The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1881-03-23

Bella felt the reproof of her friend,
as was evident by the spots that began
to burn on her cheeks.
I" You wouldn't have me dress in
party style every day ?" she said.
"Oh, no; but I'd have you neat and
sweet, as a young wife should always
be; that is, if she cares for the fond
eyes of her husband. verify believe it
was Harry / saw riding ont little
while agow
Bella threw a quick, startled look
upon her friend who, already, half re-
gretted her closing sentence.
Why did you say that? What did
you mean ?" she asked.
81 only said it to plague you," an
swered the friend.
g. To plague me?"
There was an expression in Bella's
face that Mary had never seen there be-
fore. Her eyes had grown suddenly of
darker shade, and were eager and
questioning. Her lips lay closer to-
gether; there were lines on her fore
head.
plague me 2" sherepeated. "Take
care, Maryp
The friend wished now that she had
not made that suggestion; and yet,
since making it, doubt had reached
conviction in her mind. She was sure
she had not been mistaken as to Bella's
husband; but who was the lady with
whom she had seen him riding out
Bella had said, little while before,
that her husband had not driven her
out for a month; and yet Mary felt cer
| tain that she had seen him riding out
with lady at least three or four times
during that period. Should she hide
! the truth; or trusting to it's power for
ultimate good, let it appear? There
was no time for reflection. She spoke,
now, rather from desire to help her
friend into better state of perception,
than from any clear sight in the matter.
CT think" she said, "that having
now your husband, you have fallen into
the error of thinking that personal at
fractions are not needed to hold him by
your side. Now, it is my opinion that
if Harry had found you in your present
untidy condition-and you are often in
no better plight-in a single instance
before marriage, he would have broken
off the engagement; and I'm sure that
in suit for breach of promise, if L had
been on the jury, verdict in his favor
would have been rendered"
Bella did not smile at this closing
sally, but sat looking into her friends
face in strange, bewildered, troubled
way. The intimation that her husband
had been riding out with lady, when
it fairly reached her thought, gave hel
sharp pain. 1t had never entered hel
imagination that he could look, with
a passing sense of admiration, into any
face but hers-that his heart could turn
from her to another for single instant
of time. She had perceived that he was
COLDER more Indifferent, less careful O.
her pleasures than in the sunny days O.
their courtship and betrothment-but
that he could seek another's society
was thing unheard of. 1t was pro
verb, this contrast between lovers anC
husbands; and she had felt she wa
proving its truth. That was all. L
was an unpleasant truth, and hard tt
receive; yet she saw no remedy. Blu
now, by word or two, her friend ha
started her into different view of tn,
case. Was her husbands heart reall,
turned from her? She was frightened
at the remote suggestion--for in hi
love lay all her world.
"You are not really in earnest, Mary
about seeing Harry riding out with
lady this afternoon ?" she said in a vote
and with q look that revealed fully he
state of mind. The color had left he
face, and her heart shook in her voice.
Probably l was mistaken, Bella,
, I Al. r. J.. IL 4
} doubted the fact moment, until 1 say
you at the window little while ago"
} "Did you notice the lady very particu
larly 2"
''No; but let the matter pass, dear
No doubt / wasmistaken. 1t is worry
ing you more than l could have imagin
ed" Bella looked at her friend TO
some moments, in a strange way, the
giving q low, suppressed, wailing cry
: bent forward and laid her face upon he
bosom, sobbing and shuddering in sucl
wild turbulance of feeling that her frien,
3 became actually alarmed.
/ (" You have frightened me p said tn
young wife, lifting her head at last, a
her excitement died away. "Ah, Mary
if l should lose my husbands love,
would kill me p
"Then, Bella, answered her friend
." see to it that you neglect none of tn
+ means required for keeping it. If yo
would continue to be loved, you mus
not grow unlovely. The charms ths
won your husband must not be folde
e up and kept for holiday occasions, an
then put on for other eyes than hil
/ You must keep them ever displayed b'
fore him; nay, put ON new attraction
- Is not the husband even dearer than til
/ lover, and his heart better worth th
d holding? Look back, my dear frieno
d over the brief moons that have wake
,, and waned since you were a bride. Pl
If yourself on trial and take impartial te
If timony How has it been Hl
/ your temper been as sweet {
e when you sat leaning together
it summer twilights. talking of tl