Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1883-12-06
J9HN ARMuR'S SCARE.


ovlahsk tntu Nifns ArbCfc eyes. ''WnAf
right had John to speak to you sof''
TIE young wife's lips 4uive,ed, and
tear or two dropped over her cheeks.
"Uuless you're the spiritless thing
never dreamed you were, Jenny Armor,"
added Miss Blair, warming with indigna-
ton, eyon'li teach John the lesson he
needa TO learn, and that at onoe. The
sooner you make him understand that In
marrying you did not give yourself over
to q master, the better for you both.''
Now, quiok-tempered, good hearted
John Armor felt sorry for his nngusrdec
speech the moment 1t passed his lips, aud
ashamed OF having spoken unkindly 10
his wife before third person. As be
was closing the door he heard the first
Indignant sentence uttered by Miss Blair,
and pausing with the door ajar, got the
bsnstit OF her further utteranoss.
Anger, regret and modification we're |
the disturbing elements that made oui |
young hut band ies anything but com
Portable as he left the house.
The hardest thing in the world tor some
people Is to acknowledge themselves IN
the wrong and OF this class WAS John 1
Armor. He might have gone back and |
made 1t all up with Jenny, after a little
struggle with his pride, II she had been |
alone; but to confess his fault before |
Miss Blair was not TO be Thought OF for q |
moment. SO he went off to his store feel. l
ing mean, miserable and angry by turns
"Teach me- q lesson ~ dropped from |
his lips as he strobe along. The acouser |
aud seif-justifer WAS al his ear, trying to |
work evil BET geen him and his Jenny.
s'Tsaoh me q lesson she had best not |
try any experiments OF that SORT" |
Then his good angel got audience and |
said "ls this the gentle husband, the |
strong, true man, who was to love aud |
cherish I Who gave you the right to
speak unkindlyf To rsbuke and re-
prove 7"
But the evil counsellor made M angry
speech, saying "Has a man no right to
complain when met with discomfort In
consequence OF his wife's neglect II he
toll early and late while she sits In ease
at home, shall he not dare to speak
word of rsmonstranee, though everything
goes wrong 7 There may be spiritleas
husbands, who will meekly submit, but
John Armor is not one of them
And now, coming, 1t seemed, from
distance, far inward or upward, sounded
gentle but pleading voice, and It said
"This is not we'll, John Armor."
And at the words a figure grew into
distinctness in his mind. He saw his
Jenny-his true, and pure, and loving
young Wife-sitting with bowed head,
and sorrowful face, and wet eyes, tn.
picture of suffering, and all because Of
his harsh, unkindiy speech.
Almost instantly this picture faded,
and new one grew ont of the confused
images that remained. The form OF Jenny
became distinct once mere but her atti-
tude and oourtensnoe changed. She
stood erect, with cold, unloving face,
and looked into his eyes with angry def
anee, and at the same time out Of his
memory into his thoughts came these
words
"a woman moved, Is like fountain troubled !;
DARK, unseemlyi thick, bereit of beauty
But his better angel pressed near again,
and turning another leaf, brought ont
from his memory into his thought these
lines
"0h, woman In thine hours Of ease,
Uncertain, coy, and hard to please
When pain and sickness rend the brow,
A ministering angel thoun
And then another page of memory was
turned, on which never-to be. erased
picture was painted in strongest outlines
and deepest colors--the picture OF sick
bed, and dear, loving, self-denying,
patient, minisiering angel bending over it.
John Armor," he exclaimed, half
aloud, as this picture held him like the
spell of a magician, ''you are wretch to
hurt that loving heart ~
The aeouser and self-justiasr-the evil
spirit that loved only to work alienation
aud give pain to human hearts--passed
in again and tried to obscure the picture,
but in vain. John Armor held to his
better feelings, and repented of his un.
kindness. Still, the words Of Miss Blake
were q. power in the hands Of the evil
spirit, who kept perpetusliy thrusting
them in unguarded moments into tbs
thoughts Of John Armor.
John is not my master /" answered
Jenny Armor, with a dash in her wei
eyes, as she heard her husband shut the
street door with heavy jar.
sol course he is not, and the sooner he
is made conscious OF the fact the better
for you both as have said. No man has
right to speak to his wife In tue way b,
spoke TO you just now. II you tear il
tamely he will b. master and you slave
There will be husband aud wife only il
name"
A hard, hali-sngry expression grew
slowly in the face Of Jenny Armor. Sh,
did not answer, but an evil counsellor
within WAS seaonding the evil counsellor
without. She began writing bitter thing
on the tablet Of thought against her re-
pentsnt husband.
"Better grspple with the enemy now
while you are young and strong snt
.-se," said the false friend.
my enemy ~ replied Jenny, turning
quickly upon Miss Blair. The word
startled her. ''My enemy p
"Yes, your enemy. call things b,
the right name. Ia the man or woman
who seeks to make You slave frient
or an enemy 2"
'John Armor my enemy /" A dsze,
kind OF look came into Jenny's face. |
flushed and psled by turns then grey
fiery red, while flashes lesped from he
eyes.
NANCY Blair" Jenny voice trem ble
with suppressed feeling. "This has gon
far enough"
"Oh, inst as you please - answere
Miss Blair in tone meant to annoy
"You are like the rest of them" AM
she tossed her head with az much con
tempt OF manner as she felt it safe +
assume. "John will come home at Dime
Time ana 5nup you as he did this morn
ing, and you will drop tear meekly an
bear it all with witely submission. II
woman's lot, Oh, dear Don't wish
sometimes, that | had one Of these toy
lofty.tellows to deal with. Wouldn't
take him down I"
Jenny Kept silent. She ielt that sh
was in dangerous company; that perso
like Miss Blair, II permitted to infuene
her, would lead her into trouble.
Miss Blair tried to pursue the subject
but Jenny turned it aside, and at las
resolutely ignored it. Miss Blair "a
disgusted with her friend and went HON
early in the day, much 20 Jenny's reli,
Of mind,
"Hsve you heard about the troubl
between Carmsn and his wife 2" said
friend Of John Armor, that morning.
"NO. What is itS" asked the latter.
"She was Miss Lewis ~
"Yes know her very we'll. A beaut
ful, spirited girl.
"High strung, So we say. Well, n,
husband undertook to be little stiff O
the marital prerogative question--a
sumed the role Of head and maater OF Il
household, and set himself to tsult-fndir
when things were not just to his fanc,
One morning, so the story goes, he vi
particularly sharp on his vile at u
breakfast table in presence OF lad