Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-12-25

| do DIODdulc WIVES dill ibObitASs
| naturally always defended my sex;
and once when laughingly expressed
my belief that if ever should see the
woman destined to be his wife, it
would no doubt be one of those same
| pretty, useless, fashionable creatures,
| against whom he rallied so bitterly-a
| look of pain passed across his face, that
| set me to thinking that | had touched
sore spot in his experience.
We became very good friends,
eventually; indeed, am afraid that
should / confess to the truth, we in
dulged little in harmless and pleas
ant Irritation. l know that | was al
ways pleased to see him; and / am
sure that he often fingered beside me
in manner savOring n little of devo-
ton. Still this was only on the sur
face; and | grew more and more GER
tain from melancholy that often pos
sessed him that there was some secret
connected with his domestic life, of
an unhappy character.
At last from an accidental remark
of one of my employers, discovered
the "skeleton of his closet" He was
a married man, but separated from his
wife. i think that felt little panied
at the information; and | certainly
could not help the GOODNESS of my man.
ner when next L met him. He saw the
change, and asked with his eyes for an
explanation, though not with his
tongue. Had he taken the latter lib
erty, it is very possible that | might
have told him, aud then-this story
would never have been written! AS it
was, few hours thoroughly cafmed
me; showed me something of the inn
prudence of which | had been guilty,
in making so close an acquaintance
with a man aboet whom | knew liter
ally nothing; and reused all the
woman within me, in pride and a dim
suspicion Of revenge.
That revenge was much nearer than
I could possibly have dreamed; and
unlike most revenges, no sorrow is
entailed by the recollection. But Of
thatianon. Following the discovery,
the first thing | did was to enlarge it
by ascertaining particulars-how, is q
matter of no consequence in connec-
tion with this story. What [ addi-
tionally discovered, however, is of
consequence.
He had married q petted, wayward,
beautiful girl - the only child of
wealthy parents, who had by inju-
dicious management fostered every
weakness of her character. He had
formed her acquaintance, and married
her after short courtship, while on
visit to her, native town, and after
few months removed to the city
where he now made his residence.
He had brought her home to
the house ofhis mother, who, with his
sister, was of the true New England
type. They Were thorough going,
practical women, notable house-keep-
ers, slightly Puritanical in their be-
liefs, and holding very little synlpa-
thy with youth and ineXperience. The
young wife was impulsive, unused TO
discipline of any kind, careless, ig-
norant of any habits of industry, but
warm-hearted and atfectionate. No
doubt very troublesome relative to
the staid, methodical women with
whom she took up her residence.
Unfortunately for the wife, also, her
husband had been taught to look up to
his mother and sister as the best of
women, and had fondly fancied that
when his new treasure came under
their control all those little weakness
es, of which he had soon become aware
after marriage, would be cured by their
example and advice. But his SAN
guine hopes were doomed to early dis
appointment. Instead of his wife
growing docile and yielding, she be-
came more Willful and intractable,
rebelled with high spirit against any
rule, and looked upon her husband
more as q companion with whom to
enjoy the amusements of fashionable
society, than as u helpmate and friend
with whom to pass through the trials
and cares of life. Still she had a kind
heart and warm affections, and had
more love and sympathy been exhib
tied in connection with efforts to
change her habits, and less cold, severe
eXactiOns shown on the part OF her
husbands relatives, the result might
have been better for ALL At last the
usual result followed. Quarrels be-
came of frequent occurrences; estrange-
ment grew up between husband and
wife; and it was only year after their
marriage that the young wife, one
day, after passionate outbreak and
most unhappy scene with her husband,
left his home and returned to that of
her parents. Here she was not only
received with open arms, but condoled
and sympathized with in her great
injury-a divorce proposed, and all
cnance of reconciliation destroyed.
Such was the painful story, as |
gathered the particulars-no rare one
in the world, | am quite aware, and
yet sad enough as embodying the
wreck of two lives. Perhaps a knowl-
edge of the whole softened my pride
toward Mr.. Lee trifie, though it by
no means cured my wounded self
respect or put me more at ease with
myself. What more acquaintance
might have followed is uncertain;
perhaps none whatever, under the
changed conditions; nor have | the
clearest idea how my revenge would
have been accomplished, had L not
been favored by new and unexpected
circumstances.
1t was in the month of December
that one very cold and clustering
morning lady was ushered into the
instruction-room by one of the sales
men. She was a young and remarka-
bly, pretty woman, as | discovered at
the first glance, and dressed very be-
comingly in the prevailing mode. The
usual remarks that "she was afraid
she would be stupid" and my reas-
surance that had taught pupils from
twelve to eighty years of age, and from
Irish Norah to the Hon. Mrs. High
flyer in position, passed between us;
and then, after feet were comfortably
warmed and gloves removed, the les
son began. Upon the raising of her
veil, as she seated herself, discovered
that her beautiful brown eyes showed
traces of recent tears; and several times
as the lesson proceeded an uncon-
sciously drawn long sigh or sob proved
\ Il. 4. 4 N1Ix a., Il