Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1882-10-19
A MODERN NEMESIS.

OF the artillery. His friends called him
an old fool, and his enemies said he de.
served his fate, for nobody doubted that
marriage would prove an equlvocal bless
ing to him. But Mr.. Claverton showed
himself equal to the situation, for in the
earliest days of the honeymoon he sue.
ceeded in impressing upon his wife that,
though nearly double her age, he was
not to be trided with, and intended to
be master of his own house. Whether
Mrs. Claverton took this wholesome les
son to heart, or whether she was
prompted by laudable aspirations, it is
certain that she became more sober and
discreet in her conduct, and, to all out
ward appearance, developed into de-
| voted and attentive wife.
But unfortunately things were not as
they seemed in the Claverton menage
| Mr.. Claverton regarded his wife with
suspicious jealousy, and showed dispo-
| sition to besome what harsh and exacting.
| He was one of those men who will lock
| up a grievance in their bosoms and
| brood over it in secret until it magnifed
into undue Importance. If any one paid
bis wife the slightest attention he chafed
and fretted himself into a fever, though
he probably said nothing to her on the
subject. But gradually he began to keep
| strict watch upon her, to look askance
at her private correspondence, or to be
inquisitive when she went up to town for
a days shopping or to pay a visit He
had thought lightly enough of the ru-
mors of his wife's love of admiration in
the halcyon Gays of his courtship and
honeymoon; bull Jas soon as they were
launched into nratrimony this feminine
weakness troubled him very much in
deed, and caused him to be haunted by
dismal forebodings as to what it might
| lead to.
Mrs. Claverton, on her part, showed
| symptoms of rebellion at the restraints
which her husband put upon her. She
was not strong-minded woman, and
| generally yielded to his wishes. But on
several occasions she openly resented her
ClaYerton instinctively felt that a Sc
rious quarrel might arise any day. He
| thought the momentous occasion had ar
| rived when he imtimated to her that
her cousin, Dick Alton, came to the
| house too frequently, and requested her
| to ask him to discontinue his visits. But
| though he had nerved himself for the
ordeal, Mr.. Clayerton was spared a do
| nestle fracas upon this subject. His
| wife did not attempt to argue the point,
yet yielded with sort ofsullen surprise.
| From that moment, however, he fancied
| he perceived a marked change in his
| wife's manner; she. had fits of abstrac-
| ton: and went about her duties listless-
| ~; and it dawned upon the afflicted hus-
| band that his own image had by no
means effaced that Of the old and con-
| slant admirer.
One evening Mr. CIaverton, who was a
government official of some standing,
was detained late at the office, and find
| ing he could not reach his suburban
home in time for dinner, he turned into
his club-the Blenheim-to take his
meal there. A group of young fellows
were talking in front of the fire in the
smoking-room as he entered, and the
| hateful name of his wifes handsome
cousin cropped up and attracted his at
| tention.
"What! Dick Altonv' exclaimed
one, in accents of surprise. "Who saw
| him?"
"Braithwaite. He spoke to him Just
now at the station"
"Who has he gone off with?" resumed
| the questioner, in incredulous tones.
"With-"
Mr.. Claverton strained his ears to
| catch the reply; but, unfortunately, his
eager attitude was remarked by pru--
dent member of the party who nudged
the speaker, and the name was uttered
in whisper. Mr.. Claverton felt embar-
raised at having betrayed curiosity. the
more especially as he really did not care
| the least who Dick Alton had gone offwith.
lie had heard, however, quite sufficient to
! put him in good humor for the rest of the
evening; Tor it was evident that his wife's
lover had compromised himself with
somebody, and would, therefore, prob
ably,disappear from the scene. The keen
| satisfaction he experienced at this vel
come intelligence gave him an excellent
| appetite for dinner, and sent him home
| at decently early hour, in an amiable
| and conciliatory frame of mind
But he received a rude shock when he
| reached his house, and learned that his
wife had gone out just before dinner-time
| and had not yet returned. The servants
| informed him that their mistress, upon
|
brougham and driven to the station, send
ing back verbal message by the coach
man to her husband that she would write.
The coachman, on being Intercepted,
said he believed Mrs. Claverton men
toned that she was going up to town, but
that her manner was so agitated and
| nervous that she hardly seemed con-
scious of what sne was saying.
Mr.. Claverton was struck dumb by
this intelligence, and at once OWNED
what had happened. TIE recollection
of the conversation he had overheard al
ton. It was evidently not by mere
coincidence that his wife had disappear.
ed suddenly and mysteriously the same
afternoon that Dick Alton went off with
somebody; and he bitterly realized that
he had been chuckling over al inciden;
that involved disgrace and misery tc
himself. For a few moments he was
paralyzed with dismay and astonish-
ment. But his energetic nature soon be-
gan to assert ITSELF He went up stairs
and packed few clothes in portman.
teau; then with clinched teeth and throb.
bling heart, he unlocked the mahogany
case in which he kept his revolver, and
carefully loaded all the chambers. He
told the servants he was going to join
his mistress in town, and having fortified
himself with stiff glass of brandy, he
caught the last train to London.
His brain was in whirl with furious
excitement, and the only definite idea
| he had in his mind was fixed deter
mination to overtake the guilty pair
He did not pause to consider what he
should do if he succeeded in this, but
the presence of the revolver in his side
pocket afforded him savage satisfaction
! On arriving at the London terminus, he
drove to Atoms club, and ascertained
from the half.norter that the Cantaiu