Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1876-07-25
MISCELLANEOUS.
a WIFE'S JEALOUSY


@i1, HAT were you reading when came
SSEc upon you just now p Mrs Crawford
asked her husband. You looked very
much Interested"
Mr.. Crawford looked nt it oddly
"Roally, don't know" he said, 'was 1
reading anything" 7"
Pm sure I'm net inquisitigo," said Mrs
Crawford, and sat down to the coffee urn
with little AouncC; "only l always show
you my letters, William"
"Iyo only received one letter this morn
ing" said Mr. Crawford. "If you'd like to
share the reading of it, you cam
lie tossed her an envelope, within which
lay little folded psper-tho butchers
monthly account.
Mrs. Crawford pokcd the bill back into its
envelope. 1t was yellow one. That which
she had seen her husband reading had, she
felt sure, delicate pink tinge.
In ali her married life Mrs. Crawford had
never felt suspicion of her husband before,
but there was no chat over the breakfast ia.
bic that morning. The children we're neg
lectcd and grew frctful tho mother scold-
cd them. The father gave no good,b kiss
to his wife; aud when her early morning
duties were over aud the children off to
school, Mrs. Crawford ascended to the little
thithcr ss could yell beat in any womln's
breast
"Ent it Was pale pink note, and lady's
Land" said Mrs. Crawford to herself; land
lie hii it from me-" The horror she felt at
opening his desk secretly, and as a burglar
might. quietly passed way. Sho wiped her
eyes with her handkerchief, and plunged into
a certain box, which was q receptacle for
ODDS and ends. From thence sho brought
forth jiEgliuG chain, with keys strung
upon it, l:tte and big, iron and brass, new
md rusty, keys of closets, and drawers, and
trunks, and boxes; keys her grandmother
had for her stoTe>room; keys that be-
longed to her own dolls bureau Gathering
them mp in her bands, she sat dOwn before
the desk, aud began tryin-; one after another
in the lock. a; last she :ouni one that fit,
ted. She lifted the lid, aud her eyes red
with tears, saw the interior OF the desk. There
was book, one her husband had been read
ing tho night before, from the eJgo Of which
pEotEuded something pink. Mrs. Crawford
pounced upon it with low cry. 1t was a
little envelope; from it she tore note. This
was wha! she read:
MY Dear William I'!e longcd to see
you, all day. Besurc that you como tonight.
With kiss, yours, always"
she thought of the servants and restrained
herself. White as death che put the note
back in thc book, locked :he desk, and drop
ped the great chain of keys into his box.
Then she sat in her rocking chair, and SWAY
ed herself backward and forward and asked
herself what she should do. What, indeed
Fifteen years she had been married and all
that while she had been SO happy. And now
trouble worse than death had come. There
WAS DO explaining this away. Fov husband
had no sisters, no mother, no female friend
or relative who could write such thing.
No, there was no explanation but this
dreadful one-he had been making love to
some one. Perhaps he had even TWO wives.
When men begin to be mad, no on. could
tell where they would stop.
| When her Husband came home he had
no suspicion of the discovery she had made.
He looked At hcr much usual, snd he
| spoke first.
whats tie matter, I'm !? The children
arc not threatened with tho small poz 2"
''If they were dead with it, William, and
I, too, should be glad, i" said the wife. "I
had rather be dead than feel as 1 feel to.
night"
MY dear, I never saw you IN this way
before, he said. "It'o YOU Ill 2 I'm afraid
you are"
lie came to her side and bent OYER her.
She rcpulsed him. Then he, sstouished
aud angry, stood looking 1t her.
be said.
You hn2,r, william" she answered.
Look into Jour heart and ask yourself
All. William l have been true wife to you,
aud good mother to your children for fifteen
years, and now you turn from me to some
. younger and Prot,icr womGr. You see I kaow
all, William. That note excited ny suspicion
;hi5 morning / know women don't reason
things out like men they know the truth By
! instinct l opened youE desk and read the
note you had hidden inside the Soo'; Of poems,
and don. know vho she Is, and 3on't care !;
! butyou love another vonan."
Still the husband stood looking at his wife
the s'ranges. look. He did not approach
her, nor did he answer her b. any word. Af-
ter awhile he said -af'iy sat quies to himself.
! The little piok note in the book Well!
70 be sure -esy yes ac1 sEe IS JEALOUS"