The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-12-31

ny OLIVE HARPER.


and the, branches of tree that stood near
fhe bousc wherein he lived scratched ana
scra,,ed dismally along tho edge oil inc rooi
IA II swaycd IN The blast.
Inside sal a man Of the kind that always
goes 10 the wall In lies struggle. Pale,
with a scholarly facc, and thin, STOPPING
form. n high white forehead. and sweet,
tremulous mouth. and shrinking modesty'
nc WAS man that would shine like dia-
mond OF purcsf water in his own nome,
with luxurious surroundings, and Win 'he
wealth q books and pictures ana statuary
around him: but when 1t came 10 Dattic
with the crowd for his daily bread, ne
shrank more and more into himself ana nls
sorrows, and became more and moro insig-
nifcant TO other men.
This man had been rich, reared WIN
every advantage wealth could give ana
tender parents could deyise. lie had
given most OF his time TO study ana science:
AID his happiness had been complete, II
calm and uneyentful He loved none OF
the. noisy or wild sports or amusemenis
that most young men like, and he liyed MS
sfudious life In peace and happy oDii'loh
of all riotous ways. Oh love ne neve,
thought until one day he met beau'iiul
girl, gay, bright, and as co,
then oil changed for him. His silent
nature so untitled him for gay female So
cIety that he did not know how TO even try
10 please, and he became more silent, ana
his great love tied his tongue and made him
seem stupid and awkward.
Perhaps II was just this seeming insen-
sibility TO her beauty and attracti'eness
that caused Grace Parsons to become In
ferested in Theodore Watts but, however
n may be. she took more pains to captlVate
him than she had ever taken for any one
before.
Time passed on, and still he was living
only in her presence. and she, also, was
more i'm love with him than she had ever
been before IN her life; but they seemed
no nearer an understanding than ever until
Ire time came that Grace was to leave fol a
trim 70 the South. Then, someh0w-lust
now neither knew-it all came TO the sur
face, and Grace knew that he loved her !;
but never could she divine the depth OF his
pure and abiding love for her. We can
only measure according TO the measure we
hold. But she was pleased-for many rea-
sons. She really liked him. lie was hand
some and grave and noble, and he was rich,
while she was poor.
So they were married, and both went
South for n season. Then they returned
and settled down 10 everyday life. She
began to grow tired very soon OF such
silent but absorbing alteration, and she
grew exacting and petulant, and finally
launched into such whirl Of social excite
mept and lavish extravaganza that she rem
dcred his life an acute torture. The quiet
pleasures OF the home he had longed for
were disspated, and he found no peace in
the seclusion OF his library; for the demon
of jealousy began to devour him. HIS
young wife. prettier than ever, now, with
all the aids OF n rich toilet and costly jew
els. was more admired than before, and
she enjoyed flattery fully as much, If not
more, than before her marriage.
She made the acquaintance OF woman
who professed herself widow in good
position, and this woman soon obtained
great influence over her, and she left her
home day after day and night after night to
20 where the husband seldom knew. One
night she returned home flushed with wine
and wild with a reckless gaiety, which left
her In the morning pale and haggard, and
apparently uneasy and half frightened.
The husband was nearly broken-hearted.
He saw future disgrace and shame, and yet
he had not the courage to exercise his au-
thority and insist on his wlfe's breaking oil
the intimacy with woman whom he felt
sure would bring irreparable ruin on his
home.
That morning his wife came to his study,
and not without some shame asked him for
large sum of money. lie gave 1t to her
with slight hesitation, and tried to speak
saily as he asked IL she was going to buy
n house with ii. She answered haughtily
that IL he had any objection to giving II to
her to say so, and he was forced to silence.
Other absences late Of r.. .,.s:S and other
demands for money, faster than he could
provide il without sacrifice, made him
wonder and finally watch his young
wife, who, he feared, was being led astray
i'm some manner. At last he discovered
that his wife WIS gambler; had taken tc
that dangerous pastime under the tutelagC
pf the widow, and that together they visit
cd fashionable dressmaking establishment
In New York, where gambling was carried
on sub rosa, and here the inexperienced
child had been simply robbed. OF course
he could do nothing publicly, and he Sc
loved her that he could not bear to even lei
her know that he knew this. But he de
fermined to give her no more money.
One day she came in and asked for large
sum OF money again, and he told her he haS
none for the moment, but that il she de
sired anything, TO buy it and have the bill
sent to him. She flew into rage, ant
asked him II he intended TO support he
properly or not, for, II not, she could g
where Others appreciated her better. Word
were useless, and she left in anger, and LEI
him in misery too great for words.
She went out as usual, and only returne
ut 8 o'clock in the morning when she di
not speak TO her husband, aud for sewers
DAYS there was no intercourse bctwee
them. When she met him she passed Will
out recognition, and she rendered him mos
unhappy. But he had a secret hope ths
sustained him aud made him bear with he
faults more patiently, and he felt sure thf
when she became mother she would Nc
care for other society, and that this was bu
passing folly.
One morning the agent who attended {
his business came in and brought sever;
thousand dollars, which lay on the tablt
where the young wife saw it when 81
came in. She asked again for mCaey, an
the husband refused il, kindly but firml
telling her that il would seriously cripp
his business II he gave her so large a SUI
again. She turned pale as death, but mao
no reply, and len the room with a strans
look Of determination malTing her love
features
That afternoon George, the only broth'
OF Theodore Waits, came home from CO
iege on visit, and Theodore received hi
with unusual reserve, for two reasons. On
was his preoccupaiion on account Of u
domestic scene Of the morning, and q
other was that his young brother had bee
guilty OF greater excuses than even co
iege students are given TO, and there wei
heavy debts 10 pay. and he hardly kDe
where to find sufficient ready money for tn
purpose and supply his wffe's exacting d