The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1878-09-05
Great Heavens 4! what strange words
What can YOU mean

! Great Heavens what strange words
What can you mean 2 ...-
4 moan that my heretofore joyful life
has suddenly become dark and gloomy,
and that my hone-my cherished. loved
home-has become disgraced place,
place to be ahuuned, and all owing to
your base conduct
%, James, my husband, what have l
done-how have I wronged you !? she
cried wildly, throwing herself at his
feet. Tell me tell me
He put her away as ifshe wero some
vile thing whose very touch were con-
taminatibg.
DO not touch me, do not call me hus-
band, till you have proved yourself
guiltlsss.'
The look of supplication ofan instant
before was now turned to one of anger;
she quickly brushed away her tears, and
exclaimed:
+sAh,: see. Some slanderer's tongue
has busted itself with my name. You
have listened to it, believed it-your
mind is poisoned, and your heart is
hardened against your wife. 10 it not
SOP ....
Madam. your rash conduct, your un-
warranted familiarity with that smooth
faced, hypocritical Pierce. has become
the talk of the town. Your name is
even on the lips of bar.room .loafers. I
once requested you to have nothing more
to do with him. You disregarded that
| request, and this scandal is the result.
A week ago ] was absent from home,
and during that time it is said you al
lowed the wretch TO visit you-and, not
| only that, but were seen on the street
with him at late hour of the night. /
paid no attention to the matter when I
heard of it, for then my confidence in
you was unshaken. Tell me, madam,
do I speak tho truth ?
ALLOW me to explain, and you
No explanation will answer. l want
complete, unreserved denial of the
report. If that you can give, very WELL
%, James, listen, and am sure you
will think no.
DO you deny itf
mo, I can not. Since you will not
allow
'Aa I suspected = be muttered through
his set teeth. Such a terrible look Of
anger was, perhaps, never seen on his
face; such q passionate feeling that
burned deep into his very soul he never
knew before. -.
%, James, if I have urouged you, if
I have injured you, forgive mo!
4 will not forgive such base ingrati-
tude I took you, q poverty.strickon
girl, for my wife, and made you what
YOU arc. And thus I am rewarded !!
You sting me like an adder on the first
opportunity
This remark called to the unhappy
wife's mind q recollection of tho Bit
terne,s of the long, long past. James
Rice had indeed taken her when poor,
frisndless and alone in the world, and
made her his wife. He had reason, in
after years, to look upon her with feel
ings Of pride, for she proved kind,
loving wife, and returned his affection
with all the ardor of her true and earn
est soul. James Rice possessed q proud,
stern. heart, and he would not tamely
submit to have his feelings or pride 30
grossly outraged. And he felt now that
his worst suspicious of an hour ago were
fully justified.
Mrs. Rice presently stepped forward
and placed her hand gently on his arm
james. I was angry for the moment,
but it is all past now. IF I have wronged
you, remember it was unintentionally.
Forgive and forget. I will make any re-
paration, any stonement, you can pos
sibly wish E..L
Again he put her fromh him. this time
With such force that it sent her rseling
against the wall. III =. ! !
@sYeu can make no atonement. You
have confessed all You stand convicted
from your own mouth. Leave my pres
epcsp ........ &C..
The man violent temper was aroused
to such pitch that to sudue would have
taken perhaps stronger effort, a greater
power of self control, than he was CO.
pable of welding.
'Whatever your feelings may be to-
ward DR.. Pierce at present. said she,
you will not deny that you once called
him YOUR friend, and placed the utmost
confidence in bis integrity. On my
word ofhonor I assure you / never re-
ceived his attentions in any other spirit
than that of nero friendship. never
listened to any words of flattery or
praise from his lips. But / viii do your
bidding, and lcave you, trusting that
when your passion has cooled you will
bs more reasonable and think differently
1 may have wronged you, but yor do
me a wrong when you attrlpuee 10 my
actions any bad motives
James Rice seated himself, his terrible
rage still his master. Presently a bright
faced little boy came into the room and
climbed on his knee. Under different
circumstances he would have fondled
him, but DOW be paid no attention to
the prattling tongue. 81,
The scoundrel = he muttered, with
an oath, Il could choke him!
He seemed unconscious Of the pres,
apce of his boy, and was not aware o.