Daily Kennebec journal., 1877-07-04
NO. l57
4 BITTER LESSON.
BY CONSTANCE STERLING.


"Blest is the tie that binds.n Albert. I
| need not say any more, for you we'll know
what l mean. People ought to have a
long and intimate acquaintance with one
another before they pronounce those ire.
vocable words "for better, for worse"
Heigho its been for the worse with me,
l know. Albert Randall threw down his
evening paper angrily. looking with
watchful eyes at his pretty wife as she
lounged in her easy chair by the window.
presenting lovely picture in her thin,
| flowing dress Of some thin, white mate
rial, and bunch OF scarlet geraniums on
her breast. Her chestnut head rested on
| the back of the chair, while her blue.
childish-looking eyes gazed wearilv out
on the landscape. She evidently was not
enjoying the cool evening breeze or the
scent OF the flowers. which bloomed so
luxuriously in her garden. Her eyes had
| In them q look OF care and unhappiness.
IF you only knew how TO treat a man
decenily, Effie, We might get along as
| well as most married people. If you
don't enjoy your lite, what enjoyment have
lp You are enough TO make a man say
Cursed 10 the tie that binds / am sure
/ never had an idea you could turn out
such . terma2ant, or l would certainly
have steered clear Of your
"n We were not married." returned Eff
| fe, "if we were only engaged, how soon
we would cry of from our bargain, but as
It is"
"There is no reason why we may not
separate, l am sure. Go your way ii you
are not willing 70 follow mine. You are
not only bent on disobeying my everv
command. but you are forever looking
out for some opportunity to anger me-"
said Albert. rising. and pacing the floor
restlessly.
Are you really sorry you married me.
Albert ?" asked the wife.
Eyes, l am" he returned emphatically.
"You don't care for me. l don't want
my wife meeting Horace Harvey every
day she goes out to walk. and receiving
books aud magazines, and heaven only
knows what else, from Tom, Dick and
Harry"
II never saw anyone so cruelty un.
ljustw exclaimed pretty Mrs. Randall,
lust let me explain to you. Albert"
mo explanations are desired" he re-
turned haughtily. "Act toward me as a
wife should and am satisfied. But you
make my life daily torture. mockery
of happiness. am miserable man
since married woman for her pretty
face and not for her qualities Of mind and
hertz
So saying. he left the room, banging
the door behind him. Effie Randall sat
still. The lovely blue eyes still gazed on
the smiling landscape. but slowly. one by
one bitter tears tell on the pure white
dress.
"And I once fondly daeamed that |
would make him SO happy" she said in a
low, musing tone. "How vain were my
dreams He tells me make him miser-
able. he shall never tell me 50 again"
She rose with q look Of determination in
her young face, and ran hastily up the
stairs to her own room. Shs quickly
donned q grey dress and sombre shawl
and coquettish little hat, packed a few
necessary articles in hand bag. and then
counted her money. She had twenty
seven dollars. Albert was lavish Of "pln
money" and she had spent recklsssly.
She then wrote on slip OF paper, Il will
never make you miserable again" and
the bureau. Then swiftly and silently
she decended the stairs and walked rap
idly away.
up to the little country station as she
stepped on the platform. Hurriedly she
asked for ticket TO Birmingham, and in
q few. moments she was speeding tar away
from her husband, and the pretty home
which had been hers but few months.
Effie Royal had been lonely orphan,
poor and entirely dependent on a maiden
aunt. when she married Albert Randall,
after brief courtship. To the house of
this aunt, she was now bound. At five
Io'clock In the early dawn she reached
Birmingham, and taking carriage drove
directly TO Miss Loyett's house. Her
heart sunk when she saw that the blinds
were all closed, and no one was visible.
OBTAINING the carriage. she ruDg the door
bell. 1t was answered by an elderly wo-
man.
BLESS me-" she cried In low tone,
"if here isn't precious Miss Effie come on
q visit Oh. mOre's the pity. Miss Ellie,
darling, ye mustn't come In, nor think of
lit." :"
"Why, Judith, not come in where is
Imy auntp asked Effie.
"She's down with q malignant fever.
Honey, We can't come IN"
judith, l must come in. must see
aunt Sophia. don't care for the fever.
Let me in.
Judith at last yielded sorely against
her will. but she had always obeyed Miss
Effie, and dared not refuse her now she
WAS Mrs. Randall. In q few moments
Efie had entered the room where her
Aunt Sophia lay. She gave one hasty
glance at the ghastly. fever marked face
on the pillow. and knew that never again
would her Aunt's protection shield her
from the cruel world, or her husbands an
Iger.
Alas it was too true In two days more
the soul of Sophia Royal had taken its
flight, and Effis was taken i'll with the
fever just after the funeral was over.
Where is your husbandP" asked
Judith. who knew nothing of the quarrel.
Then Effie made her give q solemn prom
ise that Albert should never know OF her
illness. If she died. Judith might write.
but SO long as there was single ray of
hope of her life. not syllable should be
49, Alha~< Randall shf sha da war