Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-06-06
A Woman's Revelation.

My husband came tenderly to my
side. care you going out this even
ing, love?"
"Of course am"
I looked down complacently at my
dress of pink Grape, dew-dropped-over
with crystal, and the trail Of pink
azaleas that caught up its folds here and
there. A diamond bracelet encircled
one white arm, and little cross blazed
fitfully at my throat. I had never
looked better, and felt sort of girl
ish pride as my eye met the fairy re-
Election in the mirror.
"Come, Gerald make haste!-why
you havn't begun to dress yeti"
Where were my wifely instincts that
1 did not see tho haggard, drawn look
in his features--the fevered light in his
eyes?
"I can't 60 tonight, Madeline-I
am not we'll enough"
&c You are never we'll enough to
oblige me, Gerald. I am tired of be-
ing put off with such excuses"
He made no answer, but dropped his
head in his hands on the table before
him.
"Oh, come, Gerald" I urged petu-
lently. cit is so awkward for me to go
alone, always"
He shook his head listlessly.
L thought perhaps you would be
willing to stop at home with me, Mad
cline
Men are so selfish" I said plain
lively, "and 1 am all dressed. Clau-
dia took half an hour for my hair. l
dare say you'll be a great deal quieter
without me-that is, if you are deter
mined not to 60"
No answer came.
Well, if you choose to be sullen, I
cannot help it," I said lightly, as I
turned and went out of the room, ad-
justing my silver boquet holder, the
tuberoses and heliotropes seeming to
distill incense at every motion.
Was 1 heart!ess and cruel? Had 1
ceased to love my husband? From
the bottom of my heart 1 believed that
I loved him as truly and tenderly as
ever wife did, but had been so spoiled
and petted all my brief, selfish life that
the better instincts were, SO to speak
entombed alive.
went to the party and had my fill
of adulation and homage, as usual.
The hours seemed to glide away, shod
with loses and winged with music and
sweet perfume, and it was not until
wearied with dancing, sought mo-
mentary refuge in the half-lighted tea
room, that l heard words awakening
me, rs it were, from dream. Ger
aid Clen?' I could not be mistaken
in the name--it was scarcely common
place enough for that. They were talk
ins-two or three stout, business-like
gentleman-in the hall without, and I
could catch, now and then, furtive
word or phrase.
"Fine, enterp1ising young fellow!-
great pity!-totally ruined, so Bees and
McNTorcken say!-reckless extravaganza
of his wifew
All these vague fragments I heard,
and then some one said
"And what is he going to do now?"
"What can he do. am sorry; yet
he should have calculated his income
and his expenses better. Or his wife
should. Deuce take these women
they are at the bottom of all mans
troubles"
And they laughed! Oh, how could
they? I had yet to learn how easy it is
in this world to bear other peoples
troubles.
rose hurriedly up, with my heart
beating unanimously beneath the pink
azaleas, and went back to the lighted
corridors. Albany Moore was waiting
to claim my hand for the next redowa.
Are you i'll, Mrs. Glen? How pale
you look"
"I--I am not very we'll. I wish you
would have my carriage called, Mr..
Moore" For now I felt that home was
the place for me.
Hurried by some unaccountable i'm
pulse, I sprang out the moment the
carriage wheels touched the curbstone,
and rushed up to my husbands room.
The door was locked, but could see a
light shining under the threshold.
knocked wildly and persisteLtly.
Gerald! Gerald! For heavens
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. I had never seen him look so
pale before or so rigid yet so deter
mined.
"Who are your" he demanded Wild
ly. "Why can't you leave me in
peace?"
cts I Gerald-your Madeline
your own little wife,"
And l caught from his hand the pis-
tol he was striving to conceal in his
breast-its mate lay on the marble
hearth under the mantle--and flung it
out the window.
Gerald, would you have left me ?"
~ would have escapedw he cried, /,
still half delirious to all appearance.
" Debt - disgrace - misery her re-