The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1874-08-07

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as every good wife should-to conform her
self more to his tastes and wishes. But, he
was silent moody sort of man when
things did not 60 just to suit him and
instead of speaking 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 sur
roundings and more attractive company
abroad.
every man thus estranged from his
home is in danger, and Harding was no ex.
ception to the rule. Temptation lay about
his feet-and that commonest temptation
of all, the elegantly fitted up billiard and
drinking saloon.
"They had been married just about as
long as you and John have been, when the
sad catastrophe oftheir lives took place.
had called to spend the day with Helen, and
found her in her usual condition of person
al untidincss and disorder. When her
husband came home at dinner time, / no.
ticed 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 pre-
sented herself at tn table without even
clean collar, and with an old faded shawl
| drawn about her shoulders. She looked
| anything but attractive.
II saw her husbands eyes glance toward
her across the table with an expression that
chilled me. 1t was hard, angry, determin-
ed 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 2 ask
| ed.
"'Dear above knows = replied Helen.
He's been acting queer for good while
can't imagine what's come over him.
"Does he come home in this way oftcn9"
l asked.
"'Yes, he's moody and disagreeable as
he can be most of the time. I'm dreadful
ly worried about it,
"As 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.
"tWhats the matter ?? asked, seeing
the strangeness of her look.
"'I don't know she replied in choking
voice, laying her hand at the same time on
her breast, but feel as if something dread
full were going to happen
"She got up from the table and drew
my arm around her. / too felt a sudden
depression of spirits We went slowly up
| to her chamber, where we spent the after
noon and then took upon myself the Of
| fee of a friend, and talked seriously to my
cousin about her neglect of personal neat
ness, limiting that the cause of her husband
estrangement from his home and altered
manner toward herself might all spring
from this cause. She was a little angry
with me at first; but pressed the subject
home with tender seriousness that did
the work of convict m; and us evening
drew on she dressed herself with care and
neatness. With fresh ribbon tied in her
| hair and color little raised from mental
excitement, she looked charming and low
able; waited with interest to see the i'm
| preston she would make on her husband.
He could not help being charmed back in
to the lover l was sure. But he did not
come home to tea. We waited for him a
whole hour after the usual time, and then
sat down to the table alone but neither of
us could do more than sip little tea.
II went home soon after with pressure
of coucern at my heart for which could
not account. All night dreamed uncom-
Portable dreams. In the morning soon af-
ter breakfast, ran over to see Helen. l
found her in her room sitting in her night
dress, the picture of despair.
"What is it 2 asked eagerly, what
has happened 2"
She looked at me heavily, like one not
yet recovered from the shock of a stunning
blow.
"Dear cousin what is the matter?" l
said.
now saw by motion of her hand,
that it held, tightly clutehed, piece of pa
per. She reached it to me. 1t was a let
ter, and read:
1--WE cannot live happily together, Hell
en-. You are not what believed myself
getting when we were married-not the
sweet, lovely, lovable girl that charmed my
fancy and won me from all Others. Alas
for us both that it is so There has been a
shipwreck of two lives. Farewell l shall
never return"
And this was all, but it broke the heart
of my poor cousin. To this day though
nearly three years have passed she has new
CT heard from her husband.
saw her last week in the country home
to which she has been taken by her friends
"a wreck both in mind and body. She
was sitting in an upper room, from the
windows of which could be seen a beauti,
full landscape. She was neatly attired and
locket containing her husbands picture
hung at Der throat. Her head was droop.
ed and her eyes on the floor, when enter
ed but she raised herselfquickly and with
, a kind of start. saw a momentary eager
flush in her face dying out quickly and
leaving it inexpressibly sad
had to stop here, for Maggy broke out
suddenly into wild fit of sobbing and
crying, which lasted for nearly minute.
"What ails you, dear9" asked, as she
began to be q little composed.
"Oh you have frightened me so. IfJohr
should"
She cut short the sentence, but her fright
! cned face left me in no doubt rs to what
was in her thoughts.
She arose and walked about the room il
an uncertain way for some moments, and
then sat down again, drawing in her breath
heavily.
"If young wives" remarked -belicv,
, ing that in her present state the truth was
the best thing to say-"would take half the
| pains in making themselves personally at.
: tractive to their husbands, that they did te
r charm their lovers, more of them would find
f the lover continued in the husband. Is q
| man, think you, less an admirer of womanly
e grace and beauty after he becomes hus
band than he was before 2"
"Hush hush ~ she said in choking
! voice. II see it all, comprehend it ALL
And she glanced down at herself 81 look
hateful and disgusting"