The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-06-18

JUG 1ark, thinking it all overflow hap
Ply hoolnson must have been when she
surprised him with the dressing case,
anu What confoundedly lucky fellow
ne was, anyway. fell into quite SEN
Illnental mood. l suppose the scene
around me had something to do with it.
II was one OF those delightful mornings
IN IN may, when happy ripples run through
tne grass, and the young shrubs burst
suddenly into bloom and verdure. Birds
sang gayly in the hedges, and the air
was null of vague perfume. Some
wni0e-winged butterflies fitted by. l
LOOK OF my hat. Though little bald,
| enjoyed the radiance of the sunshine.
began to understand how at certain
seasons man might slip into rhyme, or
matrimony.
All at once this celestial silence was
broken by an advancing figure. 1t was
koolnson-and alone. His head was
bowed, his hat jammed over his eyes;
the only part % his face that was at first
visible was of an a5hen hue. His whole
aspect was one of unutterable misery
and despair.
Good heavens Robinson" cried,
rushing up to him and Selling his arm,
"naS anything happened to your wife p"
10 my wife? Yes" he said; and l
sank into one of the iron benches. i
! thought she was dead, and was relieved
to hear the next sentence. Relieved,
though startled.
my wife has left me, Smith. She's
gone home to her mother"
"Left youP Gone home to her moth
erp Why, wasn't last night your ami
versaryP"
"Yes; that was how it came about;
that was the way found her out, Smith.
She's deceived e-shamefully and
persistently deceived me, and yet, mis-
cradle wretch that | am" added Robin
son, sinking into the seat beside me and
covering his face with his hands, 81
love her still"
"You have deceived yourself in some
way" l cried, naturally indignant and
incredulous. 1t is some miserable
mistake of your own. l know that
your wife is the soul of integrity and
honor"
"God bless you, Smith," he cried,
grasping my hand fervently. "Would
to Heaven could believe what you say |!
but the facts are too convincing. Up to
yesterday was the happiest man in the
universe. l went home early, and on
my way stopped at Mrs. Jones's, my
wife's dressmaker, to see if her black
silk was done"
"WhatP" | shrieked.
"Her black silk, you know" said
Robinson" the one 1 told you about.
She said at least dozen times that it
was in the dressmaker's hands. l gave
her twenty dollars long ago to pay for
it, and thought I'd step in on my way
home, SO that there would be no
disappointment. That was perfectly
natural, wasn't it, Smith?''
$50 on" groaned.
went to the dressmaker's, rang the
bell; Mrs. Jones came to the door, and
she said that she haunt seen ma s0ife for
sac months, that she never heard any
thing about black silk dress. / was
stunned, bewildered. tried to persuade
her she was wrong; she shut the door
in my face. I hurried home naturally
vexed and indignant. My wife came
to meet me, smiling and fond, Smith,
breaks my heart to think of it. | asked
her about the black silk. Was it done?
Not quite, she said. Was it at the dress
makers? Yes. At Mrs. Jones'sP And
was it to cost twenty dollarsP Yes; but
why was l so troubled about it?
"'Because, madam 1 cried, you
have deceived me; have just stopped
at your dressmaker's. She hasn't seen
Won for six months.'
"My wife turned pale, called to her
mamma, and fell back into Mrs. Pages
arms in dead faint.
"Mrs. Page then flew into a violent
rage, and abused me shamefully. She
used language, Smith, that it is painful
to repeat. She called me sneak and a
petty tyrant, a spy and miser. She
declared that her daughter never had a
penny that 1 didn't know when it was
coined, and how she spent it; that Annie
had no more to do with her own house
than Dutch doll, and the sooner she
was out of it the better. She sent my
servant for cab, and before my wife
had fully recovered, she took her away.
l have paced the floor all night, Smith
| shall never 90 back to the store again.
I'm ruined man-for there's some
thing behind all this, Smith; my servant
told me last night that my wife has been
in the habit lately of seeing gentleman,
of going out with him, and remaining a
couple of hours; he is stout and dark,
little bald, and wears spectacles."
l burst out laughing. "That's mel"
l cried. "Look at me, Robinson. I'm
the mani"
Robinson glared at me in a dazed but
desperate way. saw that he was upon
the point of frenzy, and fastened to tell
him all about his dressing Before
/ was half through, he had absolutely
thrown his arms about me, and cried
like baby.
"My mother-in-law was right, Smith,"
he cried. 81 have been sneak and a
spy, and perhaps miser."
"You meant well, Robinson; but it's
better to let women manage their own
affairs.'
"lt's better to mind ones own bust
ness" said Robinson. "I've been q
miserable meddler, and deserve to be
punished. Before Heaven, Smith, itwas
with the best intentions"
81 know it, Robinson"
"But I'll never do it again-never!
And now lat1a oO after INV WifQ-VOu