Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1883-06-09
some news from him, fora month ago
was at Calcutta.o


| declare himself, for fears of frightening
his wife; on the other, he rather en-
Dyed the situation. He therefore de-
termined for the present to retain his
ncognito.
"Heiwas," he said with deliberate hes
tation, las we'll as could be expected"
GAS well as could be expected" re-
peated Mrs. Bilbury, with alarm. "Do
you mean that he has been ill?"
well. not exactly i'll, }" prevaricated
Tom, who had not yet quite made up
his mind as to what he would say.
But | do not understand You. Tell
me, please. What has happened to
him?"
Mr.. Bilbury wondered what the end
would be. He heartily wished that his
wife would recognize him and set tie the
difficulty by throwing her arms round
his neck.
Nothing very serious" he said. II
dare say he has told you that he has be-
come very fond of tiger shooting?"
"Ah, tigers! Tell me, Mr.. Pilbury,
teal mel"
"Well, he went out tiger shooting one
day as usnal-ah-he was accompanied
only by his servant. They entered the
jungle Suddenly, and without warn
ing, a huge female tiger sprang upon
your husband and bore him to the earth.
The native fled for assistance; help ar
rived; and the victim was found faint
from loss of blood, with his right arm
torn out at the socket, his left eye de-
stroyed, and the calf of his left leg--ah
deeply scored by the cruel claws OF
the ferocious monster"
Dear me, how alarming!" comment
ii kha nI.1VN a Inn
seemed so out of proportion to the grav-
ity of the story, that Mr.. Bilbury felt
seriously disappointed. THAT fully ac-
counts" continued Lydia, "for his bad
spirits. His right ARM
Eyes, torn ont at the socket, Mrs. Bill
bury .He has learned to write with his
left hand"
"Ah! dreadful. And his left eye de-
stroyed?"
"Yes, he wears a glass eye poor fell
low"
ut must be agony. And the calf of
his leg deeply scored by the cruel claws
of the ferocious monster! Terrible mis-
fortune! And when you left him, Mr..
Tilbury, how was he? viii he survive?"
A new light seemed to break upon Mr..
Bilbury. Did his wife want him to sur
vive? He felt by no means sure OF it.
at is impossible to say with certain
ty," he said; but you must hope for
the best. Let me beg you, my dear Mrs.
Bilbury, to keep up your spirits"
''Oh, Mr.. Bilbury, l don't see why
| should be miserable. There is very
pleasant society down here at Rich
mend; and, you know, there are as good
fish in the sea as ever came ont OF II"
Toms worst suspicious were by this
time more than confirmed. 'The heart
less woman he thought. "This is how
she receives the news of my being
manged and disfgured." But still, I'M
aloud: Poor fellow | assure you that
in his delirium your name was often on
his lips"
Indeed! Then he had not quite for
gotten me-"
Forgotten your" repeated Tom, his
feelings for an instant getting the better
Of him. "Oh, no! think it the lot of but
few women to have husband so utterly
devoted to her"
And of but few men to have wife,
$50 charming" said Mr.. Bilbury, fin
ishing the sentence.
ooh, Mr.. Tilbury! But excuse me.
OF course you will stay to luncheon. Do;
to please me! You know that woman
hates solitude little less than smallpox.
One moment. | will just go and give the
necessary orders" And Mrs. Bilbury
rose and quilted the room.
"Well, this is awfulw reflected her
husband as soon as he was left alone.
"She doesn't recognize me, and appar-
emily she doesn't seem to care for me
much, She reminds me that there are
as good fish in the sea as ever came out.
of it. That, | suppose, means that if l
would only die and liberate her, she
would promptly marry some one else:
A nice instance of the faithlessness of
women! Perhaps | should do well to
leave her at once, and never let her
know the truth; but l can't do that. l
love her still; indeed, Pm afraid love
her more than l ever did. No; will
see this affair to the end. If she is I'M
faithful, l will find her out, and then
His mediatiOns were cut short by the
return of his wife, who informed him
that she had ordered some luncheon,
and that he must meanwhile do his best
to amuse her, as as there was no one
else in the house except the
servants. This style of converse
ton made Tom more and more
reckless; and at once he launched out
into an account of an imaginary moon
light picnic at Alden, where-so he let it
appear-he had broken the hearts of
several charming girls, and upon the
whole had behaved in a highly repre-
hensible manner.
1T must have been very delightful"
said Mrs. Bilbury. 81 wish had been
there Sometimes we have very pleas
ant evenings here. Of course, | know
every one in the neighborhood; and, as
married woman, | ask sWh0m like to
my house. You must come one night,
Mr.. Tilbury, and sup with US after
ward"
By this time Tom was perfectly fran
tic. "I'm afraid shan't be here for
long," he said bitterly. 81 am going
abroad. I cannot rest anywhere"
"You are worried, | see," said Mrs.
Bilbury. 81 can sympathize with you"
eyes, family matters and disappoint-
ments, you know"
"Disappointments! But you are
young, and, if you will excuse me, no.
Perhaps you have only
lost your heart to one ofthe young ladies
at Aden."
"Oh, no. he replied. "And to tell
the truth, l am doubtful whether any
woman would be worth worrying about"
Don't be cynical" said Mrs. Bilbury
with smile. perhaps you expect too
much from women"
II expect sympathy, fidelity and
answered Mr.. Bilbury
gravely.
But let me ask you, do you yourself
indulge in these virtues? All! men are
very inconsistent, l fear. However, l
hope you don't believe that women ale
bad as rule"
"Well, l know to my cost that
some arc bad. Yes; some even betray
their husbands"
"And in such cases am afraid that the
husbands are to blame"
81 don't think So" said Tom CURLY.
But you are worrying yourself, I see,
although you try to affe:t Indifference.
What is it?''
Worrying myself? Not bitp' cried
Mr.. Bilbury,
81 am glad to hear you say so," re-
turned his wife. 81 don't worry myself.
Cosy suppers and"-
But the probable death of your hus-
band!" interjaculated Mr.. Bilbury.
hOh / am nhilGnphioal We 0plv