The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-08-03
moo LATE.

"what do yon wants"
81 did want 10 see my husband.
But Ibeg pardon, for I perceive he is
not here r.
The question was curt, rude, rough,
even the reply impetuous, cuttingly
sarcastic, and with hot dash Of anger
in its tones. You would never have
thought that William Maillard could
have spoken SO to his sweet young wife,
Just as any coarse, fery man might, in
an imperious mood, to IN intrusive SER
want OF mn annoying beggar. Norwould
yoa have thought, either, that lovely
Alice Maillard could have grown 30
flushed md disturbed, and vented spch
a reply TO the husband she loved better
than life itself, aud then turned and
walked away with such Q queenly step
from his presence. ..i
II certainly was an unpleasant and
unfortunate mood the merchant was in
that evening. The clese Of the year
was near at hand, and all day long he
had been perplexed by q thousand cares
incidental to his large business; /; be-
sides he had discovered o gross errorin
the books, and had taken them home
with him that evening to endeayor to
trace its source and reetify 1t
II was in this mood, his brows knitted
with perplexity, that his girl.wife came
uponhim in the quiet library, whittier
he had retired after dinner; and, steal
ing soitlyup behind him, had rlayfully
blinded his eyes with one OF her white
hands. at the samo time pnshing away
the thick ledger over the table.
In an instant the quick, rough ques.
tion, that spoke Of annoyance, burst
from his lips and, in an instant more,
the white hand was snatched away, the
little, graceful head tossed high, q red
spot leapod 10 both cheeks, and the
cutting, sarcastic answer was hung
back. W
Ina few moments more the merchunt
was left alone, his handsomely y.Bhaped
head, covered with thick, iron.gray
s locks, bent again ever his books, but
with o compression Of his lips and q
glitter in his eye one seldom saw there;
while the girl-wife was sitting in the
parlor, quietas o statue, but with the
same high color and excited mien with
which she had left the library.
For some minutes Alice Maillard sat
thus, perfectly motionless, looking
straight before her; then her mien
soitened-a grieyed, wounded look
ctept over her eyes her shut lips re.
laxed and quivered with feeling, and
she burst into tears, and sobbed as
though her very heart wonld break.
The sobs syelled tempestuously, aud
the tears rolled over the cheeks now
pale with emotion; but aitera time she
grew calmer.
al am sorry spoke so.n she said,
confessing her fault to herself with as
much earnestness as though her huB-
band we're listener. q am sorry.
JiWiiliam was rough = (here the lips
sweiled AGAIN., ~ was hasty. Iaup.
pose those tiresome books troubled
him. Twill 40 and apologize |" and,
rising. she left the room, and walked
through the hall to the library. But
laying her hand on the knob Of tho
knob Of the door, she was surprised TO
find it fastened. The key was turned.
.sUnkind r. she said now, the red
spots deepening again on the cheek ;
and, aoiselessly as she had come, she
returned 10 the parlor.
Two hours crept away; lonesome
enough, felt the solitary Alice, striving
to passthe time with her work, upon
which now and then, q tear dropped
ottankY.. A1llllakl ls,,,a, 9havvatar +haA