Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-01-28
she came to the door of the sitting

voice; It was raised angrlly. with
whom could he be talking?
"You wrong her," he said ''she
is no adventures! She is my wife,
and 1 forbid you to say a word
against her!'
A Woman'S voice answered him.
Frank, this will break your fa-
theirs heart as it has broken mine.
We hoped it was at the worst some
boyish escapade; but to have mar
ried this governess-girl-to have
given her a title which the best
born woman in the land might
have been proud to Wear-Frank, it
is horrible ~
Nellie knew then that it was
Franks mother speaking. She
would have gone in and pleaded for
Frank, too, but her courage forsook
her. She began to feel that she had
done something very dreadful.
She would not go into the room !;
but she could not go away. Some
thing fascinated her, and she stood
where she was and heard a passion
ate quarrel between mother and son
about herself.
Lady Redgrave, after writing
that letter to her son, had followed
it. She had some idea that at least
the scandal might be spared the
family of having the young person
publicly acknowledged. She had
some vague, wild notion that even
now matters might be arranged,
and, when she found that her last
hope was gone, her pent up passion
and modification found vent in
torrent of reproaches.
Poor trembling Nellie heard it
all. She heard herself painted in
the worst form of colorS she heard
a powerful picture drawn of Franks
aged father at home broken-hearted
at his sons conduct; she heard the
mother and son quarrel fiercely, and
the son VOW that he would see his
mothers face no more-and all
through her-all through her.
1t was then that, with a violent
effort, Nellie tore herself from the
spot, and, rushing up stairs to her
room, flung herself on her knees by
the bedside and sObbed as though
her heart would break.
This, then, was the end of her
short dream of happiness! She had
brought misery to her husbands
family. His fathers heart was
breaking, he had forfeited his moth
ers lOVe-and all for her. She was
only drudge there-a something
looked down upon-but she didn't
make any one miserable. She had
never wrecked anybody's life there.
4 Il oh ~
husband should not see she had
been crying, nor should his mother.
She bathed her eyes and smoothed
her hair. She would go down, and
tell this lady who thought her so
wicked that she was not the heart
less, designing girl she imagined.
She would offer to gu away. No
one should ever know that she was
Franks wife.
She removed the traces of her ag-S
itation, and when she was quite
calm she went down stairs, but her
heart beat, oh, how quickly, and
something would come in her throat
that nearly chOked her.
She opened the sitting room door
and went in.
r EdIlh WAS diOIl0.
He was sitting on the sofa, his
face buried in his hands.
He looked up at the sound of her
footsteps and spoke with an evident
effort.
"You have been gone a long
time, Nellie," he said "where have
you been ?"
She hesitated. Should she tell
him? No; she would wait till he
said something to her.
He said good deal. He talked
at random, but he never mentioned
his mothers visit.
Presently he got up and looked
out of the window.
Ppm a bit upset over writing
this letter, Nellie" he said. "I'll
go out and have a cigar, and think
what l shall say"
He stopped down and kissed her,
and went out.
'He does not mean to tell me-"
she" thought. Poor Frank! She
went to the window and watched
him leave the hotel. Then she sat
down and thought over all that had
happened, and wondered what she
could do.
There was knock at the door,
and the English waiter came in.
81 beg pardon, madam; but a
lady desires to know if she can see
yOu for moment"
Nellie guessed in moment who
it was. She said, eyes, she would
see the lady" At least Franks
mother should hear her story.
The waiter returned in a few mo-
ments, and ushered in handsome,
grey haired lady. Nellie knew it
was Franks mother directly she
looked at her face.
1t was a cruel interview for Mel
lie.
Lady Redgrave was. polite, but
merciIess. In sharp, cutting words,
every one of which pierced the
poor young BRIDES heart. Franks
mother told her as plainly as she
could what misery this mesalliance
had caused.
"You are cruel ~ sobbed Nellie,
breaking down; "indeed, indeed, |
did not know you would all hate
me sol"
But at last the girls proud spirit
rebelled against the unjust taunts
and accusations of Franks mother.
MADAM, she cried, 81 am your
sons wife; you have no right to
speak to me like this-you shall
not! This is 10y room-leave it!'
Lady Redgrave stared haughtily
at the daI.Ig girl moment, then
bowed, and walked to the door.
"You are insolent," she said,
turning in the doorway. 81 might
have expected it. You have played
your cards well. You have won a
rich prize, and what does it matter
to you that you have marred your
dupe's whole future life, and sepa-
rated him from those who loved
him? My son will see his folly
soO1 enough, and then he will hate
you as | dOW
The proud woman, merciless in
the passion which had blinded her
to everything else, almost Kissed
the last words as she closed the
door.
Nellie did notcry any more. She
began to think that it must be true
that she had blighted Franks life,
made his father and mother wretch
ed, and that in time he would come
to hate her.
Lady Redgrave idOlized her son,
and was not at heart cruel woman.
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