Middletown transcript., 1875-09-18

with care aud nea atness. With fres
ribbon tied in her hair and color a littl
raised from mental excitement. sh
looked charming and lovable ; ! waite
with interest to see the impression sh
would make on her husband. He coul
not help being charmed back into th
lover, was sure. But be did no
come to tea.s We waited for him
whole hour after the usual time, AM
then sat down to the table alone; bu
neither of US sfcould do more than sip
little tea.
Il went home soon after with pres
sure Of concern at my heart for whicl
l could not account. All night
dreamed, uncomfortable dreams. Ii
the morning soon after breakfast, | raj
over to see Helen. I found her in be-
room sitting in her night dress, the pic
ture Of despair.
What is itY i asked eagerly. 'wha
has happsnedf'
She looked at me heavily. like one
not yet recovered from the shock Of :
stunning blow
Dear cousin what is the matter? ? ]
said a!
now saw by motion Of her hand,
that it held, tightly clutched, piect
Of paper. She reached it to me. Il
was a letter, and read:
We cannet live happily together.
Helen. You are not what | believed
myself getting when we were married
not the sweet. lovely. loveable girl
that charmed my fancy and won me
from al others. Alas. for us both that
it SO! There has been shipwreck ol
two lives. sFaFewelli I shall never
return ee ga efna tefztg ah5-
And this was all. but it broke the
heart Of my poor cousin. To this day.
though nearly three years have passed,
she has, never heard from her husband.
saw her last week in the country
home. to which she had been taken by
her friends--a wreck both in mind
and body. She was sitting inan upper
room.. from the windows Of which could
be seen beautiful landscape. She was
neatly attired and locket containing
her husbands picture hung at her
throst. Her head was dropped and
her eyes on the floor, when entered !;
but she raised herself quickly and with
a kind Of start. l saw a momentary
eager flush in her face dying out quick.
y and leaving it inexpressibly sad.
I had to stop here. for Maggy broke
out suddenly into wild ct Of sobbing
and crying. which lasted for nearly a
minute.
What ails you. deari' asked, as
she began to be little composed.
iH'Oh! you have frightened me SO. If
John should =.sl ae
She cut short the sentence, but her
frightened face left me in no doubt as
to what was in her thoughts. ..e
She arose and walked about the room
IN an uncertain way for some moments.
and then sat down again, drawing in
her breath heavily. ,..5..a...e5 10 x.
asIfyoung wives remarked--be-
ieving that in her present state the
ruth was the best thing to say-'wouid
AXE half the pains in making them
'elves personality attractive 70 their
husbands. ..lhat they did 70 charmAsheir
overs, more Of them would find the
oserlcoutinusd, ,ius.he husband. Is q.
nan, think you, less an admirer Of
grace and beauty after be be-
comes husband than he was before p
Hush |! hush L she said in choking
,oice. L see it ALL, l. comprehend it
IL And she glanced down at herself,
I look hateful and disgusting
After a plain. earnest talk with
daggy went home. II give her own
words as to what happened afterward
i was wretched all the afternoon.
(ohn had acted worse than usual at
Inner time and what you told me
bout poor Helen set my fears in mo-
ion and worried me half to death.
long before the time be usually came
'ome, I dressed myself with care. select
ng the very things I had beard him
dmire. As I looked at myself in the
lass / saw that I was attractive; 1 felt
s 1 had never felt before, that there
Vas a power in dress that no woman
an disregard without loss Of influence.
% matter what her position or sphere
+ life.
Supper time came. I had made
omething that I knew John liked, and
'as waiting for him with a nervous
agerness it was impossible to repress.
sut the hour passed, and his we'll |
nown tread along the little garden |
'alk did not reach my anxious ears.
i've. ten, twenty minutes beyond his |
our for returning and still I was alone.
)h (! shiver as I recall the wild fears
hat began to crowd upon me. I was
landing at the window, behind the
urtain, waiting and watching. All at