for the remainder of his life
| She was beginning hers, wilful as child
| restless as kitten, and desperately fonC
of love and admiration.
Of course he was furiouslv jealous mer
who have been false and tickle all theil
lives never believe in the fidelity of 9th
| ers; and in consequence he made himsel
so dlsagreeable to his young wife, that she
| took to flirting In reai earnest; and at the
| time | was called in, "Scarsdales Jealousy
and his wifes beauty and frivolty' had
become by-word with the inhabitants OF
Belgravia, male and female. Some one
else had become by-word, too, in con
nection with Lady Scarsdale, and that was
a certain Captain Swinburn, of the Tenth
Royals, who came to the house pretty well
every other day, and seemed to be work
ing on little Lady Scarsdale's vanity with
impunity, now her lord lay ill in bed.
OF course it was no business of mine,
and ought to have been rather glad of a
breakup in the home of one who had
shown himself such an utter BLACKBOARD
in days gone by; but somehow the affair
troubled me. | could not help liking the
pretty, childish little wife, who with all
her nonsense and vanity seemed innocent
enough at heart. Besides, like most En-
glishmen, | object to seeing mans
household goods furnished and destroyed.
l did not know how frail were the Lares
and Penates in this case, or perhaps Miss
Quincy mad inoculated me with some of
her mercy, for l confess to feeling terribly
shocked and grieved when, one wet win
ter evening, as l was on my way home
from Lord Scarsdale's for the last time
he having been pronounced cured, and
able to 90 out again into the world on the
morrow encountered a shivering, half
sobbing female in the street, who asked
me which was the turning to the South
kensingtOn railway station, and whom
recognized as Lady Scarsdalel When
she recognized me she tainted.
l took her into a chemists shop, and
there it came out that she was in the act
of leaving her home and husband forever.
He was cruel; he did not love her he
hated her ways; and she had written to
tell him she had gone, and would never
go back-neverr 1t all came out in
floods of hysterical tears and this much
more, that Captain Swinburn was waiting
for her at the South Kensington station,
and had promised to take her to an aunt
of his-some lady living in Jersey, l
think
In plain words, half in innocence, half
in wilfulness, she was rushing into ire
trievable ruin.
don't know all said to her, nor yet
half 1t was of very little avail. l know
| found myself insisting on Lord Scars
dale's trust and love with an eloquence
that astonished myself, and finally threat
ening to take her straight back to him I'M
less she would give up her project, at
least for the night.
1t was an awfully hard task. She
sobbed and wept, and would gladly, I
know, have returned home but for fear of
her husband. HE was so harsh; and for
her own people, they were worse, and
would simply hand her over to his jus
tice" (she shivercd at the mere ideal; land
Captain Swinburn said his aunt was so
kind"
Then I spoke my mind to her, and 81
fenced any further mention of Captain
Swinburn's aunt, though when she saw
how far she had gone on her downward
path, it only increased her terrified refusal
to trust herself to her husbands mercy.
was at my wits ends.
1t was getting late. We were near the
station, and Captain Swinburn might APP
pear at any moment looking for the run
away, in which case my influence would
be nil: or Lord Scarsdale might have got
the letter left for him, and have acted on
it in way to prevent his wife's return.
In despair what to do, my thoughts fled
to my only woman helper, Miss Quincy
yet how to disturb her in such cause!
In the end, and more as if acting by
the pressure of some unseen force than
my own will, found myself and my cap
tive en- route for Caroline Place; and there
| left Lady Scarsdale covering over the
dining room fire-her guilelessness proved
by the dOcility with which she had let
me bring her to this out-of-the-way place
while 1 went up to Miss Quincy and
told her my story. l had resolved on
Lady Scarsdale's name, and
had cautioned that young lady against
betraying it; but in the furry of my
mind l had forgot to provide myself
with another and, 10 and behold! as soon
as ever l got excited in my tale, out
slipped the real name.
Miss Quincy turned as white as death,
and put her hand to her side.
For the moment l thought l had killed
her, and could have killed myself for SO
doing; but she rallied quickly, and then
whole truth, and apologize for having
BROUGHT Lady Scarsdale.
She looked at me with a sort of divine
reproach i'll her eyes, and said simply, 81
think it was God sent you. Now bring
her to me, while you go and tell her hus-
band where she is"
Without word l Obeved, and when
had led Lady Scarsdale to the couch
where lay the pure-spirited woman she
had supplanted, went away on my er-
rand
Scarsdale, feeling better, had risen, gone
to his wiie's room, found the note there
left for him, read it, and having ordered
out the carriage, had been driven off to-
the Great Northern! OF course | could
DO nothing but wait his return, and that
did not take place till six O'Clock in the
when he came in, guant fierce
eyed, and CHASTITY, after his truitless pur-
suit.
| saw in his face my task would be no
easy one.
wife had left him, and should never re-
turn.
| argued, pleaded, l urged her youth,
her innocence, the fact of my having saved
her, the sin of throwing her back on her
self
He was impenetrable, and declared his
intention of Immediately taking steps to
procure divorce, and thus give his wife
he freedom her own letter said she
also he would advertise her
of their daughters misconduct.
Of course l knew what alone would be
he result of such treatment on wllful,
mpulsive girl of nineteen; and failing
Ill else, | took higher ground, reminded
Lord Scarsdalc of our earlier acquaint-