News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-11-29
MY HUSBANDS CONFIDENCE

II should like to know who ought +
have mans confidence if his wife ough
not, " whined 1, in my i'll humor, having
just made the discovery that my Alber
had made a very important change il
his business arrangements without hav
ing in the least consulted me. 1t was
new way he had fallen into, for upor
our union, and even before, he had ap
peared to take great satisfaction in con,
fiding to me all that he was dong, OF
about to do; and in telling me all his
| plans for the future. Indeed, he had
often said that it was his belief that men
ought to make their wives intimately
acquainted with all their affairs, in order
that they might consult and sympathize
in store aad Office matters, as well rs in
matters pertaining to the house. This
was pleasant to me. It gratifed my
curiosity and my vanity. delighted in
bOasting to my less honOred married
companions Of the confidence that my
husband reposed in me. And that was
not all I did. Many things that Albert
told me, under charge of the stricte5t
secrecy, I repeated; and that, too, in the
hearing of the very ones that he dreaded,
as spies and meddlers in regard to his
affairs. 1t was some time before nv
husbands eyes were opened; and he went
on speaking out his inmo soul and
thoughts to me as freely and confdingly
as TO his God.
But the truth was revealed to him at
last. could not at all understand the
stunned and disconsoIate look that settled
down upon Albert's beautiful and ex-
pressiye face when the conviction was
borne in upon him that the treasury
into which he had so trustingly poured
his most valuable things was bat sieve.
had no line by which to sound my
husbands deep and sensitive soul. I
did not know that he had taken me for
one like unto himself, and that now he
had discovered that our natures were
radically different. Dreary and desolate
was the look that was in his eyes for
very many days; and 1 was altogether
out of patience with him. Though
gentle and aifectionate as ever when he
did wake up, he seemed to be in a sort
of a dream; and it was not long before l
began to notice that Albert seldom spoke
to me any more about his business.
When I questioned him he returned eva
sIve answers; if l insisted he put me off
by some joke, or by turning my at
tention to some promised pleasure or
present.
By and by I discovered that an elderly
uncle of my husbands was much with
him; and by questioning and cross
questioning became satisfied that the
old fellow knew more Of Albert's affairs
than I did. This touched my resent
ment and my jealousy; but said little
then.
Time went on. I was sure that my
husband was embarrassed in his affairs
and [ knew Of his getting large sums
of money from Uncle Joe. Then Uncle
Joe came to our house evenings and he
and Albert went and shut themselves up
to have long talks in the library. [
tried to listen at the door, but could
catch little of what they said. That lit
tie [ speedily repeated to my cronies.
and we all agreed that my husband was
a very strange, un1ind man; and thai he
was treating me in a most injurious
manner.
ellis own wife p cried my sympa-
thizers. "Think of it r and 1 did think
of it, and fretted myself almost into a
brain fever in consequence. This again
l laid all at my cruel husbands door.
One evening, when there had been a
private session in the library, sat cry
ing in the parlor when Albert came in.
He tried to draw ont the cause of nv
trouble, and to comfort me; but sui
lenly refused to make known my grief,
or to receive his sympathy. in a very
unhappy frame of mind we retired for
the night.
l had overheard considerable of that
evenings conversation, and was resolved
to ':pitch into" Uncle Joe the first Op-
portunity. Chance favored me with an
early one. Albert had hardly left the
house the next morning when Uncle
Joseph entered. He had come to speak
with my husband on matters of import
ance, and was sorry be had left so early.
''You can tell all to me, Uncle Joe:
and that Will do just as well, I said,
trying tospeak playfully; but, in reality,
much provoked.
'Women are not fit to be trusted with
business, was Uncle Joe's crusty reply.
Il told Albert so in the first place when
he was full Of his romantic fooIerv of
congeniaI spirits, and mutual conf
dence, and all that sort of moonshine.
He wouldn't believe me then; but he
had to come to my views at last. You'll
find that you are not to be business
partner any more. "
Just here comes the question with
which l have commenced my sketch.
[ was ready to cry-UncIe Joe was so
blunt and resolute, and had such per
feet contempt for women, that he COM
pleteIy put me down. 1 could not man
age to say one Of the severe things to
him that [ had intended.
"Tut, tut, Mrs. Phoebe, don't lose your
temper now. That would be bad for
your good looks. I'll tell you who has
a right TO mans confidence: 1t is the
person who IS worthy to receive 1t. Be
cause You are a mans brother or sister,
or wife, or mother, is not a sufficient
reason why he should give himself Or