The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-02-18

4 Harry looked in the direction his frien,
indIcs ted Surely sonebod, looked fam
liar Ethel! At the same time III
thought of what people would say rush
ed over him What u1toward circum
thoughts of Ethel's Indignation neve
trnu bled him for an an instant. He mus
put the best face on the matter he coulC
to save remark. No one besides the Ren
fields and their party need know but tha
this was the arrangement.
When he. was presented to Mrs. Rem
field her smiling face became severe
ard her manner frigidity itself, whilt
she barely acknowledged his salutstiOn
and, when he turned to Ethel rs saf,
place to hide momentary embarras=
ment she met him with the air of 1
young Empress. But he was too much
man of the world, had too much
nonchalance, to be easily disconnected
The Miss Renfelds were more approach
able, and were deligh hted with his man
ner~ and conversation. Harry Lathrol
rarely failed to please when he wished
Mrs. Renfeld herself softened, under the
irresistible charm of his manner. Be
sides, Harry Lathrop ~as a handsome as
well as elegant man. Ethel only remain
ed ice.
why didn't you tell man you were
going TO introduce him to yonr own
wife? She's wonderfully beautiful; bnI
pity you, old fellow. She don't care a
peg for you. Not pegl''
However Mr.. Lathrop may have re-
garded his wife, it was not agreeable to
have her love for him questioned, and
he began to wonder if what he had sup
posed supera bundance of affection, the
expression of which had wearied him,
was a mere form, girlish pretense on
Ethel's part, "a she had intimated; and,
as one is apt to value that of which one
is uncertain. he began to feel a vague
unrest, and to watch for some proof OF
Ethel's real feelings.
Bnt Ethel was no longer the easy,
sweet-tempered girl, carolinR about the
honse, whom it seemed easy to read. and
whom it was of no great consequence
whether he offended or not; but a cold,
stately woman. He lad attempted an
explanation, lame apology, after the
evening at the opera; but il was receiv-
ed in silence
In the meantime Ethel, through the
Renields, had formed quite large cir
Gle of facquaintances, and was everywhere
popular. The house was not the desert
ed place that it had been the first few
weeks of her living in it; but young peo-
pie went and came and often Ethel went
out with them.
Occasionally Harry met her on the
street with her friends, and had an op-
portunity to see her with other peoples
eyes, and began to admire her.
Ethel was very pretty, if not strictly
beautiful, and always dressed richly and
with exceeding taste Their circum-
stances warranted it, and it was her
right and duty.
She was, as ever, = careful honsekeep-
er, and studied her husbands tastes and
pleasures as far as their domestic ar
rangementS were concerned; but her own
life and happiness were becoming indie
pendent of him, and some way this idea
began 10 trouble him.
"Shall You go to the Parkers' to-night?'
Ethel asked at breakfast.
Mr.. Lathrop hesitated, and looked at
her TO get some sign of her wishes; but
the fair face was inscrutable.
81 would rather have quiet evening
here at home with you," he at last repli-
ed.
"Thank yon; But have sent an accep.
tance. Thinking perhaps you wonld not
wish to go agreed, conditionally, to GO
with the Renfelds. 1t is the first large
party to which have been invited, and
naturally wished to CO."
Harry knew, and perhaps Ethel, that
Helen Wilder, now Mrs. Richardson
with her husband, would be there
Perhaps he feared to rouse the old feel
ings.
However that may be, at the proper
time he accompanied Ethel. If he had
feared she would be a heavy weight all
the evening he was agreeably disappoint-
ed; for they had no sooner been received
by Mrs. Parker than group of young
people surrounded Ethel and carried her
off, and he would not have got an op-
portunity to speak with her again during
the evening had he not sought it.
He wondered himself at the total in
difference with which he met Mrs. Rich
ardson. Not more rapid heart beat or
quickening of a pulse; but. beautiful as
he saw she was, he yet listened with
thoughts and eyes wandering toward
the "spooney" wife. She passed just
then and he met her eyes. There was
strange expression in them-something
that he could not fathom; but. with in
nate perver-ity, he leaned over the beau
tiful woman with whom he was convers-
ing with an appearance of great devo-
tion.
Time went on. Ethel Lathrop, from
being an object of indifference, "spoonev
and sentimental" came to be the one
person in existence whose affection was
of value to her husband, He hated and
loathed himself for hia treatment of her
previously. Common courtesy shonld
have prevented such conduct, and espe-
cially when she was stranger to every
one. 'Insufferable puppy" he called
himself
Proud, also, although he was now prop
erly attentive, he would not, though he
longed to, become Ethel's shadow.
II was few weeks before Christmas.
Ethel received n letter from home. with