News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-03-30


shall not claim the title of your hus-
band" he replied.
Next day they settled down to eight
housekeeping" in three dingy little
rooms in a dusty little house. They
were clean and cozy, and far from un.
comfortable, but she cried herself to
sleep YEARLY, thinking how different
this was to the life to which she had
been accustomed-and the life she had
dreamed. Early next morning she heard
tap at her door-then her husbands
voice: "Good morning! I must hurry
down to the store. but the coffee is
ready for you. Good-by" and when
she had dressed and gone out into the
tiny kitchen she found the little oil
stove ahght, and the fragrant coffee
smoking, and in their dining and draw
ing-room the table neatly spread-for
one.
1t was "a curious life to live. They
were together only such a little while
every evening-strangers under the
same roof and linked in the same life.
A courtier would not have been more
assiduous and deferential toward a
queen. Left alone all day long, with
naught but her thoughts to occupy her,
she came little by little to take an in
terest into find something enjoyable
in her life. Its independence pleased
her and the study of her neighbors was
like reading whole library of novels.
She became interested in their domestic
affairs and could not but blush and feel
a pang at her heart to hear them sound
her husbands praises-how brave and
helpful he had always been toward them
and how he worshipped the ground on
which she walked, and all were so proud
and grateful that he had won such
wife. And the blush and pang were
renewed when he came home in the
evening, speaking little and dropping
his eyes when he found hers fixed upon
him, but evidently worshipping her afar
off as fervently as at first. But ever
rose up her pride and wounded ambition,
an impenetrable wall between theml
1t was Christmas Eve, and Walter
was to be out late. Eleven had struck,
when, on looking over the array of little
presents she had prepared for the
children of their neighbors, she found
that one had been overlooked. It was
wild night, but the toy store was near
at hand, and the streets would be lighted
and thronged, and so throwing on her
hood and shawl she hurried out. On
her return, at street corner, she was
accosted by a fashiiy dressed man:
Where do you live, my dear Give
me kiss, just one, for the sake of
Christmas" he said, following her
trembling steps along the street with
drunken persistency.
"Oh, go away. Do leave me, sir, or
I'll call the police, she faltered.
"Call the police? Why, certainly.
It's all right. Only one kiss and then
I'll let you Co." and the wretch ap-
preached her.
A scream, laugh of drunken triumph,
a rush of hurrying footsteps, then she
saw her prosecutor fall like an OK struck
down by the butchers AK and felt a
strong arm thrown round her and hur- |
rying hor homeward. Between terror |
and thankfulness she could not stand or |
speak, and could only sob Historically
as her husband laid her on the sofa, |
covered her with her shawl, turned up |
the lamp and shook the fire into a ruddy
glow.
"Can I do nothing more for you ?"
he said, at last, when she was mistress
of herself; nothing? You are sure
Then shall ask Mrs. Williams to come
and stay with you ?"
Walter" she said, after a pause,
and then stopped, startled at her own
voice.
"WeIl, Marion % he replied, as he
stopped to give her his arm and support
her to her room.
81 have always respected you," she
went on, in an almost inaudible whis-
per, "and 1 love you !" she added.
drawing down his face to hers that he
might not see her happy bushes.
What a happy life theirs was, even
before their frst-born boy came with
the flowers of May Walter vowed that
she was not only the prettiest woman,
but the best housekeeper in New York,
and she was surprised herself at the
way in which their money lasted-she
could not understand how, after the
weekly expenses were paid and the
weekly dollar had been deposited in the
savings bank, her husband could find
means to obtain the little delicacies and
he was perpetually offer
ng at her shrine. That he saved his
,ar-fare by walking, and at times took
unch with friend she knew-or he
old her-but when she went out she
lever could make such bargains as he
eemed to hit upon. On the morning
Ifter their reconciliation she had taken
Ter needle and picked the obnoxious
,oronets out of her husbands handker-
,hiefs, not without some bushes and
title soreness at heart, but as time wore
IN regrets and ambitions vanished COM
,letely, and she could even propose
,alliDg their dwelling "Melfort Hail."
August had come round again, when
Marion no iced that her husband often
eemed thoughtful and distracted, but
When she taxed him with his silence and
lnsociableneSs, he insisted with an
fort that nothing was wrong. "I
hall be lpte tonight, DEAR" he said, as
lie left her one morning." very late,
and may have to leave town
o-morrow for a few days" She
bought little of it when IL o'clock :
truck, and then midnight, but when
he awakened with start to find it I.
Yearly day and her husband not re-
urned, she owned herself alarmed.
Then came messenger from the store.
Mr.. Delamayn was needed at once ]
lothing had been seen of him for two '
lays; was he Ill ?" A thousand suspi. 7
ions tortured her mind; could any j
hing be wrong? 1t was nearly noon |
'efore he came, looking haggard and ,
occupied.
"Marion," he said, eve must leave !
own tomorrow Something has hap t
'ened. Are you strong enough to bear {
t?" +
'Leave town tomorrow What can +