Iron County register., 1881-01-06
"Am irksome to your, she asked, the

" Not exactly 'Sa
Her soft hand toyed with my locks and her
warm breath caressed my check. / felt that
my wisdom was rapidly expiring. Again L
collected myself and assumed an air of cold
hess.
Zone kiss, only one, and will go." she
!" Nonsense, Pauline! have no time for
kissing.o
She gazed into my face and asked: ado
Exceedingly"
A sigh scarcely audible escaped her lips,
and she left the room.
For this morning at least I had destroyed
her cheerfulness. 1t was the first cloud in
our matrimonial skv.
Years have passed, and I became con-
| stantly less capable Of comprehendng how
could have SO persistently undermined the
foundation of my peace and happiness, in
stead Of building thereon life's content
ment. The next sig months were period
of misery to me, and without doubt also for
Pauline; for she became pale and thin and
lost all her spirits. My plan had succeeded
excellently well; she had learned to doubt
my affection for her. That was. revealed to
me occasionally by her steathy, wistful
glances and the manner in which she began
to occupy herself with Fido-as if she now
relied alone upon his love and faithfulness.
But was too proud to admit my wrong,
even to myself, and daily widened the
breach.
Then the dog began to grow sickly; he had
grown old and feeble. She abandoned her
work and devoted the time taken from her
labor to the dumb brute. When life was
extinct, she bent over him, burst into tears,
kissed the white spot on his forehead, and
then closed eyes which, even in death,
seemed to regard her with affection.
Great as was her grief, she sought no con-
dolence from me. She provided for the
burial OF FidO, who was inferred by the gar
dener close under the window Of our study.
She would frequently tarry by the little
mound, at which times gloomy reflections
seemed to agitate her soul. Now still,
while sitting at her desk, she often gazes
pensively toward the quiet spot. She is true
to him beyond the grave, because he had re-
manned true to her. af5
The year so auspiciously begun was ap-
preaching its end, when one morning I was
amazed to hear Pauline singing merrilly; it
was the first time since FidO's death. Soon
thereafter l heard her coming toward my
room, and at once affected pre-occupa-
ton.
1t was beautiful morning, and her en-
trance seemed to usher in happy sunlight.
Her face, too, beamed with that serenity
which it had in her girlhoOd.
my work.
She placed a lovely little nosegay of vio-
lets, tied with blue ribbon, before me, and
said: "See, George, these are the first viO-
| lets Of our garden. / have something else IN
| pettO, but of that hereafter"
And she stopped over me, placed her
| hand lightly upon my shoulder and kissed
me. 1t was the first exhibition Of fondness
she had voluntarily rendered me these many
days. L contemplated her in surprise and
| said:
"You appear to be in an unusually happy
humor to-day, Pauline"
1t is somebody's birthday to-day" she
rejoined, as she sat upon my knee and gazed
into my eyes. "May heaven grant that some
one many happy returns Of the day, and
and" she paused for moment, then con-
tinued in a voice whose quivering was not
easily concealed-"if during the past six
should have been, let us forget it all from
this day forth"
Silently she encircled me with her arms
and her head sunk upon my bosom. How
sensible thereat? Kissing her silken hair.
said that would gladly forget 1t all (as if l
had anything to forget but my own culpa-
biity !)whereupon she raised her eyes, smi-
ing blissfully, and thought, in sober truth,
that was very magnanimOus to her.
Now, George, we will begin anew to-
day." ;,
she proceeded, in her old way, to daily with
Shall meet with credence when say that,
hardly had my wife been gone five minutes
before began to fancy that / had let he:
see too freely the influence she possessed
over me? For months l had practiced the
ART Oh appearing anu IuullleIeHlS
yet the first smile or kiss had proved suf-
ficient to overpOwer me. She had harrassed
me insufferaby the last six mOnths-as put
it to myself; therefor to grant her at once a
full pardon seemed to me at least matter
for consideration. So, when she returned she
found me absorbed in my documents.
''One moment. if you please" she cried,
taking the pen from my hand and holding it
above my head: -. ~ have present for you
ssWhy, certainly, if you will give it to
me-"
"Then beg for it."
1 said nothing, and seized another pen.
That disconnected her.
s'Don't you-want it 2" she asked timidly.
''There was once saint, named Francis
de Sales, began to sermonize, ''whO was
wont to say that one should never ask for
nor refuse anything"
to you. VIII you accept my little gift?
Say yes-if it be only to please-to make
me still happier on this day than 1 already
am"
'sDon't be so childish, PaulineD'
cit is childish. know it; but do me this
favor, George. 1t is so little that / ask, and
yet it would make me so very happy!
~ shall never decline what you offer me.
But be good enough not to disturb me any
Scarcely had these words escaped my lips
when the present, an eXquisiteiy ornamented
bronze inkstand, in the shape of a Cupid,
lay at my feet. Paullne turned aWays eXaS-
perated and hurt. / picked up the pieces.
"How! you stoop to get him" she asked
sarcastically.
"Upon my word, you are the most unrea-
sonabe creature in the world!" exclaimed.
Fortunately the little love-gOd may be
mended."
eyes, but wounds will leave scars. o,
George !" she continued, reproachfully, cast
ing herself down before my chair, "why do
you tempt me thus? Do you really, truly love
me?'
sPauline!" !" said, impatiently, edo stand
up; this is getting tiresome."
She did so, but deathly pallor mantled
her face.
s'I will go: yet one question before. Do
you love me, Georgie"
was a little fretful and very headstrong,
that was all. But did she mean to threaten
me?
"Did you love me when we first ex-
changed vows of affection?' she demanded.
"Of course. But"
ssBut you love me no longer?"
s'Well. since you will have it so,
"Speak! only speak"
81 don't love-exactly-in the way you
mean"
An ominous silence followed. She became