Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-04-09
A W0MAN'S REVELATION.
NO. Is

side.
care you going out this evening
love2"
"Of course I am"
looked down compiacently at my
dress of pink Grape, dew-dropped ovel
with crystal, and the trails of pinl
azaleas that caught up it's folds here
and there. A diamond bracelet encir.
cled one round white arm, and little
cross blazed ftfully at my throat. /
had never looked better, and I felt a
sort of girlish pride as my eyes met
the fairy reflection in the mirror. - -
Come, Gerald, make haste!-why,
you haven't begun to dress yeti"
Where were my wifely instincts that
l did not see the haggard, drawn 10 k
IN his features-the fevered light N
his eyes?
81 can't go tonight, Madeline-I
a." not we'll enough"
"You are never well enough to
oblige me. Gerald. I am tired OF
being put off with such excuses"
He mace no answer, but dropped
his head in his hand on the table be-
fore him.
ooh, come. Gerald" I urged petu-
lantly. cit is SO awkward for me to
go alone, always"
! He shook his head listlessly,
81 thought perhaps you would be
willing to remain at home with me.
Madeline"
"Men are so selfish said, plain
lively, "and l am all dressed. Claudia
| took half an hour for my hair 1 dare
say you'll te graf deal quiet er with
| out me-that is, if you are determined
| not to go"
| No answer again.
well, if you choose to be sullen, I
can't help it," said lightly, as l turn
ed and went out of the room, adjust
ing my silver boquet- holder, the tube
| roses and heliotropes seeming to dis
till incense at every motion.
Was L heartless and cruel? Had l
ceased to love my husband? ? From
the bottom of my heart / believed that
| loved him as truly aud tenderly as
ever wife did, but [ had been so spoil
cd and petted all my brief, selfish life
that the better insticts were, so to
speak, entombed alive.
l went to the party and had my fill
of adulation and homage, as usual.
The hours seemed to glide away, shod
with roses and winged with music and
rich perfume; and 1t was not until,
wearied with dancing, I sought q
momentary refuge IN the half-hghted
tea-room, that heard words awaken
ing me, as it we've, from dream
''Gerald Glen ?" could not be mis-
taken in the name it was scarcely
commonplace enough for that. They
were talking-two or three stout, bust
ness-Eke looking gentlemen-in the
hall without, and l could catch, now
and then. fugatiyee y9BBda y9BBdaiig Gg ffs!lfoV- !
great pity!-totally ruined, SO Bees &
McKorden say!-reckless extravaganza
of his wife %
Ali these vague fragments [ heard,
and then some one said:
"And what is he going to do now ?"
"What can he do ?" l am sorry
yet he should have calculated his in
come and his expense better" &" Or
his wife should. Deuce take these
womeu-they are at the bottom of all
q mans troubles"
And they laughed Oh, how could
they? I had yet to learn how easy it
is in this world to bear other peoples
troubles.
I rose hurriedly up, with my heart
beating tumultuously beneath the
pink azaleas, and went back to the
lighted corridors. Albany Moore was
waiting to claim my hand for the re
dowa
care you i'll, Mrs. Clen2 How pale
you look |"
I'll am not very well. wish you
would have my carriage called, MIR.
Moore" For now felt that home
wss the place for me.
Hurried by SOM unaccoun able i'm
pulse, sprapg out the moment II
carriage wheels touched the curbstone,
and rushed up to my husbands room.
The door was locked, but I could see
a light shining under the threshold. l
knocked wildly and persistently.
"Gerald Gerald For Heavens
sake let me in y
Something fell OH the marble hearth
stone within, making a metallic clink,
and my husband opened the door
little way. I had never seen him look
so pale before or SO rigid, yet SO de-
termined.
Who are you?" he demanded
wildly. "Why can't you leave me IL
peace ?"
Its I, Gerald-your Madeline
your own little wife"
And I caught from his hand the pis-
tol he was trying to conceal in his
breast-its mate lay on the marble
hearth under the mantle-aId flung 1t
out of the window.
"Gerald, would you have left me ?"
81 would have escaped he cried,
still half derilious to all appearance.
Debt--disgrace- misery--her re-
proaches-I would have escaped them
all"
His head fell like that of a weary
child on my shoulder. 1 drew him
gently to sofa, and soothed him with
thousand mute caresses; for had lt
| not been all my fault? And through
all the long weeks of fever that fol-
| lowed I nuIsed him with unwaverlng
care and devotion. ] had but one
| thought-one desire-to redeem my
! self in his estimation to prove to
| him that / was something more ana
| higher than the mere butterfly OF fash
! ion l had hitherto shOwn myself !.
| Well, the March winds he'd howIed
| themselves into their mountain last-
ness the bright April rain-drops were
dIied on the bough and spray-and
now the apple-biossoms were tossing
their fragrant billows of pinky bloom
in the deep blue air of later May.
| Where were we now ! 1t was plctur-
esque little cottage just out OF the clty,
furnished very like a magni'ied baby
house. Gerald sat in a cushioned
easy chair on the piazza, just where
he could glance through the open win
dow at me working batch of bis
cults, with sleeves rolled up above my
elbows, and the gold thread halr
neatly combed in silken net.
"What an Industrious fairy it is, he
said. smiling sadly.
"Wel', YOU see l like it! It's grea
deal better than those sonatas on Tie
piano.
"Who wonld have thought you
would make such notable bouse-
keeper" ,,,
1 la lehed gleefully-I had Child :
delight in being praised.
"Are you not going to Mrs. De
lapey's croquet party?' he pursued.
"No, what do l care for croqne'
parties? I am going to finish youl
! o,l rau'1 raa1 alnII1 tn me-