The Van Buren press., 1875-10-12

yes
Sweet little thing-my poor little pet
You shall never have occasion To shed
tears after you come into the shelter of
my arms
SO it was settled, aud in two months
Hope Winters became Mrs, Royal Drum.
mond aud exchanged her cottage home
for the handsome residence next door
Royal Drumnond was very fond of his
handsome wife He bok pride in array
ing her in costly robes, in decking her in
cleaning Jewels, and in indulging her
whims and faneies She was fond of SO.
ciety, and he was fondpf showing off his
graceful wife in large asbcrings SO the
months went by on wit.s of light. Mrs.
DramMond was one of the leading soci-
ETY. women OF Laurence and may hc a
little eXtravagant in dress anam1tinnera
parties. But her husbasia round HazsNott
He loved her, he trusted her she was his
Sne was alIeetionate and never neglected
her home and wifely duties. He was
quite willing to indulge her tastes And
so q year passed by.
Lislc Morgan married young DR. Ba-
ker, across the street, and she and Mrs,
Drummond became quite intimate. But
Royal never saw her without feeling a
sense Of pity for DR.. Baker, who must
feel so insecure in his domestic relations.
He told Hope so one day
DO you know, he said, Il can't con
ccive how young Baker came to marry
LisIe Morgan, Hopei'
Hone archad her handsome brows, re.
plying:
why, Royal l think Lslc is perfect
ly charming. She is just as sweet as she
can be. Why should not DR.. Baker love
her and marry herF
We'll, you see have my IDEAS, Royal
said, A man to be happy, must place per
feet confidence in his wife, must know
her whole life, and trust her implicitly
Now, this Miss Morgan was stranger ;
and no one knows aught concerning her
past career We have to take her word
for it all. Perhaps she is an adventures
and the Lord only knows what ! should
know no peace if she were my wife.
don't want wife whose past holds any
secret from me, / give full confidence
want my wife to do the same
and 50 you married the girl who
grew upin your door yard, and whose
daily life You knew smiled Hope. nest.
ling up to him, and kissing him tenderly
No secrets between us, dear old boy
None at all, my pet; we are the hap,
piest couple on earth
But, if Lslc has a secret. her husband
may never fnd it out, so maybe they will
be happy in spite OF it, said Hope, and
then ran away to dress for dinner
About six months passed away, and
Dr.. Baker and his wife went to Canada To
visit Isles friends, and brought such 3
bright chatty sister of Lislcs, who talk
ed freely of their home, and ran on gar
rulously about dear old Lise, and papa
and mamma, and all their acquaintances
50 ROYAL began to think Mrs. DR. Baker
was not, rs he had suspected, an adven
turess, but just what she claimed to be
Still he reasoned, there may be things
in her past this sister does not know
Caution is a very good thing indeed, A
man never repeats being cautious
Oae evening in June there was con
cert in the city hall Mrs Royal Drum
mond attended, beautifully alfred She
was in high spirits, as she came out lea
ming on her husbands arm she was chat
ting ealv with some friends near her
Two or three gers-stooc
near the entrance, Passing out in the ful
blaze eff gasIight. Mrs. Drummond mel
the fixed stare of one of the men. She
drew gasping breath and fell deac
weight upon her husband s arm. A car
riase was brought. a physician summon
ed. and she was taken home 'Somt
trouble about the heart the physician
said, caused by nervous excitement OF the
evening She would soon be all right
Mrs Drummond seemed to be all righ
the following day But her husband fell
uneasy, and left his bank at clock tha
afternoon to run home and see how Hop
was feeling.
He entered the open door and raj
lightly up the carpeted stairs to his wife
room. She sat in low rocker, her bacl
toward him, and was deeply engaged il
pefuSln8 letteI'
She started up with a smothere'
scream when she saw her husband, ant
made gesture as if to hide the letter il
her hand, in her bosom.
.Why, what is the matter, Hope ? ht
inquired somewhat curiously, for her ner
vous manner surprised him,
sOh, nothing, nothing; you startled
me, that was all.
What did you hide in your bosom;
letter.
No, only a scrap Of paper
She flushed crimson under his tixet
gaze. Royal took step forward AM
caught her hands in his.
Mrs. Drummond, he said sternly
speaking as she had never heard hin
speak before Mrs Drummond, | de
site to see that scrap of paper. Willyo
grant me the pcrmlrsionT
Il will not
Mrs. Drulnmond, command you tt
hand me the paper.
She wrcnched her hands from bis grasp
caught the paper from its hiding place
and Suddenly tore tt into a score of pie
ees, and tossed them out at the open via
dow
Il defy you, she said, and looked hin
boldly in the face
He turned and left the house. He cam
home at II o'clock He had never bee
absent an evening before since his mar
riagc As he came up the path ma
lort,l into ,hn chruhbsry lie went in