Sacramento daily record-union., 1883-10-20
"Tben Won did not feel that God com.

"Then you did not feel that God COM
manded you to take such step,"
81 didn't think of it at all in that way.
I don't pretend to be religious like the rest
After this it seemed idle for the wife to
expect anything from an appeal to her RI
val's better feelings yet, as weeks and
months passed, bringing added discord and
wretchedness to the household, she made
such appeals more than once.
One day, after stormy scene, she said {:
"Nors, when l first offered you home
you told me l would never be sorry for do.
ing 80; yet now, when have done and
suffered 30 much for your sake, you never
repay me by a kind word or act. Why
is it -
Nora's eyes blazed.
81 hate you," she said, "because you
are his wife Can't you understand
How can two women love the same man
and be at peace with each other!'
How indeed? Lucy Sheldon was con-
scious that her own heart was full of Bit
terness toward the girl that had won her
husbands love. Day after day she prayed
for patience and resignation, but her prayers
brought neither comfort nor help. She
could not Danish the feeling that if God
had laid burden upon her He was not a
kind Father but cruel tyrant. If her
husband had shown any sympathy for her,
her lot would not have seemed quite so
hard but he was completely infatuated
with Nora, and seemed to share her feel
ings toward his wife.
One day the two, rather against Nora's
wishes, were obliged to go out together to
make some necessary purchases, and on
their way home they were overtaken by a
shower. Sheldon was waiting at the door
for them when they came. Without even
glancing at his wife, he took Nora in his
arms, carried her to the fire, removed the
wet shoes and stockings and chafed her
| feet.
"My darling How could you be SO
imprudent ?" he was saying, when his
wife's appearance turned his thoughts into
| another channel.
"How is it, he said, frowning darkly,
that you did not have sense enough to
look for shelter somewhere? You know
how delicate Nora is, and if she dies in
| consequence of this it will be your fault !;
but you will be glad of it. no doubt"
His wife stood before him without utter
ing word, the water dripping from her
clothing. She was wet through, for she
had given her shawl to Nora. Her silence
seemed to anger her husband still more,
and he raised his hand threateningly, but
Nora caught his arm, exclsiming, "Come,
don't let US have scene," and hurried him
off to her room.
Mamma, said Charley, "when I'm a
big man I'll shoot Nora and put father in
Jail. You see if l don't %
Hush, Charley p said Susy then put
ting her arm around her mother she en-.
treated: "Do come to your room, dear
mamma. I have everything dry and warm
for you to put on"
There was no answer. The mother stood
as if turned to stone.
"Don't look that way, mamma" the
other children cried in terrified tones, and
Baby Maud, frightened by the tumult, be-
gan to sob. The sound reused the mother.
"Come to mamma, love, she said.
Let US take off your wet dress first"
the older girls pleaded. MAUD is all
right. We have taken good care of her
indeed we have"
When the children had succeeded in re-
moving their mothers dripping garments
and placing her in a warm bed she begged
them to leave her alone. She mad need to
be alone while she looked her destiny in
the face. Now, indeed, her last illusion
had vanished. She had hoped against
hope that her husbands love for her was
dormant, not dead, and that it would some
time awake to life. But she had more to
learn and more to endure. The day came
when the man who had promised to cherish
and protect her until death should part
them struck her a shameful blow.
I" am thankful for that it sets me
free" she had said to herself; and yet
something she could not define, the ghost
of her dead love, still held her in bonds.
Then, too, the shreds of her former belief
clung to her, and at times she felt afraid
that she was fighting against God. With
this thought fresh in her mind, she would
submit to Nora's caprices and her hus.
bands brutality for days together with un.
complaining patience, but her submission
only brought fresh exactions.
"Lucy," her husband said one morning
in an unusually amiable tone. mora has
set her heart upon having a new bonnet
before Thursday. She declares that she
will not go to the Tabernacle or take part
in the concert without one, and they are all
depending upon her. | have spent the last
dollar had by me, and l cannot draw any
more until the end of the month; but |
know you have money, and l wish you
would lend Nora what she wants"
" l have little money!" the wife said
hesitatingly, "but the children need
shoes"
"The children It is always the chill.
dren p he answered impatiently. "But
never mind if you choose to be disoblig-
ing, dare say can borrow it somewhere
else"
"Don't say any more. 1 will let her
have the money"
"Well, come along then," he answered
ungraciously. "Nora is waiting"
But when Nora was spoken to, it trans
pired that she did not feel we'll enough to
walk uptown, and that she wished Mrs.
Sheldon to go and bring down one or more
bonnets for her inspection.
d" 1 do not see how l can CO." she said :
but her answer raised such storm that. as
usual, she yielded, and set out on her er-
rand. 1t was long, hot walk in the |
scorching August sun. She remembered |
after she started that it was Maud's birth |
day. She had been too miserable to think |
of it before. Her mind went back to those |
August days on the plains three years ago. |
How happy she was then, and how little |
she dreamed of the life that lay before her
in these valleys! But she must not dwell |
on the past she could not and keep her
senses. So, striving to think only Of her |
errand, or rather not to think at all, she |
hurried on. When she reached her destin.
alton she found nothing within the reach |
of her slender purse, but after going from
place to place until her strength was nearly |
exhausted, she at last selected something |
that she thought might please her exacting
rival. The price amounted to the whole of |
the sum she had brought; even the few
pennies she had hoped to save to buy a
trifing present for Maud must go. 1t was
nearly noon when she reached home with
her purchase.
You have been gone long enough in all
conscience, was Nora's greeting. "Give
me the bonnet"
OE kha