The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-05-15
CHOICE FICTION.
LOVE AND JEALOUSY.
fr"n' tie Saturday Night.

III pleasant cottage with her husband.
who was Il fine looking, tawny whiSkered
young fellow of twenty-five, as fond as a
man could be of his wife. and as well
liked by everybody as he was whole soul
ed and lovable.
Grace was nineteen, a pretty, blue
eyed, yellow haired little creature whose
only fault was a growing tendency to be
Unfortunately jealous of her husband, if
he so much As glanced at Il lady who. to
the charms of youth, added to the cap
tivating spell of beauty.
She loved Will Thornley, dearly, but at
the same time Wills smiles must all be
for her and nobody else. and he must
think her Just perfection in everything,
whether she really was so or not, and
never must he by any possible chance
hint that any woman living was ever
half So lovely, good or wise as her own
exacting, impulsive little self.
Will, being young husband and very
much in love with his wife, was quite
willing to admit and for time sincerely
believe that Grace was an angel, and
they We're as happy us two turtle doves.
or a pair of newly mated swans, until
Rose Woodward came to pay them a
visit.
Before Grace's marriage Rose had been
her most intimate friend and she natu-
rally looked forward to her coming with
no little pleasure, quite forgetful that
her old Schoolmatc had been thought
very attractive when they were girls to-
! gether at Madam Delacourt's seminary.
\ very great oversight on the part of
| Grace. for Miss Woodward had large.
laughing black eyes, glossy dark hair
and wine red lips, which Will. of course.
could not help seeing. and, having seen,
could not help admring.
| 1t is unreasonable for one to insist that
a man must be both blind and dumb sim
ply because he happens to be married.
And then. too, Rose was SO tall and
elegant, while Grace was such Il little
childish, baby faced thing.
1t was not VIII who made this discon-
tented comparison. 1t was Grace her
self. She was sure VIII thought her
silly and insignificant, for she had heard
him say he thought Miss Woodward a
remarkably handsome woman.
TO be sure she had asked linn the ques-
ton point blank one day when they were
walking alone i'll the garden. and he
could not have answered otherwise and
spoken truthiully.
And rose was so clever and sensible
besides being handsome. Grace felt
keenly her own inf"riority. and wished
from the bottom of her foolish young
heart that she was not such a blue eyed.
amber haired little stupid.
1t WAS Il very undiynitied thing to do,
but almost before she knew it Grace
found herself watching mistrustfully
both friend and husband, and suspecting
deceit where there was none.
She was half ashamed of herself and
wholly unhappy for SO doing, but .ieal-
ousy is ever 4 self mortyiyinG and misery
breeding, which, once having gotten a
foothold in ones thoughts. hangs on like
grim death, and is apt to make ruin of
the tendercst and truest love.
1t was not long before Rose guessed
what was passing in Mrs. Thornley's
mind, and shaped her conduct accord
n,r1I- trin
certainly, but she was woman of adj
mirablc tact and managed to adopt
safe middle course, privately vowing,
however, to make her visit as short as
possible and take good care not to repeat
it until such time Us Mrs Will Thornley,
had learned to temper her wifclv at1cc-
ton with some small share of common
sense.
But the prudent middle course had its
drawback, for Will fancied his wifc's
guest treated him with marked coltlness.
and. as was very natural, wanted to
know the meaning of it.
He did not understand it at. all, and.
CHANGING to meet Rose alone one morn
ing in the drawing room, he said:
Il fear | have in some way offended
you, Miss Woodward: you seem SO bent
upon keeping me at Il distance
Not at all, she smiled: Pray
don think me So ungracious. 1t would
i'll become me to treat the husband of my
friend and hostess with indifference: and
if my manner 50 impressed YOU. it was
unntentionaly done on my part, | as
sure you
"a man married is not a man Danish
ed furevermore from the good graces of
all womaHkini, is he?" laughed VIII.
- II SO, take it as being very hard lines
fallen i'll the hardest sort Of Places
and would reasonably wish your
self :; bachelor again" rejoined Rose. =,
''Yes and no, he replied. still laugh
ing but with something of a serious look
in his dark gray eyes.
Neither saw Grace standing. pale and
still, i'll the doorway. She had only
heard Rose say, in her lowest and mu-
steal tones ''Wish yourself bachelor
again" and his evasive reply, . Yes and
no.. but it was enough.
Grace was quite satisfied now that he
was an unloved wife. Will should be free.
Rose was better suited to him. 1t were
folly for her to suppose that he ever real
~ loved her. Men were So tickle and
ialse-hearted. She had seen how it would
be from the first and all that was left her
to do was to die rs soon as she could. and
find rest and forget lulness in the grave.
Having come to this wise conclusion.
Grace went up to her room. locked her.
self in, and cried comfortably for whole
hour.
VIII came whstling up stairs and was
surprised to find the door locked. Still
more was he surprised when Grace in Il
Smothercd voice, denied him admittance,
saying she had headache and did not
wish to be disturbed.
Puzzled, and somewhat angry withal
as he had reasons to be. VIII went away
TO his Office, feeling rs if the angel was
fast disappearing, and his wife after all
was but pretty, perversc, provoking child.
whom time and experience alone could
ever teach to be 4 woman.
An hour after her husbands departure