Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-12-09

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had got more money than had -
"No, no. Ephraim, it was all my
parents. But will try and bear your
reproaches. Go on"
swell, then, of course was awfully
cut up. Twas wild. got six shooter
to xii you and the other"
81 wish you had," said che. She
didn't wish anything of the kind.
"l am very glad I didn't, then. I
dropped the six shooter and took to the
moping and crying line."
"Poor Ephraim |"
"Oh, yes 1 went through all the
changes and ended as other men do"
And how is thata"
"Why. by getting over it."
"What you have got over it :"
Lord, yes long ago 70
sob, indeed /" said she, bitterly.
Then, with SLY incredulity: " How is it
you have never married2"
"Well, I'll tell you. When I found
that money was everything with you
girls, I calculated to go in for money
too. So speculated, like-the other,
and made money. But when had once
begun to taste money making, somehow
I left off troubling about women. And,
besides, know great many people,
and I look coolly on, and what see in
every househas set meagainst marriage.
Most of my married friends envy me,
and say SO. 1 don't envy any of them,
and don't pretend to. Marriage it is a
bad institution. You have got clear of
it, | hear. All the better for you. I
mean to take shorter road: [ won't
ever get into it"
This churl, then, who had drowned
hot passion in the waves of time, and,
instead of nursing passion for her all
his days, had been hugging celibacy as
mans choicest treasure, asks her coolly
if there was anything he could do for
her, Gould he be of service in finding
out Investments, etc., or could he place
either Of the boys in the road to Wealth.
Instead of hating these poor children
like man, he seemed all the more in
clined to serve them after their absent
parent had secured him the sweets of
celibacy.
She was bursting with ire, but had
the self-restraint to thank him, though
very coldly, and to postpone all discus
sion of that kind to future time. Then
he shook hands with her and left her.
She was wounded to the core. It
would have been very hard to wound
her heart as deeply as this interview
wounded her pride.
She sat down and shed tears of NOR
ti6cation.
She was aroused from that condition
10y letter in well known hand. She
opened il, all in fiutter:
"MY DEAR SoPHY-You are nice
wife. you arel Here I have been slav-
ing my life out for you, and shipwreck-
ed, and nearly dead with fever, and
coming home rich again, and 7 asked
you just to come from Chicago to New
York to meet me, that have come all the
way from China and San Francisco, and
it is too much trouble. Did you ever
hear OF Lunham's dog that was so lazy
he leaned against the wall TO bark2 1t
is very disheartening TO a poor fellow
that has played mans part for you and
the children. Now be good girl, and
meet me at Chicago tomorrow evening
at six P. NJ. For if you don't, by thun-
der I'll take the children and absquat-
ulate with them to Paris, or somewhere.
find the drafts on New York I sent
from China have never been presented.
Reckon by that you never got them.
Has that raised your dander9 Well, it
is not my fault; SO put on your bonnet
and come and meet
"Your affectionate husband,
JONATHAN CLARKE.
e" sent my first letter to your fathers
house. 1 send this to your friend, Mrs.
x"
Mrs. Clarke read this in such tu-
multi of emotions that her mind could
not settle moment on one thing. But
when she had read it, the blood in her
beating veins begun to run cold.
What on earth could she do9 fall to
the ground between two stoo.sa No:
that was mans trick, and she was
woman, every inch.
She had not any time to lose, so she
cane to rapid conclusion. Her acts
will explain better than comments. She
dressed, packed up one box, drove to
the branch station, and got to Chicago.
She bought an exquisite bonnet, took
private apartments at hotel, and en-
ployed an intelligent person to wait at
the station for her husband, and call out
his name. and give him q card, on
which was written:
"MrS. Jonathan Clarke,
"At the K HOTEL"
This done. she gave her mind entirely
to the decoration of her person.
The ancients, when they had done
anything wrong, and wanted to be for
given, used to approach their judges
with dishevelled hairan shabby clothes
-Sordidis VeStibus.
This poor, shallow woman, unenlight-
ened by the wisdom of the ancients,
thought tae nicer woman looked, the
likelier man would be to forgive her,
no matter what. So she put on her best
silk dress, and her new French hat
bought on purpose, and made her hair
very neat, and gave her face wash and
rub that added color. She did not
rouge, because she calculated she would
have to cry Lefore the end of the play,
and crying hard over rouge makes chan
nels.
When she was as nice as she could be,
she sat down to wait for her divorce !.
she might be compared to fair spider
which had spread her web to catch o
wasp, but is sorely afraid that, when he
does come, ne will dash it all to rib
bons.
At last there was murmur on the
stairs; then loud, hearty voice; then a
blow at the door-you could not call it q
tap-and in burst Jonathan Clarke,
| brown as q berry heard n foot Ionc