South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1875-10-29

her husbands breast never found vent
In dissatisfied word or look, and until
the previous day he had kept his face
ana manner free from all traces OF anx.
lety. But the constant excitement and
worry had been too hard for him, and
the dunning or creditor, who demand.
% the punctual payment Of q note Of
four thousand that fell due ON the TWEEN.
ty-nrst OF December, together with other
unforeseen debts had 20 upset him that
he could not cover his mental distresses
with the mask Of carelessness he had
worn for weeks past
His greatest trouble. Was for Alice
never very sttcng-and he often under.
rated her strength-he had endeavored
to surround her with every comfort and
had carefully kept all harrassing bust.
ness details or cares from her ears. He
had given her money without stint, and
he supposed she spent it like other wo.
men. for she was always we'll dressed,
and his home was model OF order and
good taste. BE that rs it may, he never
thought Of tracing the cause Of his fail.
ure to some extravaganza. For no wo.
man was more thoroughly economical,
without being miserly than Mrs. Shell.
ton. Her party toilets were always in
exceptional taste, and her dress for Mrs.
Aust'ns party was not designed for any
unusual display Of elegance. although
The gathering was to be Of unusual bril-.
liancy.
The night Of the twentieth camc--a
dark, stormy, December night, the air
filled with snow-Hakes, and the sky gray
and overcast with heavy clouds,
1T is going to be a terrible night,
Mark" Mrs. Shelton said to her lus.
band, who sat before the library fire,
evidently absorbed in the contents of
the eveningpaper. "Ihave thought once
or twice since l commenced dressing,
that would not go out tonight"
go by all means, Alice the carriage
Is close her husband replied, glancing
up ut the trim little figure arrayed i'm a
dark silk. rctrimmed, with pale blush ro-
ses in her purplish black hair, and ut the
white throat, half vailed with flmy lace
lie smiled bitterly as he saw her going
out in her happy, child.likc innocence,
rs She might never 90 again, among PEG.
pie who had no sympathy for failing
merchants, and who would not give his
wife thought if she were not rich in
the worlds goods.
IL wish you would Co." she said, be.
seechingly. lingering at the door to ad-
just her cloak Mr., Austin will be OK.
pecting you"
MIR. Shelton smiled, thinking, perhaps
Of the forbidding face OF a man of whom
Inc had begged loan that afternoon.
whose curt cannot spare dollar, sir"
rang in his ears yet. lie arose from his
seat by the fire, and going over to his
wife's side, fastened the warm wrap clio.
ser about her throat
"Be careful ofyourself, little woman"
he said with forced attempt at gayety :;
land enjoy yourself, for it is utterly i'm
possible for me to co.
lie accompanied her to the carriage !;
and as he closed the door on the placid
little face he inwardly anathemati,e the
weakness that prompted him to withhold
the story Of his difficulties from her,
when she daily ran the risk Of hearing it
from lips less liable to soften its details.
Yet he still hoped that The morrow
would bring some chance of redeeming
his lost credit; although his efforts to
raise the four thousand dollars due on
the 2lst, were still unsuccessful. He
was almost worn out with physical and
mental labor, yet he put on his hat and
ovcrcoat, and dragged YEARLY down
town through the fast falling snow and
murSy darkness. to spend the dreary
hours of his wife's absence. pouring over
lcdgers in his counting room.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Mark Shelton. not
quite satisfied with Marks strange
freak" as she called her husbands re.
fusal to attend the party, was zealously
trying TO feel at ease among Mrs. Aus.
tins stylish guests. For somehow, she
felt depressed and i'll at-ease among the
faslionables who had hitherto welcomed
her rs the wife Of a prominent YOUNG
merchant who was rising steadily TO emf.
nence in the commercial world. greetings
that her sensitive nature detected instant.
ly. and an angry flush rose To her check
when she overheard remark relating to
.Shelton's old silk"
81 suppose my dress is not ND TO their
standard in point ofelegance," she NUT.
tered, bitterly "but I'll never ruin
Mark with my extravag ance in dress
neverV'
She slipped out ofthe gay, overcro wd.
ed parlors into the library, where she
found refuge behind the heavy hangings
OF bay window. She dropped into
low seat, and sat watching the streams
Of gnslight Pickering across the street.
now ankle deep with snow. wishin. that
Mark would remember her orders and
send the carriage early. The heavy.
sensuous odors of tropical plants filed
the room with fragrance that almost took
her breath away, and in the distance the
music ola popular waltz rose and fell
the soft, voluptuous cadences soothing
her disturbed mind into calmnes5 that
was soon broken by the entrance Of two
ladies' whose first words chained Mrs.
Shelton 10 her scat, and held her in the
questionable light Of an eayeg.dropper.
u was astonshed TO see Mrs. Mark