The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1874-12-23
woMANs REVELATION.

vi course aul. ..H.
looked down complacently at my
dress of pink Grape, dew-dropped over
With crystal. and the trails of pink
azaleas that caught up its folds here
and there. A diamond bracelet en-
circled one round white arm, and a
little cross blazed fitfully at my throat.
! had never looked better, and l felt
sort of girlish pride as my eye met
the fairy reflection in the mirrior.
"Come, Gerald, make haste why
YOU haven't begun to dress yet!'
Where were my wifely instincts that
/ did not see the haggard, drawn look
in his features fevered light in
his eyes?
81 can't go tonight, Madeline-I
am not we'll enough" er
"You are never well enough to
oblige me, Gerald. / am tired Of be.
ing put OF with such excuses."
He made no answer, but dropped
his head in his hand on the table be-
fore him.
"Oh, come, Gerald" l urged petulant-
ly. 'It is so awkward for me to go
alone, always" -
He shook his head listlessly.
II thought perhaps you would be
willing to remain at home with me,
Madeline"
"Mer are so selfish" l said plain.
lively, "and | am all dressed. Claudia
took half an hour for my hair. dare
say you'll be great deal quieter with
out me-that is, if you are determined
not to CO."
No answer again.
"Well, if you choose to be sullen,
| can't help it," l said lightly, as l
turned and went out of the room, ad-
justing my silver bouquet-holder, the
tuberoses and heliotropes seeming to
distill incense at every motion.
Was / heartless and cruel ? Had l
ceased to love my husband? From the
bottom of my heart l believed that l
loved him as truly and tenderly as
ever wife did, but l had been SO spoil
ed and petted all my brief, selfish life
that the better instincts were, SO to
speak entombed alive.
l went to the party and had my fill
of adulation and homage, as usual.
The hours seemed to glide away, shod
with roses and winged with music and
rich perfume; and it was not until,
wearied with dancing, / sought a mo-
mentary refuge in the half-ltghted tea
room that / heard words awakening
me, as it were, from dream. Gerald
Glen ?" l could not be mistaken in the
name--it was scarcely common place
enough for that. They were talking
two or three business like looking gen.
tlemen--in the hall without, aud
could catch, now and then, fugitive
word or phrase.
"Fine, enterprising young follow :
great pity totally ruined, so Bees
and McMorken say RECKLESS extrav.
agance of his wife % r
All these vague fragments ] heard
and then some one said
"And what is going to do now?"
"What can he do? / am sorry; YET
he should have calculated his income
and his expenses better" "Or is wife
should. Deuce take these women
they are at the bottom of all a mans
troubles !"
And they laughed /! Oh, how could
theyP l had yet to learn how easy it ii
in this world to bear other people;
troubles.
| rose hurriedly up, with my hear,
beating unanimously beneath the
pink azaleas, and went back to the
lighted corridors. Albany Moore wai
waiting to claim my hand for the mex
redowa.
"Are You i'll, Mrs. Glen? How pale
you look !"
I'll am not very we'll l wish vol
would have my carriage called, Mr.
Moore" For now / felt that home
was the place for me.
Hurried by some unaccountable i'm
pulse, / sprang out the moment tht
carriage wheels touched the curbstone
and rushed up to my husbands room
The door was locked, but l could Sc,
light shining under the threshold.
knocked wildly and persistently.
Gerald /! Geraldl For Heaven
sake let me in !"
| Something fell ON the marble hearth
stone within, making a metallic clink
and my husband opened the door lit
tie way. | had never seen him lool
- pale before or SO rigid yet SO deter
"Who are your" he demanded Wild
| ly. "why can't you leave me in peace?
"It's l, Gerald-your Madeline
your own little wife"
And ] oanUbt 4irora he hoo1 tha nj