The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1880-12-16

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no help for it now, suppose
ooh, YES, there is" said Betty, still
in the cool, calm way that ought not to
have deceived him, But men know so
little of women's hearts, although they
may live with them for years in closest
friendship. You needn't try to en-
dure it, John Peabody, If You don't
want TO. I'm sure don't care"
what do you mean?' Her husband
grasped her arms and compelled the
merry brown eyes to look up to HIM
II can 60 back TO mothers said
Betty provokingly. "She wants me any
day, and then you can live quietly and
live to suit yourself, andi will be better
all around"
Instead of bringing out aviolent pro-
testation of fond affection and remorse,
which she fully expected, John drew
himself up, looked at her iiXedly for
long lsng minute, then dropped her
arm, and said through white lips very
slowly;
yes, it may be as you say better all
around. You know best, and was
gone from the room before she could
recover from her establishment enough
TO utter sound.
With wild cry Betty rushed across
the room, first tossing the $40 savagcly
as far as she could throw it, and fling
ing herself on the comfortable sofa,
broke into food Of bitter tears--the
first she had shed during her married
life
GLOW could he have done it-oh,
what have | said-oh, John, joint?
The bird twittcred in his. little cage
over the window among the plants.
Betty remembered like flash how John
and she filed the seed-cup that very
morning, how he laughed when she
tried to put it between the bars, and
when she couldn't reach without getting
upon q chair he took her in his great
arms and held her up just like . child,
that she might fix it to suit herself. And
the bits that he said in his tender
way, why they had gone down to the
depths OF her foolish little heart, sending
her about her work singing for very
gladness of spirit. Andn
Betty stuffed her fingers hard into
her rosy ears to Shut out the birds
CHIPPING.
Ii he knew why | sighed she
moancd. "Oh, my husband" Birth
days-nothing will make any difference
now. Oh. why can't | dic?'
How long she stayed there couched
down on the old sofa, she never knew,
Over and over the dreadful scene she
went, realizing its worst features in des-
pair until voice out in the kitchen said,
Betty" and heavy footsteps proclaimed
that someone was on the point Of break
ing in upon her uninyited.
Betty sprang up, choked back her
sobs, and tried with all her might to
compose herself, and remove all traces
Of her trouble
The visitor was the worst possible one
she could have under the circumstances.
Crowding herself on terms Of the closest
intimacy with the pretty bride, who with
her husband had moved into the village
a twelyemonth previous, Miss Elyira
Simmons had made the very most Of her
opportunities, and by dint of making
great parade over helping her in some
domestic work, such as house-cleaning,
dressmaking, and the like, the lady
maiden had managed to ply her other
vocation, that Of -gatherer, at one
and the same time, pretty eilectually.
She always called her by her first
name, though Betty idly resented it,
and she made a great handle Of her
friendship on every occasion, making
John rage violently, and vow q thousand
times the ''oll maid should walk!
But she never had and now, seeming
dimly. like u carrion after its prey, that
trouble might have come 10 the pretty
little white house, the make-mischief
had come TO do her work, if devastation
had really commenced.
Been crying?" she said, more plain
| ly than politely, and sinking down into
the pretty chintz-coyercd rocking chair
with an energy that showed she meant
to stay, and made the chair creak fear
fully. "Only folks do say that you and
your husband don't live happy-but la!
! wouldn't mind know faint your
fault
Betty's heart stood still Had itcome
to this John and she not to live hap
PLY! To be sure they didn't, as she re-
membered with a pang the dreadful
scene of words and hot tempers; but had
it gotten around SO soon-a story in
everybody mouth!
With all her distress Of mind she was
saved from opening her mouth. So Miss
Simmons, failing in that, was forced to
60 on.
can tell folks So" she said, rocking
herself back and forth to witness the eff
feet Of her words, "when they get to
talkin', so you can't blame me, and if
things don't 20 easy for you, I'm sure"
you tell folks SOP repeated Betty,
vaguely, and standing quite still.
What? don't understand
"Why, the blame is all his'n," cried
the old maid, eXasperated at her strange
mood and her dullness, ~ say says
|, "why there couldn't no one live with
him, let alone that pretty wife he's got.
That's what say, Betty; and then tell
'em what queer man he is, how cross,
an
"And you dare to tell people such
things Of my husbandm cried Betty,
drawing herself up TO her EXTREMIST
height, and towering SO over the old
woman in the chair, that, as she jumped
| n fn nt Ian, a, Oh. l,I 81