The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1879-10-02
A >WIFE'S SALVATION.


A cozy, prettiIy furnished sitting
room; singing birds in gilded cages, a
plump Angora cat on the velvet rug be.
fore the fire, a wise. looking pup stretched
lazily on the flowing skirts OF a pretty
woman's pretty dress. Truly a sweet
domestic picture. But stopl Surely
that is frown between those prettily
arched brows, and the full swell of the
under lip is very much like pout.
And, as live, there are two great tears
on the long, black lashes And now she
breaks out in torrent Of petulant,
impatient words.
The same tiresome things day after
day-frst breakfast, then kiss Charlie
goodbye, then directions to look for the
six o'clock dinner, and after that needle
work-how / hate it!-or calls made or
received, in which one is treated to a full
account of Mrs. Blanks extravaganza,
OF Miss Honitons 1irtations, Of that
horrid Col. st. eyre, so awfully fast,
my dear, and SO distressingIy good. look.
ing. How tired / am of it ALL And
there is Charlie. Who would have be-
lieyed he could have changed so in so
short timer he no longer cares for
ball, theater or opera, but dons dressing
gown, smokipg-cap and slippers directly
he has swallowed his dinner, lights that
horrid meerschaum, and passes the
evening behind newspaper enveloped
in smoke clouds. Oh, dearl l wish /
had not been in quite such hurry to
get married, oh, go away, Biiou, and
with her slippered foot she thrusts the
teasing pug from her.
A rap at the door, and to her sharp
Come in a servant appears, bearing
card. Madam looks, hushes, says, Il
will be down directly and flies TO her
dressing groom, brushes her flushed
checks with the cooling powder puff
pats the brown waves of her hair with
two pretty dimpled hands, glances at
herself in the glass, smiles, and descends
to the drawing room.
A tall, gentlemanIy looking man rises
and comes forward rs she enters.
Mrs. Thornton.
That ia all he says, but the tone and
the manner are most impressive, and
thrills through the heart of the wife as
Charles words and tones used to before
he took to neglecting her for dressing.
gowns, sleepy hollows and meerschaums.
Well, they talk Of the weather, the last
Lew opera, etc, etc. Commonplace
1biects enough. But why should his
'es cause hers to waver and droop,
I'd to shelter themselves behind the
ite lidsp Why, at parting, is tho little
,,ite hand so hastily withdrawn from
~ .Trclose, warm pressure Of hisP WAY,
', m"n !, he has gone, does she gaze so ten
v at the hand she had 80 hastily
5,n ,,irawn, raise it almost to her lips2
Emi then suddenly let ii drop to her sidel
40 loo? 1 can tell you that. She loves
it to husband with her whole, warm,
heart. And for a year and
on pre- she has been living on husks. He
Nomsiders his whole duty done when the
coaole is bountifully supplied, the wife
Coli dressed, snd he does not waver in
Ccs allegiance to her. Possession has
'coimmed the bright luster Of his love,
:. Ind this old admirer, who she gladly
threw over for Charlie, is welcome to.
day, for the sake Of the ripple he makes
on this dead sea monotony, down.which
> she is slowly drifting. Aud his eyes
4 causes hers to droop, and his hand pres
sure causes her heart to throb, because
there is love in the eyes and tenderness
in the hand pressure.
She stands there, in the center Of that
fCretty room, with a white, white face,
ot1d wild, frightened look in the sweet,
Alue eyes, then bursts into a passionate
Good OF tears, throws herself on the
Olsarest chair, drops her face in her
ie,,nds, and her hands on the table before
"Mr, Five-ten-fiiteen minutes pess,