The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-12-13
A ROMANCE OF THE STORES.

munication whatever with Captain Cam
non, and if he comes here again shall
turn him ont of the housep
""Well you need not be so violent"
protested pretty Mrs. Browne, as she sub
sided in becoming attitude on the draw
ing-room sofa and prepared for food of
tears. "Only if you insist upon my
never seeing any man but yourself and
bully me in this absurd fashion, | shall
go mad, or run away, or something" and
Mrs. Browne stided her sobs 10 the folds
of Observation-Disclosures handker-
chief, while her lord and master marched
angrily up and down the room, half
ashamed of his own suspicious, but de-
termined not to betray any outward sign
of repentance.
MIR. Ramsbury Browne was rich city
merchant, who had committed the not
uncommon mistake of marrying penni-
less and exceedingly pretty girl, some
thirty years younger than himself, who,
without giving her husband any definite
cause for jealousy, contrived to make his
life exceedingly uncomfortable. The
reason was not far to seek. Before she
came to London she had never seen any
thing; therefore balls, race-meetings,
polo-matches, river parties and such like
frivolities had for her the charm which
novelty alone could give them.
Like most pretty women, she was fond
Of admiration; men ran after her, think
ing, not without reason, that she could
not possibly be absorbed in her dull and
uninteresting husband, and it must be
hot al
gether discourage their attentions. Hence
it came to pass that Brownies jealousy
was aroused, and that he selected his
wite's friendship with the aforesaid Cap
tain Cannon as the excuse for an ex-
tremely unpleasant matrimonial dispute.
The captain himself was good-loeking
Hussar, loahng, ne'er-do-weel man
about town, or a gallant, ckivalrous and
fascinating officer-it all depended upon
the point of view from which his character
was regarded. Needless to say that
Brownies opinion of him was not the more
favorable one, and when his wife showed
somewhat marked preference for the
cap aims society, exchanged little notes
with him about books, music and SUCH
like innocent topics, and was generally
followed by him wherever she went
Browne determined that the intimacy
should come to an end.
You're not to see that man again"
continued he, clustering somewhat un-
necessarily, in case his determination
should falter. "Do you hear me, Mrs.
Browne?'
ooh, yes, | hear you," she sobbed. al
won't see him any more; and perhaps
when you've bullied me into my grave
you will be sorry"
So Mr.. Browne marched off to the city.
filled with the proud consciousness that
he had gained great moral victory and
had .u4de his wife exceedingly miserable
During the next week or two the meek
ness OF that young lady was admirable
aud her obedience to her husbands will
positively touching. The demon of
Jealousy had, however, taken entire pos
session of the bosom of Mr.. Ramsbury
Browne, and his wife's somewhat I'm
looked for submissiveness only served to
increase instead of allaying his suspi-
cions. He thought that she was merely
acting part and he watched her with
redeubled vigilance. In business mat
tiers Browne was a strictly honorable
man, and he had very good name in
the city for honesty and straightforward
dealing. Nevertheless he did not think
it inconsistent with his dignity to descend
to all sorts of subterfuges in order to
catch his wife tripping. He sometimes
came home at unusually early hours.
He occasionally announced that he would
dine out, and then appeared, with some
lame excuse, at the family meal, and
though he did not go SO far as to open
his wifes letters, he carefully examined
every epistle which came to the house,
in the hope of recognizing the hand
writing of the hated captain. This sort
of thing went on for a week or two, and
nothing came of it. Browne was begin
ming to think that after all he was mis-
taken, when he made discovery which
revived all his worst suspicious. He had
come home early his wife was out shop
ping, and in an aimless sort of manner
he walked into her boudoir and sat down
at her writing table. Browne had rum
mayed in all the drawers before, and
knew the position of every paper. Moth
ing was changed, and as last resource
he glanced into the was1e-paper basket.
hSAS WChS q iCs uittS duo CuCuldTS,
torn-up letter, and telegram. He saw
that the letter was in lady's handwrit-
ing, so he devoted his attention to the
telegram. 1t, too, was torn into half a
dozen or more pieces, and Browne spent
several minutes in putting them together
Two or three fragments were altogether
missing, but he managed to make out
quite enough for his purpose. The tele-
gram had been sent out and received that
very day, and the following startling
sentence was clearly legible:
Meet me at the stores to morrow after
noon. Browne is "a"
"The devil" calculated the victim of
jealousy; that is what she has been
doing of late, is it9 Shopping, forsoothl
And that internal captain calls me bad
names, I've no sort of doubt. I'll be even
with you yet, Mrs. B!"
And after searching in vain for the
missing fragments OF the fatal paper.
Browne abandoned himself to the tor
ments Of the green-eyed monster, and to
the pleasurable anticipation of detecting