Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-10-28
A WiEE,s CONFESSION.
BY ELIZABETH CAMPBELL.

l. DCliSfG L IildTTlSu our THCtOT, w
Cartwright, simply because he asked
me.
/ ought to have been very hap
py, for he was a most devoted hus
band, bat L did not, and though
did not notice it then, l know nov
that for the first six months aftel
our marriage he was not HAPPY
either.
One morning about that time he
told me at breakfast that he intend
ed leaving me alone for few weeks
to stay with his mother, who was
not very we'll. lie watched III,
effect of this announcement on me
but, though | was really displeased
L concealed my annoyance, and
asked carelessly when he would
start.
He replied "the next day, if
had no objection" and so it was
settled.
He was more affectlonate than
usual that day, and / was colder
than ever; l but once alluded to his
journey, and that was to ask If
might have my sister Maud to stay
with me while he was gone.
The next morning L was anxious
to avoid formal parting, so I drove
to the station with him as the
train moved off l remembered this
was our first parting since our mar
riage, and wished l had not been sc
cold.
When / got home the house
looked so dreary and empty, and
there was no one to meet me. Every
room seemed empty, and each spoke
of the absent master at last / wan
dered into his study, where he
spent his mornings, and liked me
to sit and work; and now l remen-
bered how often / had excused my
self, saying preferred the drawing
room, and this reflection did not add
to my happiness.
1t was full of little remembrance
of me, and everything / looked at
reminded me of his goodness to me
and of my coldness and ingratitude
to him. AT last l went to bed,
where, after working myself into a
fever of anxiety lest he should not
have reached the end of his journey
in safety, l at length cried myself to
sleep. .a.-. -....
The next morning I went down
to breakfast with heavy heart, for
/ knew / could not hear from him
till the next day. My plate, for the
first time since my marriage, was
empty as L sat down to breakfast,
for my husband, who was an early
riser, had always had a little bou-
quette to greet me with every morn
ing; frequently 1 forgot all ab out it
and left it to be put into water by
the servant; this morning l would
have treasured it more carefully if
he had gathered it.
After breakfast / determined to
arouse myself and go and visit
some of the poor people of the viii
lage so / filled my basket with
some little delicacies for the sick
and set out.
Wherever 1 went it was the
same story /; all held forth on my
husbands goodness and kindness,
for all had been helped by him in
some way Or other, and all loved
and respected him. AS / listened,
with burning cheeks, / felt as if l
was the only person on earth who
had treated him with cruel ingrat-
itude, and l was the very person
whom he had most loved and cher
ished.
When Maud arrived in the after
noon, / treated her to long TRADE
of abuse against mothers-in-law in
general, and my own in particular !;
and [ vented all the anger [ really
felt against myself on the innocent
Mrs. Cartwright.
"In fact, Nelly" said Maud, 81
believe you are so in love with
your husband that you are Jealous
even of his mother; and you are
making yourself miserable about
nothing. Mr.. Cartwright will be
back in fortnight, and L dare say
you will get letter from him ev-
cry day; so cheer up, and let's 60 for
a drive"
I agreed to this plan, and giving
Maud the reins, 1 lay back and
thought of her words. Was she
right after all ? Was I jealous :?
Was 1 really, as Maud said, in love
with my husband ? Had l only
found it out, now l was deprived
of his company? Was this the rea-
son that l could do nothing but in
wardly reprOach myself for my
conduct to him ? And the longer
thought the more convinced l
became that Maud was right, that
was Jealous, and that l was in
love as she called it.
The next morning got up early
and walked out to meet the post
man, so anxious was 1 to get let
ter from him ; it was the first l
had ever received from him since
our marriage, and no girl was ever
so anxious for or SO pleased with
her first love-letter as I was over
this.
1t was long letter, full of loving
and terms of endear-
ment, all of which cut me to the
heart, for they sounded like so
many reproaches. 1 spent the
in answering it, much to
Maud's amusement, who of course
thought 1 was pouring out volumes
of love and complaints of my tenn
porary widowhood; after tearing
up about dozen sheets of paper,
/ at last sent short note-cOol,
and with no illusions to my mis-
cry.
For whole week l went on in
this way, suffering more acutely
every day, and every day receiv-
ing long, loving letters from Mr..
Cartwright and writing short, cold
answers.
At last when he had been away
ten days, I could bear it no longer,
for felt / should have brain fever
if went on in this way, so l de-
termined to go to Melton, where
Mrs. Cartwright lived, and see my
husband. / came to this decision
one night, and went into Maud's
room early in the morning, to tell
her of my intention. l expected
she would laugh at me, but think
she guessed something was wrong,
for she seemed glad to hear it, and
helped me to pack few things and
set off in time to catch the morning
train.
1t was three years to me, for the
nearer l got to him, the more im-
patient l was to see him. AT last
we got to Melton, a large town.
OF course, as / was not expected,
there was no one to meet me, and
took a carriage to Mrs. Cart
wright's house, where / arrived
about 5 o'clock.
] learned afterward that Andrew
was in the little drawing room with
his mother when / drove up, but