Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-10-17

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ensnare him before his marriage; and,
at the same moment, o gentleman ad-
dressed Mrs. Palmer. She answered
mechanically, unable to withdraw her
attention from her husband and his
companion, until, seeing something in
Miss Baden's glance at herself which
she did not like, her pride again awoke,
and she turned, as with sudden de-
termination, to the gentleman at her
side. He was recent conner to the
town-very pleasant and handsome
and Nellie Palmer forthwith began to
try and make herself agreeable to him.
He looked so pleased, and was himself
so agreeable, that it soon cost her no
effort to converse; and then her old
lively spirits returned; and, to her sur
| prise, she found that she was enjoying
herself. Her husband didn't much
notice this, but Miss Baden did and
her Irritation with Mr.. Palmer lost
much of its charm, now that his wife
did not appear mortified and jealous,
and that people couldn't see that she
was so. Wherefore Miss Baden grew
Indifferent, and Mr.. Palmer bethought
himself to look after his wife. Not
finding her looking over the photograph
albums, nor talking to deaf old Mr..
Brown, neither in any Of the "holes and
corners" which she was wont of late to
frequent, he became puzzled.
"She's got in the dumps again, sup
pose" was his thought, "and is trying
to disguise it under pretense of being
i'll. Dare say shall find her crying or
fainting away in the conservatory, with
fans and smelling bottles round her--or
perhaps she's gone home"
At that instant little laugh at his
| elbow startled him, and, turning, he
saw Nellie, bright and flushed, talking
to very handsome man, who appeared
quite absorbed in her. Mr.. Palmer
stared a moment at the unconscious
couple.
"Why, the deucel" was his thought; !;
"what on earth can they have been talk
ing about all this while?" Then sud-
denly meeting his wife's eye, he smiled,
and whispered, Enjoying yourself,
Nell?"
"Oh, yes, dear, delightfully."- Don't
trouble yourself about me, pray"
He passed on, but didn't go far, and,
as he stood whispering soft nothings to
sentimental Kate Marshall, his eyes
occasionally wandered to his wife. How
pretty she was looking and how gay she
was, and how coquettishly she was ex-
changing light repartee with that firt-
ing fellow, Tom Harrison. And all the
while the handsome stranger never left
her side. 1t was perfectly evident that
he admired her.
"If she were not married woman he
would certainly fall in love with her
she-my wife," and he felt little re-
sentful of the admiration.
Nellie Palmer had never sung more
sweetly, or danced more gracefully than
upon this evening.
Don't you think, Nell, you've danced
enough for one night?" said her hus-
band, toward the close of the evening;
"for married woman" he added.
"Perhaps So" she answered, cheerful
ly; "but I've enjoyed myself so much !
Really, I almost forgot that I was mar
ried woman, and felt like girl again."
"And behaved like one," he said,
rather coolly. "Who is that fellow
that has been in attendance upon you
all the EVENING"" he inquired, as they
walked down stairs.
"That remarkably handsome man,
with the expressive dark eyes, do you
mean?"
"I never noticed his eyes or that he
was at all handsome" he answered,
stifiy.
"Oh, I thought you meant Capt.
Lowell, of the artillery. All! here he
is-just one moment, dear-I quite for
got"
And Nellie spoke few words to the
Captain in passing, of which her hus-
band could distinguish only something
about that book"
upon my word," he said, sarcastic
ally, you appear very intimate al
ready"
Because, love, we've discovered that
we're congenial spirits. We like the
same things-books, music, scenery; in
deed, everything-and have the same
opinions on most subjects. You know
how pleasant it is to meet with one
who can comprehend you-not your
outer self merely, but with sort of soul
sympathy"
"Soul fiddlesticks'
"You never did have much sent-
ment, Bob," sighed Nellie, in an injured
tone.
Sentiment be hangedi Come, Nell
lie, be quick with your wrapplngs. 1t
has been stupid evening, and I shall
be glad to get home and to bed"
When Robert Palmer came home next
day, he found his wife, not crying, as
before, in her bedroom, but in the par
lor, practicing a new song.
"Capt. Lowell called this morning"
she said, "and 1 have promised to sing
this for him at Mrs. Campbell's."
Ahl" he answered, with an express
sion of Indifference; and, as his wife
again struck up with the first few notes,
he muttered to himself, "Confound
Capt Lovelll"
At Mrs. Campbells, Capt. Lowell was
again in attendance upon pretty Mrs.
Palmer; and then other gentlemen dis
covered her attractions, her piquancy,
and coquettishness, and JtirtabIenesS i:
and so, in very few weeks, Mrs. Pal
mer was belle. She did not seem in
the least to care who her husband was
attending upon, and, indeed, he could
rarely get word with her at all, when
at the gay assemblies which they con-
stantly frequented. He sometimes
gave her hint that she was no longer
a girl" and that he was her husband
but she only laughed, and said there