The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-04-26

EFT, 10 keep up your spirits"
"Oh, assure you, Mr. Braekett, am not in
the least inclined to be miserable. There is
very pleasant society here; and you know there
it, it, as s00u nsn 'A0 sea as ever came Out 0'
Tom was thunder-strucl He felt that his
fears were but too well founded but he made
up his mind TO put his wife to yet another fest.
Poor fellow" he saia. 81 assure you that
your name was very often on his lips. In his
delirium he called for you hour after hour"
+" Indeed it is very good of him not to have
forgotten me-
Forgotten you? Oh MOI am sure that it
is the lot of but few women to have husband
half SO afsactionate"
And of but few men," continued Mrs
Racket with an irresistible smile, to have
wife"
spite of himself could not conceal his admira-
tion.
"Oh, Mr.. Brackett" calculated Dora, in con-
fusion. But excuse me. VIII you stay aud
dine here? OF course you will, toplease me. You
know that woman hates solitude little less
than smallpox. One moment" And she quit
ted the room.
Mr.. Racket rose and paced rapidly backward
and forward. His love and confidence had
received terrible blow, and he was extremely
agitated.
" Is she so heartless?" he reflected "Per-
haps had better leave her at once and never
let her know the truth. But l cannot go until
j am quite sure, for love her as much as
ever did. Just now l felt hundred times
impeled TO take her into my arms and call her
Dora again. ] must be certain before L can
act. j may be unjust. Perhaps that idiotic
story told her has made her hysterical. Some
women will in such circumstances say and do
exactly the contrary of what they mean.
Possibly she is weeping now in her own room,
breathing my name, and longing to be at my
bedside at Jubbalpore The dear girl must
20 and see. But here she is again, and smiling
too! Confound her!''
airs. Racket re- entered with no traces of
sorrow upon her face. % have ordered din
ner," she said, for seven o'clock" Until then
J must do my best to amuse you, for there is no
one else in the house except the servants /
hope that you had pleasant voyage home, and
that the memory IF that unpleasant tiger incl
dent did not haunt your dreams by the way
:" Not in the least!" returned Tom, and he
bit his lip. " The voyage was delightful. |
came by way of the Suez Canal. There were
some charming girls on board, and of course we
/ ali enjoyed ourselves immensely. There was
moonlight party at Aden, and on that occa-
sion the yenng ladies sang to US until two
o'clock in the morning, when we had cham
payne supper in tent, which friend of mine
providentially had with him. / shall never
! forget it."
lie was as reckless as any man could be, and
cared no longer what he said.
:" 1t must have been very delightful" laughed
Mrs. Racket. !" really wish that had been
/ there"
$50 do ], / am sure" responded Tom, coldly
a. am very fond of music" Dora went on
! but l enjoy above all what you men, be-
/ EeTe, call spree. I'm afraid that / have a
| good deal Of the Bohemian in my nature.
Il suppose, however" queried Mr.. Racket
that you lead very quiet life here?"
"Oh, no. not at all OF course know every
one in the neighborhood and, as married
woman, ask whom / please to my house. !
assure you have very pleasant evenings now
and then. You must come esome day, Mr. Brack-
! ett-supper at two in the morning"
:" am afraid, said Tom despondingly, " that
| / shall not be here for long. am thinking OF
| going abroad. j cannot rest anywhere"
You are worried, then? i can sympathize
with you. woman's sympathy, you know
Yes; family matters and disappointments-''
But you are not the man." said Mrs Rack,
| ett encouragingly, " who ought TO be a prey to
| disappointments. You are young, and, if you
will excuse my freedom, not bad-looking. Ha
hai hope you did not lose your heart to one
of the young ladies at Aden."
No, Mrs. Racket. To tell the truth, am
| doubtful whether any woman is worth worry.
ing ones self about"
Do not be cynical" exclaimed Dora. All
men have period Of cynicism, know butyou
surely must have outgrown it, Perhaps men
expect too much from women
They expect sympathy, fidelity, and con
| sider2tioni" exclaimed BIr. Racket, bluntly.
But do they themselves practice those vir
tues? Ah, mel What a terrible thing it would
be 10 have husband who would practice none
| of them-a husband cold and unkind %
And what a still more terrible thing" sait
/ Tom, bitterly, would it be to have an un
faithful and unsympathetic wife r'
But do you believe" asked Dora, I" tha
there are many such women?"
know to my cost that there is at least one
| fesl There are many women, Mrs. Racket
who betray their husbands"
can not believe it; but when such is th,
case, think that the husband is generally ais
to blame" And Dora looked demurely at tn,
carpet.
that it is foolish to believe that any woman i
virtuous"
" 1t is absurd to believe that no woman i
yirtuous," said Dora, Indignantly. :" see, Nh
Bracket, that after eli you are worrying your
self for some woman's sake"
81? Oh, no. 1t is not worth while"
Well" she continued, /" am glad to Sc
that you car forget your troubles | do not le
mine worry rue. Cozy suppers and"
: But the probable death OF your husband,
interrupted Tom
] am philosophical" /" said Mrs Racket, viii
a caimacss which exasperated her visitor "W
only lived together for FIVE weeks after on
marriage; but even in that short period, happ,
as il was we both of rs doubtless developet
little peculiarities Of temper of which the othe
had previously been ignorant / dare say b
became rather tired of me. Don't you agre
that marriage is a sad disenchantment 2"
Nc" replied Tom, stcrnly "Bui, with al
due Difference to you, think that woman is.
" You are wrong, Mr.. Brackett; ] am sur
J you arc wrong. lam convinced thatany sensibI
, woman who takes the trouble may save maj
from ever feeling disappointed with her. Gu
; doctor here is gallant enough to be of n,
opinion. He is an Irishman, and he has toll
, ne that no man could possibly be disappointei
with Mrs Racket. Ha ka OF course
know that 1rishmen sometimes say q little bi
more than they mean, especially when the
} want 10 be pleasant; yet there is truth at th
bottom of what he says, for ] am sure that
, could save any man who really loved me hor
being disappointed"
TOMS blood boiled up against the Irish doc
: tor, aud against Dora's plain speaking He de
cided to try if he could draw her into a flirta
ton with him. He would thus be able t
a satisfy himself of her basencss.
2 Yes" he assented, 81 cannct doubt it. Bu
: all men are not so fortunate as to meet wit
women like you."
Here he drew his chair nearer to Doras an
continued, softly: "I confess that l have bee
unfortunate in nv experience. If / though
- l.