Louisiana capitolian., 1880-06-26
DIVORCED.

and borne joy and sorrow together; hat
experienced the rich blessings Of moth
Crhood and fatherhood: had wept owe
q dead child's face together; through
a,,n and shadow had walked together
and now they could no longer find peace
under the same roof: they were to b'
divorced. Neither knew how they La,
come to this. In the beginning there
had been affection and delight; bu
after time the husband began to com
pare his wfo with other women, ant
found that this one possessed u brighter
eye, and that one more perfect curves
Of check and chin, and yet another
ncatcr foot and more taste in dress; one
spurktcd in conversation, and her neigh
Dor sang till the heart was enthralled at
her tones; why had not the woman h'
had chosen all these beauties and
charms! And sho9 She did not ut
first compare him with other mch, bit
she wondered that he seemed to care
less for kiss from her, and that his
manner lost the same fine, impalpabIe
mir of courtesy AMI Difference that love
cyokcs. But the little rift within the
lutte was there, and it slowly widcncd
through tho years till all the music that
began when they first loved had become
mutc--until ono night, they sat full of
memories of tho past ccstacy that once
wo fclt, when life was an atmosphere of
confidence and love: and these two,
broaling over the evening fire, made no
exceptions to this harl rule. The chill
-AtNn had felt constraint, and vaguo
sorrow that was like q burden on their
hearts; 40 they crept to bed, and did not
whisper a. was their habit, but lay close
to each other and wondered in a childish
way ut things they could not undcr-
stand. Tho wife was mcndlng the
clothes, as she had done, week after
week, for fifteen years. The rocking
chair yibratcd or stood still, rs her
thoughts moved her soul only. She
carefully rctraincd from gIa,rins mt the
still figure across the room, and kept
her face calm and indifferent. The lmo-
band reused ut last from his thoughtful
posture and looked at his wife. Some
thing in her attitude recalled the girl
he had woocd, when he had felt he must
win or life would not be worth living.
Ho looked again, and seemed to see the
face that had bent so anxiously over
him when the fever burned in his veins
and his life lay in the balance. The
power of the past was upon him, and
when he spoke it softcncd his voice to
minor key:
30 yy, want all the children, Mar
tla.'
She felt her heart almost sitting her,
for she had thought of the children con-
stantiy, and longcd to know what ar
rangcmcnt would be made.
Il would like to have them all, Ben, If
You are willing, but have tried to learn
to part from all of them.
you can keep them all. did think
| would take Bob and 90 to the mines,
but expect he is better where he is.
Martha Grant said nothing, only |
looked at her husband. and then hastily |
left the room.
He dropped his head in his hands AMI
sat quite still. It was not so easy after
nl|. this seyetiug OF The intricate growth |
of 50 many years; aud he felt that the
future did not look so fair, nor freedom
so desirable as he had persuaded himself
to believe, His children had often felt
the force of his anger, and hc had some
times felt with envy OF the nonchalant
liberty Of his bachelor friends; but now
he felt more pangs than he liked to en-
tcrtan when the final parting from his
children stood before his vision like a
perfect drawing. His wife mi ght not be
the taircst or most accomplished woman
he knew, but she had loved him. which
these women had not, and she had borne
many things for his sake which they per
haps would not have borne; and he was
used to her and her ways. He always
knew that if be tried he could rollsc
her sympathetic interest in his troubles
and his successes. other women
might be less ugly, but could he, with
his gray locks aud sober ways, ever hope
to win them, And would n fair woman.
tender and delicate, be suited to take
upon herself and successfully carry the
burden his wife would have to bcar9
Martha had been brave, strong woman,
and in all her trials-and they had been
not fcw-shc had been patient as most
women. Of cDnrse her temper had