The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-05-03
MIR. FTTzGERALD's WIFE.


merry Nelly sedgwick married the
naughty %. Ansel Fitzgerald" and
all who knew him predicted a sbad.
owed, weary life for the beautiful
brow wn-eyed; and everybody was mis-
taken.
Mr.. Fitzgerald was wealthy and
handsome; but in character, he was
domineering. In his own.home-like
SO many men who are polite abroad
he was perfect tyrant. Two fair
women already lay resting quietly
beneath the elegant sculptured mon
ument bearing his name; and the
rest they. had achieved, atlast, was a
welcome one. "Died ofieyer," read
the obituary notices. Yes it was
fever; slow, wasting fever the re.
suit of blasted affections, longings for
loving words, tender caresses, which
'ncver-catne. Slaves they We're rath-
er than wives. Mr.. Fitzgerald had
bestowed more gentleness on his
horses and hounds, than on these
poor women, though he had sworn
allegiance to them. So those, who
knew them best, said they had died
Of broken hearts.
He had now married his third
wife, and was already beginning to
speak patronizingly Of Nelly, as "my
wife, number three" No wonder,
therefore, that people pitied her.
But they did not know her. They
never imagined it possible that the
gentle little maiden saw possibilities
in him, undreamed ofby others; and
that this was why she had married
him. With Shakespeare's Petruchio,
she thought 81 am born to tame you"
1t was only two weeks after her
wedding, that Nelly began. 1t was
at the pretty breakfast.table.
"James," she said.
"You should call me Ansel, my
DEAR" corrected Mr.. Fitzgerald, who
never liked the old-fashioned name
as well as the more stylish "Ansel."
Not needing the interruption, Mel
ly went on, quite coolly.
II want the two south windows"
she said, (which are so near together,
made into bay-window. 1t would
give US lovely view, and secure a
nice place for house,plants. l do so
love window-fowers."
Mr.. Fitzgerald laid down his knife
and fork, and stared in mute aston
ishment at his wife. ,e,.
Undismayed, she went on, inquir-
ing, pleasantly, and as if she had not
seen his pantomine.
"Wouldn't it be nice?"
"Rubbish," snarled Mr.. Fitzgerald.
"Rubbish?" said Nelly, opening
her eyes in feigned wonder.
"Yes, rubbish" he cried, in an
swer, angrily. 81 hate plants; and
once for all, won't have my house
Uttered up with them"
"But, dear"
"No butts, if you please, madame.
| believe you understand me-" and
Mr.. Fitzgerald waved his hand, with
the naughty motion which had al
ways silenced his former consorts, as
he added:
"My late lamented wife would nev-
er have dreamed of such a thing.
Good morning"
Rising as he spoke, he lighted a
costly cigar, and strolled away, say
ing, to himself: give taught her just
what to expect; all these women
have to bend TO stronger will; and
it is best to begin at once to let them
know their places"
And Nelly? Katy or Fanny, "the
late lamented," would have sat down
and wept over the overthrow Of their
cherished hopes, if they had ever had
the courage to ask for their fulfil,
ment. Not so Nelly. She never SO
much as stopped her merry song,
during the day, but planned and
sang, sang and planned, through it
all, while oftentimes a saucy smile
lurked in the corners of her mouth,
and shone in her eyes.
When Mr.. Fitzgerald came home
to dinner, with his most unapproach-
able look, expecting to find sullen,
or at least fearful wife, he was as
tonished to see Nelly more prettily