Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-10-17
TAKEN AT HIS WORD.
A Pleasant Love Story.

Nellie Palmer was lying on the
lounge in her pretty bedroom, crying
and looking very unhappy. And yet
she had been married only six months I;
and to such "nice, handsome man." as
all the young ladies declared, that surely
she ought to have been happy with
him. And so she had been, until-un-
til, to tell the truth, Mr.. Bob Palmer,
forgetting, or seeming to forget, that he
was married man, had recently taken
to flirting with these very young ladies,
at all the parties in Middleton, leaving
his wife to take care of herself. Surely
it was enough to make ary six-months'
wife cry-especially one sensitive as
Nellie.
Not that Mr.. Robert Palmer loved
his little wife bit less than on the day
of his marriage neither that Nellie
suspected him of it, or for moment
doubted his morals, any more than she
did his constancy. But Mr.. Palmer
was gay young man, and loved to
amuse himself and to be amused. He
liked the society of pretty and lively
women, both married and single; and,
in word, he liked to firt, and saw no
harm in it. So, while he hung over the
young ladies' chairs, laughing and pay
ing gay compliments, or promenading
with the young married ladies, his wife
would be looking over a photograph
album, or conversing solemnly with
some old gentleman, or noticing some
shy and awkward child, while pretend
ing to be unconscious of her husbands
proceedings. Not that she was COM
PEELED to enjoy herself in this solemn
way-she, usually so bright, and pretty,
and agreeable-but she had no heart
for anything else now. Of late, all her
iveliness and chattiness had left her,
and she answered absently and smiled
listlessly, and, if compelled to dance or
sing, did so out of time and out of
tune, to her husbands great vexation.
1t is thus that many young wife set
ties down into a dull and faded old
woman, while her husband grows hand
somer and heartier, and wonders what
on earth could have so changed her.
Halo! been crying again, I declared" /"
exclaimed Mr.. Bob Palmer, suddenly
ceasing his little whistle, as he entered
the room, on returning from his office.
whats the matter now, Nellie? Ca
nary refused to sing, or Madame Wig
ini not put flowers enough in your
bonnet"
"Oh, Bob! how can you?" sobbed
Nellie, beginning afresh.
"Look here, Ellen" said her husband,
sitting down on the lounge, and speak,
ing more seriously; II don't like this at
all. never come home that your eyes
are not red and swollen with crying.
What have you to cry about, should
like to know? It's an insult to me to
go sniveling about the house in this
fashion, and mop.ng away in corners,
looking sullen and miserable, as you did
last night, at Macklin's. Why, people
will think me q perfect den este ty-
rantl"
"Ah, Bob, don't speak sci I can't
help it, indeed. do feel SC miserable.
You make me SO, Bob"
al Well, that is rich! Perhaps
you will be good enough to let NE know
of what enormity I've been guilty, that
has turned you into modern Niobe?"
Nothing really wrong, dear; but, oh
if you knew how pluch wife thinks of
her husbands love. and"
Here poor Nellie broke down again.
Mr.. Palmer's eyes opened very wide.
"Whew!" whistled he; eff this isn't
really absurd. So, she's jealousl"
Indeed, no, dear Bobl But-but"
she could hardly speak for the chok-
ing in her throat you can't under
stand the pride woman takes in hav-
ing her husband treat her with affection
and respect before every one, or how it
humbles and mortifes her to be neg
lected by him, and have other women
consider themselves her rivals-like Is
abel Baden"
Mr.. Bob Palmer laughed outright,
and then he grew angry.
You're an absurd little fool, Nellie"
he said. GAS if Isabel Baden were any
thing to me beyond a pleasant and
agreeable young woman to amuse ones
self with at party. Nonsense!"
"She don't think so," said Nellie;
"and-and the others don't think so.
They all think you are getting tired of
your wife, and Isabel fatters herself
that she has cut me out, and is trying to
let people see it,"
"Fiddlesticksl" said Bob, rising i'm
patiently from the lounge. "I'm aston
ished you, Nellie, and had really given
you credit for more sense as we'll as
temper" he added, severely. "I wish
you'd amuse yourself in society as do,
instead of going moping about in this
fashion. You can't expect to have me
tied to your strings; and I'd much
rather see you flirting little yourself
than skulking away in holes and cor
ners, like spider, watching your but
terfy of husband to see if you can't
detect him in doing wrong. You make
me quite ashamed of you, declare"
Mr.. Palmer took his hat and walked
out of the room with an air of mingled
dignity and injured innocence. His
wife sat up, wiped away her tears, and
mused awhile, with eyes flashing and
cheeks flushed with wounded and in
dignant feeling.
eyes," she said to herself, "since he
has requested it, I will amuse myself
as he does and see how he likes it'll
Ashamed of me, is he? And he did not
use to be SO when I was gay and
happy. Oh, Bob, if you only knew how
loved you'll"
And once more, despite her resolute-
ly closing her eyes and pressing her
fingers upon them, the tears would
come.
There was to be, that very evening, a
nnrtu at Col Iohnstnn's and Nnllia