Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-04-09

establishment"
"But still, it seems mysterious, as I said
before Harry-I don't think you are as
frank with me as you used to be-"
"It's not nonsense; it is really so. You
seem to be hiding something from me, all
the time"
"Oh, Lizzie have I been deceived in
you, and are you not the superior being,
destitute of feminine foibles, that I thought
you" asked Harry playfully, as he drew
her to his side and kissed her cheek.
II never laid claim to any such SUPERIOR
ity. You chose to invest me with it," she
answered. "Probably my perfections ex-
ist only in your fancy. At any rate, want
to hunt for my needle-case; and want you
to find that key"
But the key was not forthcoming, until
some errand called her away. On her re-
turn she found the missing needle-case on
her table; but Harry had vanished, and
the door remained locked.
Now perhaps it was trif1ing matter; but
those locked doors worried Elizabeth, and
her thoughts kept recurring to them until
the annoyance she felt deepened into pos
tive grievance.
Was Harry merely teasing her for his
own amusement, or to test the powers of
her endurance? Such behavior seemed to
"
regard for her peace of mind. Or was there
really anything concealed in the dressing
room, which he did not wish to have her
see?
Several days passed, and the facts of the
case remained unaltered. And still Eliza
beth pondered and fretted in secret. But
pride forbade her making any further dis
play of curiosity. She would not seek to
pry into her husbands private affairs, nor
ask to know anything that he did not
choose to tell her. She never sat up now
at night until his return home, but always
retired early, and if not asleep, was careful
to appear so when he came in. All this
time her heart kept on growing more and
more sore, and trouble, real or imaginary,
assuming more formidable proportions.
Harry did not seem aware of anything
wrong; he conversed as gaily as usual, and
appeared on perfectly good terms with him
self and all the world.
One day, as she sat sewing, while he lOung-
ed on a sofa near her, she heaved deep
sigh. He asked her, laughing, what was
the matter. She looked up to answer, but
her voice suddenly faltered, and she bent
down quickly to hide the tears that rushed
to her eyes.
'Elizabeth-my darling!" said Harry,
tenderly. "Are you vexed with me-or
hurt--or what?"
She made no reply. He sat upright and
took her hand.
"Now, Elizabeth, you must tell me. You
have been quiet and melancholy for several
days, and l can't find out what is wrong.
Have offended you"
"Not offended" she answered, in a low
tone.
"Have wronged you in any way ?"
81 suppose not, Harry. But don't think
10
"Well, of course know what you mean.
You think I oughn't to have any secrets
from you. But, you remember, L told you
honestly at the beginning that it was best
for you not to try to find out, and you
promised"
''Oh it isn't that so much-though, of
course, l don't pretend to deny that acoMd
like to know what sort of business my hus-
band is occupied in-but you seem so mys-
terious about everything; locking doors, and
all that"
ooh it's the doors, is it?" Harry smiled,
but Immediately grew grave again. 81 did
not think you would worry about that, Liz
zie. l asked you if might have that room
to keep all my rubbish in"
'But why should you keep your rubbish
under lock and key all the time?"
"Well, it's fancy have. And don't
see why you should care so much, am
sure"
"Now, Harry, would you like me to keep
things locked away from you all the time? ?"
"My dear child, if the things were your
own, and it pleased you to know that they
were safe, it would not annoy me to have
you keep them in any way that you liked"
as it to keep your things safe, then
that you lock them up?"
"Certainly it is. What other motive could
l have?"
"But what is there to trouble them? I
seldom 20 out and when l do, there is al
ways somebody in the house. You need
not be afraid of robbers"
II am not afraid of robbers still prefer
taking precautions. The servants might be
inquisitive."
'Now Harry, you are talking nonsense,
because if it is on account of the servants
only, you could lock the back door and
when l 90 out I take the parlOr key with
me, so no one can come in that way"
81 did not say it was on account of the
servants only. Please love, don't worry
yourself any more about such tritie. 1t is
nonsense as you say. Let us talk about
something else."
But Elizabeth was not in the mood for
conversation, and soon afterwards he got up
and went out.
"Now have vexed him, she thought. 81
am silly, know. | wish this whim of his
didn't make me so unhappy; but l can't
help thinking about it. l never thought
cloud would come over us SO soon"
Harry's reflections were not lively as he
walked down the street.
"Poor little girl she's gone to work to
make herself miserable" he said to himself.
"Sometimes | wish l had let this whole
thing alone and waited for something else
to turn up. But then we couldn't starve.
l don't think it will be for very long and l
cant tell her. 1t would break her heart"
''Going to y. street, Raymond?" asked
voice. And a young man passing slapped
him familiarity on the shoulder.
"Notju now--it's early yet, isn't it"''
"There's special work tonight, you
know-Miss Molly, and all that"
Eyes, hang it know. wish Edmunds
would come back; Pm sick of doing his
work."
"It is rough on you; but it's comfort to
know that it pays"
"That's about the only comfort there is
in it," said Harry, as he turned away. "By
the way" he added to himself, II nearly
forgot" He stopped in front of a shop
window where masquerade suits were dis
played, stood for moment inspecting
them, and then went in; when he came out
he had a bundle under his arm.
"More mystery" he muttered as he
turned homeward. "What bore it is!"
He rather dreaded meeting Elizabeth;
but she had been arguing with herself, and
was able to welcome him with cheerful
face. When he was going off to his even
ing'S work he told her that he might be
little later than usual coming home, SO that