The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1880-02-20
LED BY JEALOUSY.

1t was grand and gorgeous on the first
morning OF spring. It was not the tap
ping of the woodpecker in the hollow
his breakfast, that softrap-a-ta tap-tap one
heard. 1t was only Mr.; Ernest Black,
knocking out his pipe against the garden
seat.
Z Happy mani to have such charming
nook wherein to smoke the early pipe.
His comfortablems OF Shrublands.
q cosy modern building, warm and
roomy, with glass houses clustered
about it, and its convenient Offices at
the rear, lies on the slope above. In
front of him stretches pleasant lawn,
and he looks over on sweet river val :
ley, bounded by purple hills, reaches of
water showing in silver streaks here
and there. A warm pleasant little din
gle encompasses the grounds, sheltering
the house from the north and east, and
sloping down toward the south, and
here the first breath of new born spring
is felt, and the first green leaf Of the year
is seen onthe slender white birch, whose
brown catkins are dying for love of the
earliest blossoms of the season.
Ernest thought that it was very good
to be here, as he smoked his pipe on his
garden seat. But everything comes TO
an end, and By the time be had finished
his pipe and knocked out the ashes a
cloud had come over the sun, the air was
chilled apd the beauty of the morn tar
nished it was time, be fopnd, to start
for his train. He went into the house
to say good-by to his wife. for heheard
the carriage wheels grinding on the
gravel as it came round from the stables
to the, door. N $50
He seemed to be a happy fellow, too,
in his wife, who was a fair. pleasant
faced woman, of charming figure and
full of spirit. N
Il didn't know you were going away
she said, slight shade of vexation
coming over her faces ~
Didn't I tell youPy said Ernest; Il
intended to. Ishall be hometo dinner.
I'm only going to town to see the old
masters. They close this week"
'Ah! if you had told me in time l
would have gone with you.'
To say the truth Ernest did not much
care for company when be was going to
look at the pictures. -
.'Plty, ehp" he said, carelessly, put
ting his hand under her chin and giving
her kiss. swell. another day, per-
haps, Tottie''-her name was Theresa,
but her pet name was Tottie--" and
then, perhaps, | can 60 shopping with
you. Why didn't sou think Of it be-
forep'' .ak 'tsAtt tS8
"You should havetold me you were
going"
"Yes, it was stupid of me; however,
there's no help for it. ] have only Just
time to catch the train. Good-bye.h z
And away he went. sS
Theresa sat down once more to her
book of household expenses, but the
totals ran into each other, and the same
row of figures wouldn't come to the
same amount twice running. 1t wasn't
like Ernest, she thought, not to ask her
to go with him. He had never gone of
anywhere before without asking her to
accompany him If 1t were practicable,
| His manner, too, was sorcold. What
could be the reason of itp"
She took up the newspaper to distract
| her mind. Sne rarely looked at the
daily paper. but this morning she fell
uneasy. and could not settle to any.
thing. Suddenly she sprang to her feel
with cry of distress.
She had taken up the outside sheet o
the paper, and thereon she had read ar
advertisement:
Constance to Ernest. To-day al
Victofia, l2 noon"
That was the reason. then, that Ernes
had gone off to to own SO suddenly. Yes
| she knew it; she had been wronged ant
deceived; could il be possible that sucf
treachery, such betrayal of all the tie,
/ of friendship and affections could b,
| permitted to existp
Theresa was, perhaps, Of somewha
Jealous disposition. Certainly Ernes
! had given her no cause hitherto. so fal
rs she knew, but she had always imag
| ined it possible that at some time O
other he would, and now it seemed {,
her as though her forebodings had beer
! justified.
Constance Brown had been her earn
est friend, her school fellow, her on
dear companion. for whom her .affec
tion could never be dimmed. And thi
friendship had continued unabated fo
a whole two years after her marriage Il
Ernest, during which it lad been he
1 chief delight 20 entertain Constance a
! her new home. Now Ernest wasn't a
the beginning. at any rate, at all fOns
of Constance, and used TO think he
| visits rather bore. Anything wa
better, however, than having his wifi
| in the dolefuls, and on such occasion
he would suggest:
g Ask Constance to come and spend
low days.
AS time went on, however, little dis
agreements interposed between the tw
friends. Constance was lbnder of mas
culine than of feminine society. Sh
professed great interest in Ernest's pu1
suits, which were rather OF a miscel
Ianeous character. Altogether sh
| grew in. grace and favor with the hut