Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1878-04-04

e up German-Or what
+ Il really don't think it would be wort
7 while, Sophy," he replied There ar
I 50 many interruptions to plan The sort
: and as you never cared for such things,
S isn't likely the taste will he awakene
/ now"
: She was silent cruelty mortified. lie
glowing pictures of their hours of study
his delight in her cleverness, her triumph
in his appreciation, faded on the instant
} Charles believed she had no taste fo
such things" No taste for anything, pro
bably, beyond her housekeeping, an,
being petted, and caressed, and told how
bright her eyes were.
If the husband guessed of her feelings
he gave no token. To be tied up to stud,
was a bore which, once for ALL he did no
mean to inflict upon himself With q
person of Sophy's energy and spirit, you
could not say how long whim ofthe kind
might last lie preferred TO dispose of il
thus summarily, rather than take the
chances that it would die a natural death.
as, with nine women out of ten, would
happen in a few weeks time.
Nevertheless, there was nothing unpleas-
ant in his manner. He was Just as amiable.
and kissed Sophy, at parting, with as
much affection as though he had Welded
To her wishes.
If the young wife had but known il. she
| possessed In this little scene a key, :" her
whole future. Charles was bent on doing,
in all things precisely as he liked. Not,
| perhaps, of set purpose but that way his
whole nature tended. SO long as Sophy's
! humor chimed with his own it was very
well so long as he preferred TO indulge
/ her wishes, it was also well. But once
cross his fancy and no consideration of
| right or justice had the slightest claim
upon him. He held his own course over
every obstacle.
SOphy's acquaintance with this truth
was gradually made but she came at last
| to understand it fully. Small neglects
] grew rapidly no large ones. The evening
absences became more frequent lonely
vigils lasted till midnight and beyond
| At first there were excuses, proflered with
Il kiss, and believed in for time BY
and-by there was no thought of either
kisses or excuse
This was one phase of what Sophy
thought her wrongs She could not forget
how her society had once been priced :;
how every evening brought him to her
fathers abode; how she could scarce
VAIN III tAO Shlhtili pass llpHS lllt SlIttl,
without finding him at her side. She re
membered how the girls used to laugh,
and ask what she expected to do when
they were married how she could keep
house with man always in the wav.
That difficulty had been disposed Of truly
Some women pass over these slights-
they can do it in some occult faahioss.
Sophy did not understand their make.
She had given her whole heart, and looked
for nothing less in return. Poverty, suf-
ferng, the worlds scorn, if need had
been, she could have borne, and cheerfully.
But for him to fail her-that was wrong,
was objectionable
If she could not forgive, neither did she
reprOach, far lese use pretty wles to win
| him back In the rare evenings, when
storm or indisposition kept him within,
| she made no effort to interest him. She
| pursued her work, he buried himself in
his blocks-and thus the hours went by.
Nor was there longer cause to complain
| that her more serious wishes were put off
with pretty compliments. She was more
beautiful than ever but custom had
stalled her charms to her husband His
was a nature that tired, after awhile of
! everything-and beauty or uglness be
came alike Indifferent to him.
Grievances of sentiment were not all
that she had to contend with as the years
went by There were trials more obvious,
if infinitely less hard. Charles Elliott
was indolent by Lature. Under the
stimulus of strong passion | e ha applied
himself to work but as that faie { Id
habits regained ascendancy Books anna
teur authorship or desultory chit-chat,
suited him better than the plodding toll OF
h profession. His clients often found the
chambers locked or if he were happily
there cigar and French pla pa pasn@1: @ss,,s1,.fI 3:
| their papers. There was little satisfac-
| ton, even good -natu red people said, in
employing Elliott. Noone cleverer when
he chooses but his thrittlessness would
wear out anybody's patience.
Their income dwindled the furniture
grew shabby, and was neither repaired mol
replaced Sophys own wardrobe passeC
from its bridal gaiety to absolute plainness
Mr. Elliott, himself, was always wei
attired he did not even lack for little clc
gances of costume, His cigars and novels
too, were always abundant nor did he fai
; of means for any little pleasure. seeking 1T
might chance to fancy
Meanw hile, Anastasia, and all belon inl
to her prospered She and her HUSBAND
and children were clothed in purple anC
fine linen, and Jared sumptuously ever,
day, They had horses and carriages, ser
wants and plate, Sophy's marriage wa
so much part of the established order q
things. that Mrs. Brent did not now, a
r formerly, draw parallels between the tive
She blamed Charles in her own mind for hi
, Incidence and neglect ofopportunities :; bu
she never blamed him to Sophy-she woul
not have ventured to do so. If Crane
child or so might have been acceptable
she was, on the whole, glad that Soph
{ had not been dragged down by family
She could not then have kept her beaut
q so untouched that proud and brilllaI
r beauty, which not even her plain su
? roundings could obscure. Sometimes II
mother thought, in a vague way, th
people were pretty much alike, after al
Here were Charles and her child, so d
(, voted 70 romantic in their courtship--ar an
4 they had settled down in humdru
a married life, like all the rest of the worl
i Sophy had kept her own counsel, eatt
a her heart in silence. All her duties we
q fulfilled she scorned to fail because othe
had failed towards her. No one, not ev'
.e the husband, heard one complaint fro
IS her lips.
!. The days and weeks moved on ina du
q leaden routine there seemed no room
Le anything that could vary them. Chan
ID came, however, in time.
is Charless health failed Indolen
N passed into lassitu3e and lassitude to Sc
Gus illness He took to his bed, and Sop
Ia nursed him dutifully
ne One day, when she had smoothed
m pillows, given him his draught, and p
Al formed various little services, all with
same calm, unsmiling face a strange i
l.. L. 1o,. 10