Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-11-12


had made her, aud then without further
words about the business passed ON TO talk
love in such fervid strain that II Is no won
der Grace forgot to criticise the suddenness
OF the transition from explanation TO protes-
tatlon. He had never written her such a let
ter before. Lucy came out rs Grace sat
reading Farrel's letter the second time over.
al suppose he explains all about that
mysterious lettcrW she said as she saw the
and-wrting, and glanced sharply into
Grace's face.
"I am perfectly satisfied" said Grace, and
rs she raised her happy glowing face to her
sisters Lucy could but conclude the eXpla-
nation had been most unexpectedly COM
plete, Nor did she ever afterward think OF
doubling IL. She said to herself, He Is
coming In day or two, will walt till | see
him, ana then will tell him how badly
feel and he will explain It ALL"
A couple OF days later he did come, for
mere flying visit OF single evening Grace
was just enough afraid OF her big lover TO
add an exquisite thrill to her love for him.
Nevertheless she went down stairs to the
| parlor quite intending to broach the subject
| OF the letter at the first good opportunity she
| found in the course Of their conversation.
| But there came no opportunity. She was
very much in love, poor thing, and when
/ she entered the room and saw him standing
/ there, so big and so handsome, and saw his
/ eyes rest on her so full OF glad proud fond
ness, she felt just ono spasm OF shame for
/
| ing him, and then forgot them wholly for the
rest OF the evening, giving herself quite up
| to her happiness.
1t wanted but week OF the wedding.
| During the ensuing days the hustle of prep
| aration, the multitude OF things that must be
done and must be thought Of necessarily di-
verted her mind; and then when, the day be-
| fore the great day, Farrell came and was so
handsome, so devoted, so glad, how could
she help quite forgetting all else in futter
of pride and happineSsY But when that
night, the night before the wedding, she was
at last alone in her room, then she was nearer
than ever TO opening that dreadful let
ter. How could she, how could she, go
through the morrow's solemn lifelong con-
secration to her lover with this vague, un-
formed, awful doubt of him hid in her
hearty Nay, in justice TO him II not to her.
self she was bound to clear her mind of IT,.
She had no right to come to him with that
between them. Never had the temptation
taken guse so specious. She caught up
the letter IN nervous grasp. Hair way she
tore the envelope in two. Then her strength
failed. She had never done q mean thing in
her life. Was this meanY Had she right to
open the letter or not? Was 1t his or hers?
Her head was in whirl. She cried-but
did not open the letter.
Next day came the wedding. It is treason
to as true heart as every beat, but | must
own It, even when she was making the re-
epoHSts 10 tIie minister Sne COuiu nOJ quite
forget the letter. 1t was the grain OF sand
under the eyelid that could not be forgotten.
IL she had been less in love with him, il she
had been ready TO take a philosophical view
of the matter, and to realize that her lover,
while an immensely good fellow as men
went, was not perfect, no doubt she would
have forgotten it quite. But to that she
could not descend. She must love him
wholly, must give herself to him with en-
thusiasm or with an anguish Of conflicting
emotions.
Many time the words trembed on her
lips, :" That letter-Oh, Farrell! Tell me
about that letter. Tell me the worst, that
may forgive YOU"
But she could not summon strength to
utter them. How could she let him know
at this late day that all along she had sus-
pected him? And then, toO-fOr she must
also think Of that-though she felt she could
be happier after fOrgving him the worst
thing than she was now, what il he should
meet her questions with the anger Of guilt,
should falter and try to deceive her? Then
the 'worm in the bud'' gnawed at her
damask cheek and her husband said to her
after the first week of their honeymoon trip:
"Grace, dear, we are travelling too fast.
You are not well. We will stay here
awhile"
But she insisted that she was well and
would rather be moving.
They came home at last and set up house
keeping in the most charming of little
! houses. Never was a more devoted hus-
band or, in spite of her happiness, more
unhappy wife. Perhaps her temperament
was rather morbid. 1t was one Of those
which are only fitted for complete emotions.
They can not halve and quarter their emo
tions or console themselves with averages.
1t seems scarcely fair to call them morbid
on that account, though | admit it GER
tanly is hard to see what business such peo-
pie have in this imperfect world. Grace be-
gan to think she at least had none. She be-
gan to be concerned about her state Of mind.
She was growing worse and worse. She
must in some way put an end to this situa-
ton. That letter, now hid away in the bot
tom Of her bureau drawer, was withering
her away as if it had the malefcent power of
Witch's candle.
One evening Farrell came home in an un-
usually affectiOnate frame Of mind-and un-
usual affection on the part OF six weeks
bridegroom implies good deal. After din
ner, as they were sitting alone in their cosy
little parlor before the glowing CRATE fire, he
fell to talking, really in very pretty way,
about how much she was to him, how by her
the pride Of all he did was doubled, and
how the thought of her was TO him hun
| dred times day like draught Of generous
| wine, filling his veins with fire and impart
ing fresh zest for all his duties; and how
in short he did every way contritely own
| himself the most undeseryedly, greedily,
/ =
/ tempted to forget in herself the Supreme
/ Author OF good.
| To his amazement, she interrupted this
| pretty speech with burst Of tears, and,
! thrusting away his comforting arms, cried:
"Uh, am bad woman! don't deserve
to make you happy
Then, while astonishment yet held him
mute. she sprang up, crying, "Wait a min
ute," and ran out Of the room. He heard
| her flying upstairs to their room aud it was
H. nfsx.r
down again and entered the parlor with a
letter in her hand. Her face was pale, wet
with tears and set with resolve.
81 have been false to you, Farrell, " she
| exclaimed. "YOu remember that letter
you telegraphed me not to open but to burn.
did not open it but never burned 1t. l
kept it, l doubted you, Farrell. am a
faithless bad wife. Can you ever forgive
mer and. throwing the letter upon the
burning Goals in the CRATE, she cast herself
into her husbands arms and buried her face
upon his shoulder.
/ am not quite sure what it was that Far
rell exclaimed. Pm not positive that it was
not some ejaculation of yeXation which it is
quite as well not to put on paper. But be-
fore the flames had more than Drowned the
letter, he had sprung up, setting his wife
rather unceremOniously on her feet, and
snatched it from the Goals. He tore it open
''Look here, you little goose" he eX-
claimed, turning up the gas with the hand
that held the letter while with the other be
caught the shrinking figure Of his wife about
the waist. "LOOk here and see what 1t is.'
"Oh no, no, :" she said, al don't want tC
see it. | don't want to. am ashamed
enough Of myself now."
81 insist that you shall see it," he said.
She looked on as he spread out the con-
tents Of the charred envelope that had beer
wet with so many tears. 1t was bill from
Robert Freeman, the steward Of the-Club
to Farrell cambridge, Esq, for sundry bot
ties Of wine and other potables and kindred
vanties, with check in liquidation Of thu
same inclOsed
''You see," exclaimed Farrell, ''when
was going TO marry you dropped the club
and so had no end OF bill TO pay. You arr
such a fearful little teetotaler that when
found had sent the bill to you was in
terrible state of mind. 1t might dish m
, entirely. And so telegraphed. And whel
! YOU didn't seem 20 mind il and didn'
speak Of il, OF course l wasn't going to speal
OF it. And that's been the matter with you
all this timel God bless my soul You dar
, ling little goOsev'
i Grace had never cried so much in her lii