The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-12-15

like change If he had done so, Helen
would have tried d-as every good wife
should-to conform herself more to his
tastes and wishes. But he was a silent
moody sort of man when things did not
go just to suit him, and instead of speak
ing out plainly, brooded over Helen's
faults and worried himself into fits of i'll
humor; and, what was worse than all,
grew at length Indifferent to his home and
wife, and sought pleasanter surroundings
and more attractive company abroad.
EVERY man thus estranged from his
home is in danger, and Harding was no
exception to the rule. Temptation lay
about his feet-and the commonest temp
tation of the elegantly fitted up billiard
and drinking saloon.
"They had been married just about as
long as you and John have been, when the
catastrophe of their lives took place.
had called to spend the day with Helen,
and found her in her usual condition of
untidiness and disorder. When her hus-
band came at dinner time, noticed with
painful concern that he had been drinking
NOT very freely, but just enough to show
itself in captious i'll humor. Helen had
not dressed for dinner, but presented her
self at the table without even clean col
lar, and an old faded shawl drawn about
her shoulders. She looked anything but
attractive.
81 saw her husbands eyes glance to-
ward her across the table with an express
sion that chilled me. 1t was hard, de-
termined expression. He was scarcely
civil to me and snapped his wife sharply
two or three times during the meal. At
its close he left the table without word
and went up stairs"
"What's the matter with John?" l
asked.
"Dear above knowsv" replied Helen.
"He's been acting queer for good while.
I can't imagine what's come over him."
"Does he come home in this way often?"
l asked.
"Yes, he's moody and disagreeable as he
can be most of the time. I'm getting
dreadfully worried about it,
GAS we talked we heard John moving
about with heavy footballs in the rooms
above. Presently he came down and stood
for little while in the hall at the foot of
the stairs, as if in hesitation. Then he
went to the street door, passed out, and
shut it hard after him.
"Helen caught her breath with start,
and turned little pale"
What's the matter?" / asked, seeing
the strangeness of her look.
81 don't know" she replied with u
choking voice laying her hand at the same
time on her breast, shut feel as if some
thing dreadful was going to happen"
"She got up from the table, and drew
my arm around her. l too felt sud
den depression of spirits. We went
slowly up to her chamber, where we
spent the afternoon and then / took upon
myself the Office of friend and talked
seriously to my cousin about her neglect
of personal neatness, limiting that the
cause of her husbands estrangement from
his home and altered manner towards
herself, might all spring from this cause
She was little angry with me at first,
but pressed the subject home with a
tender seriousness that did the work of
conviction, and as the evening drew on,
she dressed herself with neatness. With
a fresh ribbon tied in her hair and color a
little raised from mental excitement she
looked charming and loyable. He could
not help being charmed back into the low
err was sure. But he did not come home
to tea. We waited for him whole hour
after the usual time, and then sat down
alone but neither of us could do more
than sip little tea.
" went home soon after, with pres
sure of concern at my heart for which
could not account. All night | dreamed
uncomfortable dreams. In the morning,
soon after breakfast, ran over to see Hell
en-. found her in her room sitting in
her night dress, picture of despair.
"What is tP" 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 ?" I
said.
81 now saw by motion of her hand
that it held, tightly clutched, piece of
paper. She reached it to mo- 1t was a
letter and read;
"fWe cannot live happily together,
| Helnn Won are not what haliavad NV