Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-02-18
The Wife's Dream.

fore the fre,a wise-looking pug stretch
ed lazily on the flowing skirts Of pref
ty woman's dress. Truly, a sweet, do.
mestc picture. But stop! Surely that
is frown between those pretty arehed
eyebrows, and the full swell Of the un-
der lip Is very like pout. And, as 1
live, there are two great tears on the
long black lashes And now she breaks
out into a torrent of petulent, impatient
words
The same tiresome thing, day after
day-frst breakfast, then kiss Charley
good-by, then directions to look for the
six O'Clock dinner, and after the needle
work-how I hate tor calls, made
or received. IN which one is treated to
a full account Of Mrs. Blanks extrava-
gances, of Miss Honlton's firtations, OF
that horrid Colonel St. Cyr, so awfully
fast. my dear, and so dstresingly good
looklsg.' How tired 1 am Of 1t all /!
And there is Charley. Wo would have
believed he could change so in so short
a time ? He no longer cares for ball,
theater or opera, bat dons dressing
gown, smoking cap and slippers direct
ly after he has swallowed his dinner,
lights that horrid meersehaum, and
passes the evening behind newspaper
enveloped in smoke clouds. o, dear !.
l wish had not been III quite such a
hurry to get married. o, 60 away,
BiiOu :, and with her slippered foot she
thrusts the teasing pug from her.
A rap at the door, and to her sharp
Come in, a servant!appears, bringing a
card. Madam looks. iushes, says Il
will be down directly and flies to her
dressing room, brushes her flushed
cheeks with cooling powder'puf. pats
the brown waves Of her hair with two
pretty dimpled hands, glances at her,
selfla the glass, smiles, and descends
to the drawing room.
A tall, gentlemanly looking man ris-
es and comes forward as she enters.
Mr.. Thornton
That is all he says, but the tone and
manner are most impressive, and thrills
through the heart Of the wife as Char
ley's words and tones used to before be
took to neglecting her for dressing
gowns. tleepy-hollows and meer-
schaums.
Well, they talk Of the weather, the
last new opera, ETC., etc. Common
place subjects enough. But why should
his eyes cause hers to waver and droor,
glad TO shelter themselves behind the
white lids? Why, at parting, is the
little white hand so hastily withdrawn
from the close, warm pressure Of his
Why, after he has gone. does she gaze
so tenderly at the hand she had so has
tlly with drawn, raise it almost 10 her
lips, and then suddenly let it drop at
her side? Why? I can tell you that.
She loves her husband with her whole
warm, passionate heart. And for a
year or more has been living on husks.
He considers his whole duty done when
the table is bountifully supplied, the
wife well.dressed, and does not waver
in lis allegiance to her. Possession
has dimmined the bright lustre Of his
love, and so, the wife's heart is hungry
for it, and this old admirer, whom she
gladly threw over for Charly, is well
come tosday for the sake Of the ripple
be makes or this dead.sea monotony,
down which she IS slowly drifting, aud
his eyes cause hers to droop. and his
hand pressure causes her heart to thrOb,
beeanse there is love in the eyes end
tenderness in the hand pressure.
She does not care one lota for this
Ray Remington. Still, she has hun :
gered so long, that this crust IS not so
unpalatable to her as it would once
have been. There, sir or madam, you
have the explanation. AS for you, Mr.
Jones or Robinson, Is there so much
difference between your conduct and
this Charles Thornton of whom l write,
that you can afford TO pass the lesson by
as notapplicable to you? If so, Mrs
Jones or Robinson is to be congratula'
ted. She is happy woman, and Goo
bless you, cir, say and 1 wish there
were more like you.
Now am not going to make OF this
handsome Bay Remington fend in
carnate. No. he was simply what
would be termed a genuinely good fel
low which means he was witty, gen.
erous, warm friend, nobody eaemy'
and little, just little week, and im'
pulsive enough TO followup his OWE
desires and inclinatlons, rscking little
of the cost or consequences to himself
or others.
He had had been very much in love
with pretty Mrs. Thornton before sh'
became Mrs. Thornton-when she wal
pretty Lou Tremaine-and had asket
her 10 change her name for that o
Remington. But pretty Miss Tremain'
was very much in love with some ont
else, and few months thereafter made
herself and that other supremely happ,
by going through certain ceremony a
Grace Church, respondent in white sat
in Frussels lace. And Ray Remington
with dull gnawlng pain at bis heart
acted as groom's man, and there wa
not a tremor in bis voice, though tn
brave face was colorless, when he con
graduated bride and groom and wishe
them bon reyags.