News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-03-23

one. moreover the cold introduced IT.
self into Maude's home. According as
men are made of strong grit or disposed
to feebleness they meet public injustice
with stern front, which becomes more
and more stern or else their self-respect
gets slowly obliterated. Hugh Toilet
first suffered keenly from his wife's I'M
mer1ted disgrace then he got accus-
toned to it, and, from weakness of
character, came to make mental conces-
sions toward public opinion, or, rather
toward the opinion of Lord and Lady
Jinks. He was a person of soclable
habits, who found it troublesome to be
obliged to keep aloof from the houses of
his friends because their wives would
not receive Maude. One day he COM
promised his dignity by accepting an in
vitation to dine at friends house with
out his wife, and on that occasion he
virtually crossed the Rubicon. Every
step he took from that time was false
one.
He loved Maude still very well in his
new way. Two children had been born
to her, but they had not diminished
one particle of the affection which she
bore to her sisters little boy and girl,
and she brought up her small family of
four like the most devoted and impair
tial of mothers. Hugh saw it and ad
mired her. She was a good wife; she
had never said or done thing of which
he could complain. However, there
was no denying that the deceased wife's
sister question was teasing one. There
had been general election, and the
new parliament, which was Conserva-
tive, had destroyed all hopes that the
law would be altered within any meas
urable time. Hugh dined out more
and more often, and fell into the way of
talking and being spoken to as if he
were not a married man. Ladies made
a point of never abiding to Mrs. Fol-
let. If they asked how his children
were, they always meant the elder two;
and assumed chilly expressions If he
inadvertently said that the last baby
was doing we'll. He had the meanness
at length to invent excuses on Sundays
for not going to church with his wife.
He was ashamed to show himself with
her in the streets. She, poor woman,
was long true before she suspected all
this. In her simple trustfulness she
imagined that her husband was more
sedulous to shield her from annoyance
than to avoid any on his own account
Even when HugE's manners changed
when he became irritable, quick to find
fault and generally unkind-she still
thought that he was vexed at the pub 10
injustice against herself, and as it was
for her sake that he was suffering all
this, she felt for him with the grateful,
wholly unselfish sympathy of women
who love.
One evening, when Hugh had gone
out to dinner, Mr.. Swain, the rector
of the parish, called on Mrs. Toilet. He
was young man, but lately benefited
one of the good sort of clergymen
gentlemanlike, earnest and yet pleasant
to talk with. He knew Maude's story,
and entertained the eincerest respect for
her. He had called on her several times
before, and had always sought to give
her consolation for the injustice she was
enduring by assuring her that he looked
upon her as being beyond all doubtlaw-
fully welded. On the particular even
ing in question, he took one of her
children on his knee, and seeing her sad,
said q few kind words to exhort her to
bear her persecution with fortitude.
Some tears escaped her eyes, and she
had not wiped away all traces Of them
when her husband suddenly returned.
He had come away early from his din
ner party, as he did not feel wen, and
he was in a bad, nervous temper. The
sight of Mr.. Swain evidently did not
soothe him.
"It's strange hour for that man to
pay you visit" he remarked, sulkily,
when the rector had gone. "This is
the third time he has called within ten
days"
"He came tonight to bring me
book" said Maude.
cit was quite family picture, I
declare" continued Hugh, with spite
full sheer. "You in tears, he sitting in
my chair with a sentimental look, and
holding baby on his knees. Did he
make you an offer of marriage?"
"Hugh!'
sob, he might, you know. You're
free woman in law; only if you mean TO
play that game, you had better tell me,
for can play it, too"
"Hugh Hugh What have I done
that you should treat me in this way ?"
exclaimed the poor woman; but her
husband had left the room, telling her
not to make scene, as his head ached.
He did not mean what he had Just said.
He was sorry for it the next day, and |
did not refer again to the subject; but |
the last remnant of dignity had been |
swept away from his relations with his |
wife by the insult he had thrown at |
her, and nothing he could ever say |
thenceforth would have the power to
restore that confidence which Maude
had felt in him, and which he had
broken. The consciousness of this rem
dered him morose. Seeking self
justification, he accused the ubiquitous
law which left him uncertain as to
he had wife or not but on
Maude there fell a heavier blight than
mere moroseness. The contempt of the
world had been very hard to bear, bat
the slight from her own husband was
She dared no longer re-
,eive visitors, lest Hugh should be
ealous, and she became ashamed before
ler own servants. Hugh, seeing her
,very day, did not notice that there was
much change in her but after some
months the doctor, who had come to
lee one of the children, was alarmed at
1er wan appearance. He went at once
n quest of her husband, and told him
he truth. s. You must be very careful
Mr.. Follett. Your wife is in decline"
"What makes you think that ?"
lsked Hugh, turning pale. In an in
tant there rose before his imagination
he picture of what his life would be
without Maude. He hurried home. By
he light of what the doctor had said.
me glance at Maude's face was enough;
n raol oopoipc, JaofL, IN ~