South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1882-12-08
A wife's Confession.
DY EL:zABETu CAMPBELL.

uiu NOT marry Tor love. very
few people do; so in this respect l
am neither better nor worse. No I
certainly did not marry for love; l
believe | married our Rector, Mr..
Cartwright. simply because he asked
me.
onght to have been very happy,
tor he Was most devoted husband.
but was not. and though did not
notice il then. know now that for
the first six months after our marriage
be was not happy either.
One morning at breakfast about
that, time he told me that he intended
leaving me alone for few weeks, to
stay with his mother, who was not
very well. lie watched the effect Of
this announcement on me. but though
| was really displeased, l concealed
my annoyance aud asked carelessly,
when he would start
He rel lied the next day. if | had
no objections, and so it WAS settled.
He was more afiectionate than usu-
al that day, and | was colder than
ever: / once alluded 10 his journey,
and that was to ask ii | might have
my sister Mard To stay while he was
gone.
The next morning | was anxions to
avoid a formal parting, sol drove TO
the station with him; rs the train
moved oft | remembered that this
was oar first parting since our MARI
age, and wished | had not been so
cold.
When | got home the house looked
SO dreary and empty, and there was
no one TO meet me- Each room
seemed empty, and each spoke OF the
absent master; at last wandered in
TO his study where he spent his morn
inos, and liked me to sit and work
and now ! remember how often | had
excused myself, saying l preferred
the drawing room; and this ELECTION
did not add to my happiness.
II was full of little remembrances
of me. and everything | looked at re-
minded me of his goodness to me,
to him. At last | went TO bed where
after working myself into fever of
anxiety lest he should not have reach
ed the end OF his journey in safety, /
a, length cried myself 10 sleep.
The next morning | went down to
breakfast with heavy heart. for |
knew | conld not hear from him till
the next day. My plate for the first
| time since my marriage, was empty,
as | sat down to breakfast, for my
husband. who WAS very early riser.
always had little boquet to greet me
with every morning; frequently l
forgot all about it, and left it for the
servant TO put in water this morning
| would have treasured it most care
fully, if lie had gathered it.
After breakfast | determined to n.
rouse myself and go and visit some of
the poor people in the village. so ]
filed nv basket with some little del
icacies for the sick and set out.
Wherever went ii was the same
story; all held forth on my husbands
goodness and kindness, for all bad
been helped by him in some way,
aud all loved and respected him. As
| listened with burning cheeks. | felt
a if | was the only person on earth
who had treated him with cruel in.
gratitude, and 1 was the very person
whom he had most loved and cher
ishcd.
y hen Maud arrived in the after
noon treated her TO long TRADE Of
abuse against mother-in.Ia in gen.
eral aud my own in particular, and
vent al! the anger | really felt against
myself, on the innocent Mrs, Cart
wright.
In fact. Nelly said Maud. Il be-
liove that YOU are SO much in love
with your husband that you are ieal
Gus even OF his mother and you're
making yourself miserable abont moth
ing. Why Mr.. Cartwright will be bach;
in fortnight, and dare say you will
get lctierfrom him every day; SO
cheer up and let US go for drive
| agreed 20 this plan, aud giving
Maud the reins Law back and thought
OF her words. Was she right after
all? Was | iealousl Was / really, %.
Maud said. in love with my husbandi
Had | only found it out now that
was deprived of his company? Was
this the reason could do nothing bal
ibwardly reprOach myself for my con
duct to him? And the longer
thought, the more convinced / be
came that Maud was right. thS, wa
Jealous. aud that / was in love as Sin,
called it.
The next morning / got up earl,
and walked out to meet the postman
so anxious was | TO get letter from
him; it was tho first had ever re
ceived from him since our marriage
and no girl ever was so anxious for
OF so pleased WITH her first love letter
= as | was With this,
4 III WA I. f,r. -. ft.ll 80 fr.e~tnf