The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-05-26


than twenty dollars, and mamma and 1
will make it ourselves, and take the
money we'd have to give Mrs. Jones for
the present. That will be really my
own money, because L shall earn it
my very own. Isn't it capital idea ?"
"Spiendid |" 1 said; and shortly after
I took my leave, thinking all the way
down to the store what an amount of
trouble Robinson innocently gave that
dear little wife of his.
We settled upon dressing-case for
Robinson before L left that day, and
Mrs. Robinson and had to go together
to look at the different varieties of these
articles, and L didn't want to choose
anything in hurry, and then be sorry
afterward; and altogether it was aston
ishing how absorbed became in the
purchase of that dressing-case. l
thought of nothing else.
The anniversary of Robinson's we'd
ding came upon Saturday evening,
and the next morning was walking in
the park, thinking it all overflow
happy Robinson must have been when
she surprised him with the dressing-case,
and what confoundedly lucky fellow
he was anyway. 1 fell into quite sen
timental mood. 1 suppose the scene
around me had something to do with
it. 1t was one of those delightful
mornings in May, when happy ripples
run through the grass, and young shrubs
burst suddenly into bloom and verdure.
Birds sang gayly in the hedges and the
air was full of a vague perfume. Some
white-winged butterflies fitted by. L
took off my hat. Though little bald,
L enjoyed the soft radiance of the sun
shine. 1 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
Robinson-and alone. His head was
bowed, his hat jammed over his eyes !;
the only part of his face that was at
first visible was of an ashen hue. His
whole aspect was one of unutterable
misery and despair.
"Good heavens, Robinson" 1 cried,
rushing up to him and seizing his arm,
"has anything happened to your wife?"
"To my wife? Yes," he said and 1
sank into one of the iron benches. 1
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 you? Gone home to her
mother? Why, wasn't last night your
anniversary
eyes that was how it came about
that was the way I found her out,
Smith. She's deceived me-shamefully
and persistently deceived me, and yet,
miserable wretch that I am" added
Robinson, sinking into the seat beside
me, and covering his face with his
hands, "I love her still"
"You have deceived yourself in some
way" 1 cried, naturally indignant and
incredulous. 1T is some miserable
mistake of your own. Iknow that youf
wife is the soul of integrity and honor.
"God bless you, Smith !" he cried,
grasping my hand fervently. "Would
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', my
wife's dressmaker, to see if her black
silk was done"
"What ?" 1 shrieked.
"Her black silk, you know" said
Robinson" the one 1 told you about
She said at least dozen times that il
was in the dres smakers hands. 1 gave
her twenty dollars long ago to pay fol
it, and thought I'd step in On my way
home, so that there would be no disap
pointment That was perfectly natural
wasn't it, Smith ?"
SEQ on" 1 groaned.
"I went to the dressmaker's, rang the
bell; Mrs. Jones came to the door, and
she said that she hadn't seen my wife
for six months, that she never heard
anything about black silk dress.
was stunned, bewildered. 1 tried tc
persuade her she was wrong; she shut
the door in my face. 1 hurried home
naturally vexed and indignant. My
wife came to meet me, smiling and fond
Smith-it breaks my heart to think O.
it. I asked her about the black silk
Was it done? Not quite, she said. Was
it at the dressmaker's? Yes. At Mrs
Jones'? And was it to cost twenty dol
lars? Yes; but why was 1 so troubled
about it?
I" Because, madam / cried, 'yor
have deceived me have just stopped
at your dressmaker's. She hasn't seel
you for six months"
"My wife turned pale, called to he
mamma, and fell back into Mrs. Page
arms in dead faint.
"Mrs. Page then flew into violen
rage, and abused me shamefully. Sh
used language, Smith, that it is painful
to repeat. She called me a sneak an,
petty tyrant, a spy and miser. Sh
declared that her daughter never had
penny that 1 didn't know when it wa
} coined, and how she spent it tina
Annie had no more to do with her ow
house than a Dutch doll, and the soone
, she was out of it the better. She ser
my servant for a cab, and before m
wife had fully recovered she took he
} away. have paced the floor all night
| Smith. l shall never go back to tn
store again. I'm ruined man-fo
, there something behind all this, Smitl
my servant told me last night that m
/ wife has been in the habit lately of SCI
ing gentleman, of going out with hi
: and remaining couple of hours /; he
stout and dark, little bald, and weal
, spectacles."
| I burst out laughing. "That's me
} 1 cried. "Look at me, Robinson. II
the man !"
= Robinson glared at me in dazed bl
3 desperate way. saw that he was upo
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