The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-10-10

been far greater. As to Florence, she said
/ to herself, with toss Of her head: s.Wlaat
| can an old fellow like that expect, whom
only married for bis moneyT
CnAPrER X.
"a carriage--and what should do with
| o carriage7s said Florence, in tone oil
profound amazement.
II assure you,r answered George nnea-
silly, @that it is quite necessary. One little
brougham is NOT sufficient. Our business
4 relations are daily extending; and, be-
sides, it is really not the thing to see one
of the firm going about on foot, and the
! other in his carriage. II does not look
well, / assure you. 1t is a necessary ex-
pense, and shall treat it as such, and en-
i ter it among the expenditures Of the firm
so you may az well make up your mind
/ to it,
/ Ii seemed to Florence as If this fresh
/ expense must be robbing someone; but, as
George was so urgent, he felt compelled
to yield; thinking besides, @How pleased
| Sylvia will bem
The poor man did not know that q
month before Sylvia had herself chosen q
brougham, which George could not pre-
sent to her openly, and had consequently
devised this ingenious method Of doing
so.
Florence was easily deceived. Perfect
ly open and honest himself, he never sus-
pecfed duplicity in others. at this time
his mind was entirely absorbed in his new
invention, with which he hoped to revo-
iafiopize the napufacfnre d paper hang
ings. Thoughtful and anxious he would
come home to dinner, and was only too
thankful to be received with smiles It
never occurred to him to wonder at this
change, nor to ask them the reason why,
Sylvia never made any objection now to
his spending an occasional evening out
Their house, too, grew daily prettier,
The simple knick -knacks had disappear
ed and Sylvia now cared only for the
latest caprices Of the day; old carvings,
and rare china. Her boudoir was hung
with a delicate shade Of blue, the silk
quilted in diamonds like the lining Of q
Jewel casket. A grand piano stood in the
drawing room, and the singing lesson was
a daily affair.
Madame lola, the teacher, was q French
woman whose black hair was arranged in
coquettish little curls over her forehead.
Her somewhat prominent white teeth,
wide mouth, and sparkling black eyes,
completed physiognomy not altogether
pleasing in expression, but she redeemed
her appearance by the exquisite taste and
style Of her dress, and by the tact and
softness of her manner. She commenced
by instructing her pupil in the reguia-
ton drawing-ro0m ballads, but Sylyia's
full ripe lips and mischievous eyes were
never made for such sentimentalities.--
Offenbach, or the "Cloches de Corneville,r
whose music she could have aided by o
gesture, nod, or an arm akimbo, would
have suited her much better, and as by
degrees she grew more familiar with her
teacher, new style Of music was intro
duced at the lessons.
without relations or intimate friends,
Sylvia gradually made q friend Of Mad
anne Zola, she kept her to luncheon, took
her out 10 drive in the new brougham,
and asked her aid in her shopping. Soon
the friend became the confdante. Sylvia
spoke to her of George, of their love, and
complained Of the cruelty of her parents,
who had compelled her to marry man so
much older than herself. The music
mistress was willing to aid her, not so
much out of sympathy, as from the love
Of intrigue, and the consideration that the
possession of so compromising secret
would BIO q lasting hold upon useful
friend.
Two or three times every week she
brought Sylvia tickets for the theatre or
the opera. Florence supposed they were
presented to Madame Zola; little did he
know that George had requested her to
purchase them, and that they represented
the best private boxes in the house.
To deceive a man like Florence required
IL .l..I.
boundless. Besides, he knew nothing Of
the world in which his wife was only too
well known already. He never went out
with her. Occasionally, in the early days
OF their married lite, he had taken her TO
see a new play, but had himself slept
peacefully throughout the evening. Not
enjoying the theatre, he was only too glad
to relinquish his seat to Madame lola
Evening after evening, when his wife
left him, he would frankly express his adj
miration of her charming toilettes, not
having the least idea Of their expense, or
the source whence they came, and then,
with heart free from doubt or jealousy,
spent the evening in solitude over his
drawings.
Below, in the Speeds apartments, the
same comedy was enacted, but the rolls
were reversed. There, il was the wife
who was deserted every evening. Half
an hour before Sylvia's departure, Mr.
Speeds Brougham came to tho door to
take him to his club. Annie was told that
many an important business affair had
been brought to q prosperous conclusion
oyer game Of billiards.
And she, poor child, believed that only
the interests Of the firm could take him
away from his home 30 constantly. Her
spirits tagged for a time after he went
out, for each night she hoped to retain
him, or that he would offer to take her to
some place of amusement. But the loving
arms Of her child soon soothed away even
that ache from her heart.
George and Sylvia met at the theatre.
Their first heart-throb was Of vanity for
they attracted much attention. She was
very pretty, and each new caprice Of
fashion seemed to have been invented to
lend fresh charm to her coquettish face.
Before long Madame lola was LEFT the sole
occupant Of the box at the theatre, and
| Sylvia with George sailed forth in search
Of adventures. With unparalleled auda-
city they visited supper-roorns and
restaurants, in regard to which Sylvia felt
morbid curiosity. From these excur-
sions Sylvia, who seemed actuated by the
determination of making amends for the
enforced monotony Of her girihood by :
series Of extravagances and excitements,
returned with slang phrases and odd
gestures, which seemed strangely out Of
place in her quiet, middle-class home.
Doubts and suspicious about her were
beginning to be excited within the factory
walls. Women, even the poorest and
most mental Of their sex, have nm instinc-
tive perception Of the cost Of feminine