The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-08-01
sHADoWlNc A WIFE.

nal, Wlen l6afu Lle door open D6nlnu
me-, and some one entered. The sound
OF a deep sigh smote upon my ear, fol-
lowed by an audible groan, and turning
to discover who this perambulating
''vesseV of woe could be, was not
little surprised to behold my friend
Skimbolt, the righteousness Of whose
countenance was sufficient to disclose
to me the fact that something OF truly
ldeplorable nature had taken place. He
passed along to the table before me,
threw himse into a seat and buried his
face in his hands.
| "Hiram," said l, in a compassionate
tone, after gazing silently at him a few
moments, "Hiram Skimbolt, what is the
cause OF this uncommon conduct on
lyour part? What is the matter with
you? What has happenedH
Hiram, thus conjured, slowly raised
his head and fixed his watery eyes on
mine. His face was nag ard in the ex-
treme.
"Tell me-" continued, "why do you
act in this strange manner ~
"You are my friend" said he, in hol-
low tone-''a friend, l feel assured, i'll
whom l can confde."
| "D0 not doubt IT,"
81 will not--I do not; and for the rea-
son that it is 80 ! have come to you now
for sympathy and counsel in my greatest
nour Of need"
| thanked him for his confidence.
"a great calamity has come upon me"
he added.
"lndeedw uttered, in alarm. "Has
death entered your householdp
he shook his head sorroWiully.
NO! Then you nave lost the little
wealth. your INDUSTRY had accumu-
laLed!'
Again he shook his head.
"Then l am puzzled to know what has
occurred. Ab, L have it now; your
horse has been carried off with the
bots"
1t had just occurred to me that Skim.
bolts affection rested, next to his own
blood. on a fast nag which he owned,
and which had recently been ill.
mo-" replied he; sit Is nothing oil
that sort which affects me now. 1t is
J nere-hereW He raised his hand and
gave himself two or three blows upon
the breast. "There is a deep, a hideous
grief sitting a-straddle of my soul, anu
can't shake IL off,"
|, AS he uttered this metaphor In the
most impressive manner possible he
drew his hand paLhetically across his
eyes, ana looked solemnly at me, as il
| i'"it OH"O my DJhp@snLeS must Of
fully aroused.
"You alarm me-" said /; "teiI me al
once The story OF your mlslortunes."
II will will; you shall know all
You snail hear how she has treateo
mellow she has lacerated my feelings
and
"Shel Who-Whom do you mean?'
"My vile. All, You start at the men.
tion OF her, and we'll you may. Is it no
terrible? Is IL not agonizlugY'
"Wh hat has she done? Do you NEAR
to imply that your wife has-has-"
"1as, yes-thaps it; she has-Aa! ha
: she mas blasted my hopes lor the fl.
ture, and sullied forever hitherto fail
} and spotless name."
"Be calm, my friend, be more calm
and do not allow your feelings to master
you. Ii IL Is, indeed, as you mint, the
blow must be heavy one, know, and
you have my warmest sympathies, Bu
1 endeaVor 10 be composed"
= ii will; yes, l will" replied tn,
: afflicted Sklmbolt, with q sJlfleu SOD
b but see how this thing has worke,
5 upon me: look into these sunken tea
Gures--gaZe upon this wasted tOrmI''
0 "He arose, as he spoke, ana turned
completely around to exhibit himsel
lfully to my view. Tnen he seated MIN
self again, and rested his chin upon hi
/ hands, and looked me quietly ana sadly
In the tace.
a "You see how it is," continued Hiram
/ alter short but expressive silence
1 land thefe was sort Vi despair in hi
tone, winch touched me exceedingly
t''you see how 1t is, l shall be a Iiyin
7 skeleton before many weeks. l begl
d to feel gnostly already. l haven't la,
Il amy appetite ior three hours. Some
;, LImes l think that reason is totterlpI
= upon her throne. Look mere; is my hal
: lOl Its natural colOr-isu'L IL really be
= ginning to turn Wnitep'
Nonsense, man; don't let any sue
! fears work upon your mind. Your hai
/ is quite as dark as ever IL was, and, upo
$ my word, Can perceive no alteration i
Y your person. But explain yourself NOR
4 fuzzy; perhaps the case is by no mean
8 so bad as your Imagination has picture
a it,"
Hiram Skimbolt groaned.
"Atas!' there is but little hope tha
D she Is innocent. No, no. She mas prove
/. false TO me, and to her own honor, an
t recreant to the marriage vows she Vi
Tered at the sacred altarW
''ls it possiDleW
= ''lt is almost certain"
Sand how has this been brouph
about? Who"
| "Who! ah, there you touch me to tn
heart! He is most atroclous villain
. u diabolical lncendiary; lurtAer i know
= not, except that MS name is N0bson, an
that ne 10 d manufacturer OF paten
E pallsV
: My friend mechanically wiped tn
, perspiraLion from his face, ana contiu
ued:
o cit is low month since | saw hir
first, but iPs only within the past wee
n That my suspicious have been aroused
' nave lately met him several times a
= my house, and words which have ovel
!. heard convince me that dark deeds ar
9 being enacted. Only last evening, whe
0 | returned nome, he was there, and whe
> Ihs departed my wife followed him to th
4 door, and L distinctly heard him whil
= per: BE cautious, say nothing that b
may suspvctP And who could nave bee
meant by me- but MYSELF Maria An
is another woman altogether from whs
a sue was. / have no longer hold upo
I her affections; l can plainly see
n change in her conduct toward meW
a ''IL is rather suspicious" l remarked
'but by NO means certain proof thi
what you fear is true. But whaI do yo
d propose to dO?'