Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-07-28

1Coutinued from Arst pa&e.l
much he loved me, and how happy We
should be thought that one one word
"wife" comprehended all that was estate
and sublime; and the vista of the future
held not cloud.
Two things struck me about our house
(which had been his father's) the unused,
dusty look of the library, small room
like an offshoot at the back, but crammeo
with books; and secondly. the hunting
whips, gig-whips. spurs, racing calendars
frame and glazed, the guns. shot-oeits
and powder-tiasks, the boxing gloves anu
foils hung up or littering about the wnoie
house. Then. too, there were cigars ana
pipes, cards and dice in drawers and box
es; and the first faint, impalpable shadow
of doubt crept over me.
"O,iver will forego these things now
that be is married. said to myself. land
| will make that delightful old library
quite a snuggery. 1t is the most cosy
room in the house.
At first he drove me here and there, and
one or two of his fathers very old friends
called upon me; but his own acquain,-
ances were mostly men in Newmarket
coats like his own, who talked slang,
smoked necessarily, stared hard at me, or
made freer than liked, and who walked
in and out of the house, ordered the SER
wants, drank beer and brandy, went and
STAYED with freedom very foreign to my
notions, and altogether upset my theories
of the privacy of domestic life.
There was one, Captain Thornton,
especially disliked; and told Oliver so.
He will ruin you if you continue to asso-
ate with him. said.
Oliver laughed, patted my cheek, and
replied knowingly, My dear. he might
if / were not too deep for him. Imesn
to make fortune out of the captain be-
fore long"
had heard from my father that divers
property was not large. and little as
knew Of such matters. could tell my
thousand pounds would not 20 far to sup
port such q mode Of life. But he only
laughed when / said captains and country
squires were not associates for him. NE.
yer you mind. Mary. know what I'm
about. And then he grow angry when l
spoke on the subject, 90 Idesisted.
Frequently he was away for week of
two together, and then the whole
tribe went with him-not that 1t other
times we always had the house full; but
it was seldom quite empty. We rarely
had . quiet evening to ourselves. He
was away when my baby was born; and
was partly glad Of II. for the house was
quiet.
Oliver had insisted upon christening
feast. and gave bis orders as If Potosi had
been at his command.
Hang the cost! What do care 7" was
his reply to my wish TO keep expenditure
within bounds.
OF course there were friends Of his
own invited. and Of course there was
heavy drinking; and whilst father, Leah,
Mrs. Mathews. and sat together in the
drawing-room, listening to the March
winds clustering without noise of voices
in loud contention came from the dining
room across the hall.
..Liarm Cheat" "Sharper p "Vaga-
bond ~ were among the epithets which
smote our ears. Then there was scuf1e.
We met, the servants in the hall also hnr-
rying 10 ascertain what was the matter,
and as we opened the dining-room door
we saw Captain Thornton with his hands
on divers throat. shrieked. Sam, our
man-servant. darted in, and helped 10
separate them-drawing his master away
towards the door.
The faces OF both men worked with pas
sion: Oliver shook himself free, snatched
decanter from the dining-table, and
hurled 1t across At his antagonist with full
force. Instinctively the captain put up
his arm to guard his face. The decanter
smashed upon his hand. gashing it fright
fully.
believe there was cry for doctor.
but not for me, though had tainted and
been carried back 10 the drawing-room So
ia insensible.
Captain Thornton's life was in peril
from the hemorrbage! His wrist was
bound tightly before surgeon came 70 ex-
tract the glass and sew up the wound
but for all that, he was for long time In
danger of lockjaw. When he did recov
er, the muscles of his right hand were so
contracted that he coald no longer shuttle
cards, ride at hunt or steeple-chase, ham
die billiard-cue, or fire . gun and he
vowed vengeance against the man who
had made life burden TO him. |
Oliver laughed, IS was his wont; but
evil seemed to haunt US from that hour
not as a CONSCIENCE of that one act, but
of much ioregone, Of which ! knew moth
ing.
My father beckoned me into the library |
before he and Leah returned home, and |
he shut the door.
CONTINUED ro-MoRRow1.