The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-04-26

For the first time dread full suspicion
entered Toms mind. Did that wife of
his still love him? He determined to
test her.
ut is impossible to say with GER
tainty," he replied, seriously; "but you
must hope for the best. Let me beg of
you, my dear Mrs. Racket, to keep up
your spirits"
"Ch, assure you, Mr.. Bracket, am
not in the least inclined to be miserable.
There is very pleasant society here; and
you know there are as many good fish
in the sea as ever came out Of it."
Tom WAS tlunder-struck. He feltthat
his fears were but too we'll founded; but
he made up his mind to put his wife to
yet another test.
"Poor fellow" he said. II 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 mol I am sure
that it is the lot of but few women to
have h''sh"c:. -: 81 .I.cl.onnte."
"And of but few men," continued
Mrs. Racket, with an Irresistible smile.
ito have wife"
"Half so charming assentcd Tom,
who in spite Of himself could not conceal
bis admiration.
"Oh, Mr.. Bracket" calculated Dora.
in confusion. "But excuse me. Will
you stay and dine here? OF course you
will, to please me. You know that a
woman hates solitude little less than
smallpox. One moment" And she
quilted the room.
II
backward and forward. His love and
and he was extremely agitated.
"Is she 80 heartless?" he reflected.
"Perhaps l had better leave her at
once, and never let her know the truth.
But I can not 20 until am quite sure,
for l love her as much as | ever did
Just now felt hundred times impelled
to take her in my arms and calllher Dora
again. | must be certain before | can
act. may be unjust. Perhaps that idi-
cite story ! told her has made her n.y.
sterica|. Some women will in such cir
cumstances say and do exactly the con-
trary of what they mean. Possibly
she is weeping now in her own room,
breathing my name, and longing to be
at my side at Jnbbal pore. But here she
isagain, and smiling too! Confound her!"
Mrs. Racket re-entered with no traces
of sorrow upon her face. Il have Or
<lered dinner" she said "for seven
o'clock. Until then l 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 of that unpleasant
tiger incident did not haunt Your dreams
by the way
"Not in the least!" returned Tom, and
he bit his lip. "The voyage was delight
full. l came by way ofSueZ Canal. There
were some charming girls on board, and
Of course we all enjoyed ourselves inn
mensely. There was Il moonlight party
at Alden, and ON that occasion the young
ladies sang to us until two o'clock in the
morning, when we had champagne
supper in tent, which friend of mine
proyidesntially had with him. I shall
He was as reckless as any man could
be, and cared no longer what he said.
ut must have been very delightful"
laughed Mrs. Racket, 81 really wish I
had been there.
So do l, am sure" Dora went on ;
"but enjoy above all what you men,
call a spree. Pm afraid that | have a
good deal of the Bohemian in my ma
ture."
II suppose, however," queried Mr..
Racket, THAT you lead very quiet
life hereW
ooh no. not at all. OF course know
every one in the neighborhood; and as a
married woman, ask whom please
to my house. assure you l have very
pleasant evenings now and then. You
must come some day, Mr.. Bracket
supper at two in the morning.
II am afraid" said Tom, desponding-
ly, "that shall not he here for long. l
rest anywhere"
"Youare worried then? l can SYM
pathize with you. A Womans sympathy,
you know"
eyes; family matters and disappoint
ments-"
"But you are not the man," said Mrs.
Racket, encourugingly, "who ought to
lie prey to disappointments. You are
young, and if you'll excuse my freedom,
not bad-looking! Ha! ha! | hope you
did not lose your heart to one Of the
young ladies' at Alden"
"No, Mrs. Brackett. To tell the truth.
/ am doubtful as to whether any woman
is worth worrying about.
"Eo noi be CYNICAL" exclaimed Dora.
"All men have period Of cynicism, l
know; hut you surely must have out
grown it. Perhaps men expect too much
from women
'They expect sympathy, fidelity, and
consideration" exclaimed Mr.. Racket,
bluntly.
"But do they themselves practice
those virtues? An me! What a terrible
= (,i, IN ha fn l,.,V, h,pS1 ND
who would practice none of them-a
husband cold and unkind!'
"And what still more terrible thing"
said Tom, bitterly, "would it be to have
an unfaithful and unsympathetlc wife!"
"But do you believe" asked Dora,
THAT there are many such women"'
II know to my cost that there is at least
one. Yes! There are many women,
Mrs. Racket, who betray their hus-
bands"
II can not believe it; but when such
is the case, think that the husband is
generally also to blame" And Dora
looked demurely Mt the carpet.
II am afraid" soliloquized Mr..
Bracket "that it is foolish to believe
that any woman is Yirtuous'
1T is absurd to believe that no wo-
luu Is VAIIuOuS, 6dlO DOFt, uOlSuduIIy.
II see, Mr.. Bracket, that after all You
are worrying yourself for some woman's
sake"
II? Oh no. It is not worth while."
"Well." she continued. II am glad to
see that you can forget your troubles. 1
do not let mine worry me. Cosy sup
pers and"
"But the probable death of your hus-
band?" Interrupted Tom.
liam philosophical" said Mrs. Racket
with calmness which exasperated her
visitor. eve only lived together for
five weeks after our marriage; but even
in that short period, happy as it was, we
both of us doubtless developed little
pecuIarlties Of temper of which the
other had previously been ignorant. l
dare say he became rather tired of me:
Don't you agree that marriage is a sad
disenchantment?"
"No," replied Tom, sternly. "But,
with all reference to you, think that
woman is"
"You are wrong, Mr.. Brackett; l am
sure you are wrong. l am convinced
that any sensible woman who takes the
trouble may save man from ever feel
ing disappointed with her. Our doctor
here is gallant enough to be of my opin-
ion. He isan Irishman and he has told
me that no man could possibly be disap-
pointed with Mrs. Racket. Fla. ha!
Of course l know that Irishmen some.
times say little bit more than they
mean, especially when they want to be
pleasant, yet there is truth at the bot
tom of what he says, forI am sure that l
could save any man who really loved me
from being disappointed"
Toms blood boiled up against the