The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-06-22

said the little woman, and | could see
that she was struggling bravely to keep
| down her tears.
Because I've no time for such fri
volity. There, you've wasted enough of
my time already, so 60"
Scratch, scratch, scratch went that
eXasperating pen, as | went on writing
more stuff to cancel, and yet too weak
and angry to leave off, like sensible
man, run up and change my things,
and accompany my little wife to the
pleasant social gathering few doors
down our road.
She had been looking forward to the
visit as treat. So had /, till that
gloomy fit came over me; but, as had
taken the steps already made, | felt
that could not retreat without looking
foolish; so l acted with that usual wis
dom displayed by man under such cir
cumstances, and made matters worse.
"Did you hear me say that | wished
you to go alone?" l said, angrily.
{" Yes, yes, Dick, dear, I'll go, if you
wish" Matte said, very meekly; " but,
indeed, I'd far rather stay at home"
"You are desired to 90; you have a
rose in your hair | said, satirically-
oh, what poor satire, when it was put
there to please mel" and they expect
you; so now go-and enjoy yourself"
| added, by way of sting to my sensi-
BILE speech.
81 can't enjoy myself, Dick" she
said, gently, unless you come too.
Let me stay"
:" | desire you to go!' | exclaimed,
banging my hand down on the desk.
She looked at me, with the great
tears standing in her piteous eyes, and
then, coming nearer, she bent over me
and kissed my forehead.
"Will you come and fetch me, Dick?n
she said, softly.
"Yes-no-perhaps-I don't know
| said, roughly, as | repealed her ca
resses; and then, looking wistfully at
me, she went slowly to the door, and
was gone.
That broke the spell, and | started
from my seat, but more angry than
ever. | was wroth with her now for
obeying me so meekly, and | gently
opened the door, to hear her call the
maid and tell her TO accompany her as
far as the Wilson's.
Then | heard them go-heard the
girl return, the door close, and [ was
alone.
Alone? Well, not exactly; for, so to
speak, | was having an interview with
my angry self, as | felt that | was, ask
ing how | could let feeling of annoy
ance act upon my better nature and
make me behave as | had to the sweet
little girlish being who, during the six
months we had been married, had new
er looked at me but with eyes of love-
"Change your things and go after
her," something seemed to say; but |
repealed it, threw my writing aside,
kicked off my boots, snatched my Slip
pers out of the sideboard, thrust the
easy-chair in front of the cosy fire,
threw myself into it, and then, with my
feet on the fender and my hands in my
pockets, | sat, morose, bitter and I'M
comfortable, gazing at the glowing en-
berS.
"She had no business to gor' | ex-
claimed. ''She knew was up all last
night, writing that abominable book,
and was out of sorts, and ought to have
stayed"
Then | reviewed the past half-hour,
and grew calmer as | leaned back,
knowing, as | did, that | had forced her
to 90, poor child, and how miserable
she would be.
"She' Il forget it amongst all those
people," | said, bitterly; but | did not
believe it, and at last sat there calling
myself ass, idiot, blind mailman, to
plant, as | had, the first seeds of what
might grow into very upas-tree of
dissension, and blight the whole of our
married life
Poor little darling" | said at last;
"Tll wait up till she comes home, and
then tell her how sorry am for my
folly, and ask her forgiveness"
But, as man, can l do that?" l
said, "Will it not be weakPn
"Never mind" l exclaimed, "rn
do it. Surely there can be no Drawer
thing to do than own ones self in the
wrong. Lies too short to blur it with
petty quarrels. And suppose she were
taken i'll to-night-my darling, whom |
love with all my heart? Or suppose
she went too near the fire, and her dress
caught alight? There, how absurd
Thank goodness, she is in silk, and not
in one of those tly-away muslins!'
| sat on, musing and musing, till
suddenly there was buzz outside the
house, then the rush of feet. fancied
l heard the word fire" repeated again
and again, and, turning to the window,
there was glow which lighted up the
whole place.
| dashed downstairs and out of the
door, to find the road thronged, for a
house little lower down was in flames,
and, to my horror, l had not taken a
dozen steps before found it was at our
friends, the Wilson's.
There was no engine, but a crowd of
excited people, TALKING gerly; and just
then the fire-escap me trundhng
along.
1t was quite time, The house as
reached it was blazina furiously, and
the flames darling out in long, fiery
tongues from half the upper windows,
while at several there were people cry
ing piteously for help.
/ fought my way through the crowd,
and tried to run up to the house, but
half a dozen officious people held me
back; while the men with the frees
cane tried to rear il apainSt the housa.