Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-05-07
A Wife's Confession.

1 did not marry Tor love. Very few
people do so. In this respect am
neither better nor worse than my neigh
bors. No, / certainly did not marry iol
love; Lelieve l married Mr.. Cart
wright simply because he asked me.
This was how it happened. He was
,he rector of Doveton, and we lived al
The Manor House, which was about ten
minutes walk from the church and rec
tory. We had daily services at Dove
Ton. and | nearly always attended, ano
il came to pass that MIR. Cartwright I'D
variably walked home with me. II was
matter of custom now, and | thought
nothing of it; It pleased him. and on
he whole it vas rather pleasant to me
also.
must confess, however. that l was
rather surprised one morning. as we
,ot 10 the avenue which led up to the
Manor House, Mr., Cartwright asked mt
TO be his wife.
I have never heen able to find out why
| said yes, but did ; perhaps thought
# a pity to throw away so much love =;
perhaps it was because lie was so terri
bly IN earnest that l dared not refuse
him ; perhaps feared his pale face
and his low. pleading voice would ever
haunt me if rejected his love, or per-
haps il was because he only asked me
TO marry him-he did not ask me If l
loved him. for / think he guessed | did
not; perhaps it was all these reasons
put together, but anyhow l said yes and
in due time we were married.
ought to have ben very happy, for
he was a most devoted husband. but
was not. and though did not notice il
then. | know that for the next six
months after our marriage he was moi
happy either.
1t was all nv fault either would
not or could not love him; accepted
all the devotion from him as a matter
of course, but l made no effort to re
turn it. and am sure that he felt he
had made a mistake in marrying a wo'
man who did not love him.
One morning, about six months after
our marriage. he told me that lie intend
ed leaving ne alone for few weeks. to
stay with his mother. who was not very
well. He watched the effect OF this
announcement on ne, hut though was
really dispirased, l concealed my an
po,apce and asked carelessly when he
would start.
He replied, the next day i'll had nt
Obi, ctiou. and so it was settled.
He was more affectionate than usua
that day. and was colder than ever
oply once alluded TO lis journey, ant
that was to ask il could have my sis
ter Maud TO stay while he was gone.
The next morning l was anxious u
avoid formal parting, SO drove to tn
station with him.
As the train moved of. rememhere'
this was The first parting since our mar
race and wished had not been 81
cold.
When / got home the house looked ~
dreary and empty aud there was no Oh
to meet me presently one oil the serv
ants came for the shawls, and her Nero
MIR. Cartwrisht's retriever, which, whe
he saw was alone, set up howl 10
his master. patted him and tried
comfort him, feeling rebuked for hi
grlef. as he followed me, whining, int
the house.
Every room seemed empty, and eac
smoke of the absent master. AT last
wandered into his study, where he spcr
his mornings and liked me to sit an
work aud now l remembered how oi
ten had excused myself, saying l pre-
ferred the drawing room, and this rec
, objection did not add to my happiness
There was photograph OF me stant
ing Oh his writing table and another o
the chimney piece ON the walls hun
two or three drawings which he hs
begged of me when we were engaged
indeed the room was full OF little n
!, membranes OF me. opened book
had given him, and in 1t was his nan
in NV handwriting. and underneath
his own, From my darling wife,
b. laid il down with sigh, as I thoug'
how carefully he treated everything
had ever given him, and how little ca
[ took of all his gifts 20 me.
d Everything I attempted, everythir
looked at. reminded me OF his goo'
ness to me and of my coldness and
Gratitude to him. At last / went
y bed, where, af:er working myself into
fever Of anxiety lest he should not ha'
reached the end Of his journey In ssfel
Iatlength cried myself to sleep.
:. The next morning I went down
breakfast with heavy heart, for kn'
= couldn't hear from h,m till the ne
I: day; it seemed so strange to breaks
alone and Nero appeared to think