Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1874-04-30
The Secret of seBIue Closet. $
BY JUDGE CLARK.

happier little home than George Bur
ton had, seldom falls to the lot of any
man.
His Annette and the CHEEKY, blith-
some cottage of which she was the
mistress, so wonderfully become each
other, and got to be so associated in
his fancy, that it is hard to tell which
he thought smiled upon him the sweet
est welcome on his return to them for
rest after the burdensome Iabors of the
day.
George Burton was hard working
lawyer. Day in and day out he was
busy studying. and trying cases. It
was Onlyat home in the evenings, that
he could call his time his own, and
spent it as he chose-which was usual
ly in reading or talking to Annette.
But even there he kept a ''den," sup
piled with laW-books and other imple-
ments of work, whittier he would re-
tire, on occasion, to consult with some
important client.
That room was Annette's aversion.
When George shut himself up in it,
he was lost to her for the rest of the
evening. She called it the s'Blue
Closet;' but, unlike the hapless Fati-
ma, she felt no wish to explore its Sc
crets. Perhaps it might have been diff
ferent had her husband kept the door
locked and the key in his pocket.
It was one of Georges working
evenings, and Annette went to spend
an hour with her chatty little neigh
Dor, Mrs. Cherrup, hoping her husband
would be disengaged by the time she
got back. But on her return, the door
of the Blue Closet was still shut, and
a light streamed through the key
hole.
With sigh of disappointment, An
nette was passing to the little parlor to
wait till Georges work was done, when
she heard the sound of voices, one of
them a woman's broken with sobs,
the other that of her husband, in low
and earnest tones. She distinguished
the words ''deceiver'' and 'svillain," ut
tered by the former, followed by some
thing that sounded like a remonstrance
on Georges part.
Annette had never known what it
was to be jealous, and was not more
curious than the average of her sex;
but for once she felt an unaccounta-
BILE desire to penetrate the secrets of
the Blue Closet. It is hardly probable
she would have peeped, though posi-
bly, she might have stayed to listen
longer if the opening of the door had
not put her to fight.
She heard the footsteps of George
and his visitor along the passage, and
the opening and closing of the hall
door as they went out together. What
could it all mean? No lady clients
had ever called there before. Then the
sobs, the passionate exclamations,
Georges earnest remonstrance-all
taken together perplexed her entirely
She sat down and tried to read, but
the words had no meaning. Half an
hour elapsed, and George did not re.
turn. She began to feel uneasy, YET
wouldn't admit as much to herself
| What was there after all in Georges
going out with the strange lady? A
that hour it would have been rude no
to see her safe where she was going
Still, Annette would have much pre-
ferred it had George been at her side
at that moment.
She hardly knew what impelled he
toward the door Of the Blue Closet
Somehow it possessed strange fasci
nation for her. 1t stood open, and
light was burning within. She entered
and approached her husbands writing
dest On it lay an opened letter. Be
tweed her and George there was NJ
secrets, and she took it up mechanic
ally. The words were traced in wo
mans hand, and purported to be writ
ten by an absent wife to her husband
"Dear George" the letter began
and after going ON to announce th
writer's intention soon to rejoin hin
from whom she had been so long un
happily separated, it wound up witt
"Your affectionate wife,
Annette staggered as if under
blow. She lad not known Georg
long before their marriage. He haC
come from a distant city, and the
had met as strangers. But he ha(
shown himself in all things so true ant
noble that she would not have hesitate
to stake her life upon his honor, An
now, TO find that he had another wife
that she was not his wife THE
thought was maddening.
One feeling took possession of her
She must flee from that house on tn
instant To remain longer in it woul
be to add TO her disgrace.
She hastened to her room, hurrie
on her bonnet and shawl, and withou
stopping to consider whittier sh
should go, with rapid steps passed ou
: of the door, and turned her back upo
/ the home where hitherto she ha
known nothing but happiness,
! "Go back, Ponto," she said to
magnificent Newfoundland dog tht
= came bounding to her side.
ssGo back, poor fellow" she added
i more kindly; and tear fell on POI
to's shaggy head as she patted it gen
O ly at parting.
The night was dark, and the plaC
. just remote enough from the city
! render it unsafe, at such an hour for
: lady to go out unattended. But Al
. nette needed not the danger. HI
= heart was breaking with trouble tn
i left no room for any other.
Suddenly light flashed in her fac
4 and two men sprang into the path b
q fore her.
= "Your purse, watch and jewels
exclaimed one of them, laying rue
9 hand on her shoulder, while the 9th
# kept the CLEAN of his lantern turnc
upon her.
Before Annette dared or had time
cry out, trusty Ponto had the frst III
fan by the throat, and before assis
ance could be rendered by his accol
Is plice, the latter was grappled by o.
y. far more than his match IN streng
!; and courage. In short, Ponto, wi
- - had thought it wise to follow his M
20 20 tress, in spite of orders, and Pontc
=, ~ master, who was returning after {