Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-06-25

basket. There were few bills and
circulars, and torn-up letter, and a
telegram. He saw that the letter was
IN a lady's hand writing, SO he devoted
his attention to the telegram. It, too,
was torn into a half dozen or more
pieces, and Browne spent several
minutes ia putting them together
Two or three fragments were altogeth-
er uoisslng, but he managed to make
out quite enough for his purpose.
The telegram had been sent and re-
ceived that very day. and the follow
ing startling sentence was clearly legi-
Bile:
"Meet me at the Stores tomorrow
afternoon. Browne is "a"
"The devil" calculated the victim
of jealousy; ''that is what she has
been doing of late, is it? Shopping,
forsooth And that Internal Captain
calls me bad names, I've no sort Of
doubt. ''Tl he even with you yet,
Mrs. B."
And after searching in vain for the
missing fragments of the fatal paper
Brown abandoned himself to the
torments OF the green eyed monster,
and to the pleasurable anticipation of
detecting his wife's faithlcssness on
the morrow.
81 am going out this afternoon"
she said next day; 81 might meet
mamma; but don't know"
Meet mamma. indeed s" said the
outraged husband to himself. "Oh,
you deceitful little wretch" And he
departed, filed with schemes of ven
geance.
The thought of exposing his guilty
spouse SO occupied Brownies mind
that he found it impossible to concen
trate his attention on business, and,
after spending an hour Or two in the
city, he resorted to his club by way of
passing the time until he should go
to the Stores Then he met several
friends and ordered an elaborate
luncheon. Jealousy bad somewhat
affected his appetite, so he endeavored
to drown his sorrows in bottle of
claret and several glasses of potent
brown sherry. In fact, by the time
he arrived at the trysting place he felt
perfectly equal to confronting half a
dozen Lotharios and inficting con-
digin punishment upon them, unaiel-
ed by the powers of the law. Browne,
oddly enough, had never been to the
Stores before. Being himself trades
man, he protested to look upon such
establishments with hatred and con
tempt, though, In practice, he had
found it both convenient and ecOno~
mical to allow his wife to deal there,
and even went so far as to keep de-
post account for her. When, there
fore, he entered the door of the large
block of buildings in Victoria street
and noticed what crowds of people
were passing IN and out, and what d
number OF different departments he
would have to search, his heart failed
him a little, for he plainly saw that
he might spend the day there without
ever having the good fortune to hit
upon the guilty couple. So ne loiter~
ed about the entrance IN some per-
pIexity.
AS he stared apxiously about him,
Mr.. Browne could not help wonder
ing If all the people he saw had come
to the shop. There was. it was true,
a certain number of individuals who
Sat in a table in the middle of the
room, writing out orders from the list,
and gazing in agony at the ceiling as
they endeavored to solve intricate
problems Of mental arithmetic, they
seemed for the Eaost part to be serv
ants, lodging house keepers and such
like. Nearly all the best looking peo-
pie strolled about ia somewhat aim
less fashion, occasionally looking at
| Ehn fru 10 hut
often at each other, and showing
plainly enough that whatever their
business might be it was entirely un-
connected with the purchase of tea
and sugar. There were plenty of
well, dressed young ladies, officers
wives, thought Browne, and a goodly
sprinkling of fast young fellows, who
stared at the ladies, and sometimes
! addressed them apparently on terms
of easy familiarity. All this puzzled
| the worthy merchant not little, and
he began TO wish that he looked more
like military man, for he was getting
bored, and lerged to fnd some one 10
speak to.
Would you be SO kind as to direct
me to the china department." sud-
OSl1y Sdlu q ISul1uID0 VOICE III HIS
ear.
Browne started somewhat, and
looked round. A pretty little fair
haired woman was standing at his
elbow. She was decidedly an attrac-
tive person; her age might have been
five and twenty; she was exceedingly
well got up, and he noticed that she
was possessed of a very neat figure
and very small feet. Browne had
been rather a gay dog in his time
which was certainly one reason why
he looked SO sharp after his wife-and
the wine he had drank at lunch made
him feel disposed for an adventure.
So, after taking good look at his fair
| friend, he answered ia his most gall
| liant manner:
Il am afraid / can't, madam, but
| shall be delighted TO find out for
you"
ooh, thanks! it's so good of you,
she replied, sweetly. my husband
sent me here to do lot of shopping,