Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-01-10
IANCAsTER. WISCONSIN, THURSDAY. JANUARY 10 ISIS

spend the day with Helen, and found
her IN her usual condition of untidy-
ness and disorder. When her hus-
band came home at dinner time,
noticed with painful concern that he
had been drinking--not very freely.
but just enough to show itself in cap.
tlous ill-humor. Helen had not dressed
for dinner, but presented herself at
the table without even clean collar,
and with an old faded shawl drawn
about her shoulders. She looked any
thing but attractive.
4 saw her husbands eyes glance
toward her across the table with an
expression that chilled me. It was a
hard, angry, determined expression.
He was scarcely civil to me, and
snapped his wife sharply two or three
times during the meal. At the close,
he left the table without word, and
went up stairs.
What's the matter with John?'
asked.
''Dear alone knows = replied Helen.
'he's been acting queer for a good
while. can't imagine what's come
over him.
''Does he come home in this way
often p / asked.
eyes, he's moody and disagreeable
most of the time. I'm getting dread
fully worried about it.
AS we talked we heard John NOV.
ing about with heavy footballs in the
rooms above. Presently he came
down, and stood for little while in
the hall at the foot of the stairs as if
in hesitation. Then he went to the
street door, passed out, and shut it
hard after him.
Helen caught her breath with a
start and turned little pale.
What's the matter p asked, see-
ing the strangeness of her look.
Il don't know she replied in a
choking voice, laying her hand at the
same time On her breast, sbut feel az
if something dreadful were going to
happen
She got up from the table, and |
drew my arm around her. l too felt
sudden depression of spirits. We
went slowly up to her chamber, where
we spent the afternoon; and l took
upon myself the office of friend, and
talked seriously to my cousin about
her neglect of personal neatness, hint
ing that her husbands arrangement
from his home, and altered manner
towards herself, might all spring from
this cause. She was little angry at
first, but | pressed the subject home
with tender seriousness that did the
work of conviction; and as evening
drew on, she dressed with care and
neatness, with fresh ribbon tied in
the hair, and color little raised by
mental excitement, she looked charm
ing and lovable / waited with inter-
est to see the impression she would
make on her husband. He could not
help being charmed back into the low
er, | was sure. But he did not come
home to tea. We waited for him a
whole honr after the usual time, and
then we sat down at the table alone !;
but neither of us could do more than
sip little tea.
Il went home soon after, with a
pressure of concern at my heart for
which could not account. All night
l dreamed uncomfortable dreams. In
the morning, soon after breakfast,
ran over to see Helen. l found her
in her room, sitting in her night. dress
the picture of despair.
''What is it p / asked eagerly.
what has happened 2 She looked at
me heavily, like one not yet recovered
from the shock of stunning blow.
'Dear cousin, what is the matter |?
/ asked.
q now saw by motion of her hand
that it held, tightly clutched, piece
of paper. She reached it to me. II
was letter, and read:
''We cannot live happily together,
Helen. You are not what | believed
myself getting when We were married
not the sweet, lovely, lovable girl
that charmed my fancy, and won me
from all others. Alas for us both that
it is SO There has been ship-wreck
of two lives. Farewell / shall never
return
'And this was all, but it broke the
heart of my poor cousin. To this day
though nearly three years have passed
she has never heard from her hus.
band
Il saw her last week in the country
home to which she had been taken by
her friends, wreck both in mind and
body. She was sitting in an upper
room, from the window of which
could be seen a beautiful landscape
She was neatly attired, and locket
containing her husbands picture
hung at the throat Her head was
dropped, and her eyes on the floor
when | entered but she raised hel
eyes quickly, and with kind of start
saw a momeutary eager flush in hel
face, dying out quickly and leaving i,
inexpressibly sad.
Il thought it was john she said
mournfully. why don't he come p
had to stop here, for Maggie
broke out suddenly into a wild fit Of
sobbing and crying which lasted fol
nearly minute.
what ails You dear?' ! asked al
she began to be little composed.
oh! you have frightened me so
If John shonld-'
She cut short tae sentence but
her frightened face left me in doubt
as to what was in her thoughts.
She arase and walked about the
-Som IN an uncertain way for some
moments and then sat down again,
drawing in her breath heavily.
'1f yonng wives,'I remarked-ho.
lieving that in her present state the
truth was the best thing to say
would take half the pains in making
themselves personally attractive to
their husbands, that they did to charm
their lovers, more of them would find
the lover continued in the husband.
Is man less admirer of wonianly
grace and beauty after he becomes a
husband than he was before? p