Weekly Trinity journal., 1875-08-07

first husband in California.
She came East soon after her widow
hood to visit some friends who had known
her only in her maiden life, where Tom
saw, wooed and won her.
But, as luck would have it, who should
come back from California, but John
Babbit, an old schoolmate of Toms.
OF course the two had world of things
to talk over.
"How curious you should be married,
old boy" said John, as they sat smoking
together. "And to poor little Mrs. Van
Duzen."
"I'm married to her fast enough, 4" said
Tom dryly, Though haven't the least
expectation of ever being able to supply
the place of her first husband. You knew
the late lamented Augustus VanDuzen?"
81 knew more than l wanted to Of
him; though | never knew he was la
mented by anybody. His wife certainly
had no cause to lament him. Why, he
used to get drunk every night, and come
home and smash the furniture | never
pited any weman as | did her. | used
to hope she'd outive him so as to take n
little comfort before she died. He did
die, though not in his bed the vigilance
committee got hold of him one dark night
and" Here the speaker touched his
throat with brief but expressive gesture.
"Too many horses missing, you under
stand"
Here, as the speaker caught glimpse
of Toms astonished face, the sudden idea
struck him that this revelation might not
be over and above agreeable to the man
occupying the place so suddenly vacated.
81 beg pardon"
mot "A word Of apology, my dear fell
low," interrupted Tom, whose face wa,
actually radiant with smiles, graspinl
John by the hand, whose turn it was tC
be astonished. "I'm delighted. That i.
to say" added Tom, checking himself a
he saw his friends bewildered look, 81
shall be delighted to have you dine will
mo tomorrow strictly family dinner
you understand. Mrs. Brown will b,
delighted, too. Oh, yes !" chuckled Tom
on his way home, feeling strongly incln-
ed to throw up his hat and hurrah in the
exuberance of his joy.
He was confident that he now had q
spell by which he could clay" the ghost
that so long had haunted him.
1t was half-past eleven when he lot
himself in.
Instead of creeping meekly along as
was his wont, he walked nosily up stairs
into the room where his wife was sitting,
handkerchief in hand, in the attitude into
which she had arranged herself at the
turning of the atch-key.
Without paying her the slightest heed e,
Tom marched across the floor to the fire.
where he stood, warming his hands, and
whistling softly to himself.
Astonished at this unheard of procedure
Mrs. Brown glanced out at the culprit
from the corner Of her handkerchief.
"Never during all our happy married
life did my sainted Augustus come home
at such an hour as this !" she said with
more than usual emphasis, as she noted
his air Of tranquil enjoyment.
81 know he didn't" was the cool re-
ply; he used to come home crazy drunk
at two o'clock in the morning and smash
the furniture. ] haven't got to that yet,
but il will come in due season."
Speechless with astonishment and dis
may, Mrs. Brown removed the handker-
chief from her eyes, and looked at the
speaker.
That look was too much for Toms risi-
bilities throwing himself down into n
chair, he laughed until his wife began to
think he had taken leave Of his senses.
"You've been drinking, Tom" she
said solemnly.
"Oh, not at all, my dear" he said, his
face suddenly settling into an expression
of preternatural gravity. "That's the
next feature in the programme, believe.
i
cuse my imperfect rendering of the char
acter that has been so often held up for
my imitation. Practice makes perfect,
you know, and | hope in timeto attain to
all the virtues Of the late lamented Au-
gustus VanDuzen, though hardly expect
to reach the elevated position that was
his when he made his final exit"
Mrs. Browns face turned scarlet.
"What do you mean, Tom p
"Oh, nothing, nothing" he responded,
throwing his head back, and fixing his
eye upon fly on the ceiling.
And no: another word could she get
out of him.
The next morning Mrs. Brown was
grave and preoccupied, saying little, and
studying her husbands face whenever she
could do 50 unobserved.
Tom, on the contrary, was in the best
possible spirits, rattling away, without
caring whether she replied or
not.
He casually mentioned upon rising up
from the table that he should bring a
friend home to dinner"
Formerly any such intimation was
sufficient warrant for Mrs. Brown to call
up the ghost of the deceased VanDuzen,
but, curiously enough, she did not even
mention his name now.
Tom found his wife alone in the paror
when he returned home to dinner with his
guest.
Mrs. Brown, Mr.. John Babbit. An
old acquaintance Of yours, believe.
Whatever Mrs. Brown had feared, or
conjeetured, she was not prepared for
this she turned from red to white, and
from ,vbita To rod ht,f ratainine, har salf-