Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1885-10-29

one tucn tOlu me as fOll0WS:
IL have been married for q long
time. Loving and foolish, followed
a rash impulse and must now regret
it. My husband goes his own way,
and / mine. While we were appar-
emily most passionately attached to
each other, our love was already de-
clining. The first glow was soon
dissolved. The tenderness and ca
resses, in which we once took such
delight, lost by degrees its effect.
While we, at first. were so certain,
each of the others happiness. that
the question, were we amused, never
rose between us, now, we asked each
other continually, are you not boredp
Each answered naturally: No in
deed Alas, alas! So it continued.
Each morning we trusted to the thou
sand surprises the day might bring
forth. BY midday it was more OPP
pressive still, and in the evening we
could conceal, only with the greatest
difficulty, how dissatisfied and weary
we were. |. in one corner of the sofa,
yawned over the advertisements of
the newspaper; he, in the other, be-
hind the exchange list. Twas still kiss
ed and caressed, but so formally, so
according to programme that it was
something to be stunned. The anec-
dotes which my husband could relate
l knew as we'll rs himself. laughed
regularly at the right places, and he
must have been blind to regard this
otherwise. than as tribute to polite
ness. We saw that this state of things
could not continue--we must seek a
remedy, and instead of seeking within
ourselves for new springs of happiness
we thought to find them outside. We
made visits and invited guests. Our
tete-a -tetes grew more and more rare
the decrescendo of love. When my
husband first took occasion to absent
himself from home, believed his
statement that it was urgent business
which drove him from me. 1t was an
affecting farewell. His kiss again
showed passion, and !, in my.
loneliness after mis- departure,
longed for my husband and wrote
him daily long letter. He answered,
not as fully or frequently, but affec-
tionately. The journeys were repeat
ed after ever shortening intervals. /
became at last suspicious, for certain
the pressing business. Before he de-
parted, he always wrote a long
letter TO friend with whom he
was not in regular correspondence
not always to the same one." ~
Henry" interrupted John.
"Who Is thatP"'
"My old friend"
"Wko expects yOuP"
"Yes!"
$50 she has told me the TRUTH
"Go on; go on!'
"When he returned the strange lady
continued, he had in his trunk all
sorts of peculiar things-hotel bills,
theater and ball tickets; and what
was remarkable, always for two per-
sons. begged for an explanation,
for l understood him and comprendre
est pardonner. Should he weary
himself to death at homer perish mis-
erably from lack of diversionP No;
but he likewise could not demand it
from me. If he did not desire me to
follow his example he would have ta-
ken care to conceal his private pleas
ures from me. This, then. was an
| idea. Alone l could do nothing for
myself, so, while he was absent, | also
made O journey, incognito, accom-
panied by an old aunt, whose endless
reproaches made the affair still more
enjoyable. Once | drove in closed
carriage past my husband, who sat in
an open one, whereat he took occa-
sion to laugh over the strange meet
ing. The secrecy, the oddly of these
refreshing tours had so excellent an
effect upon me that during the period
of our next living together | was
quite contented wife. But lacked
one essential thing, and lack 1t still
somewhat pleasanter companion in
misery than my aunt. Comrades
can have as many as L wish. Two
Hussar officers have sighed at my
feet; three young bankers have made
known by flowers that they adored
me. But that is mauvais genre, my
desire is for an intimate lady friend,
and hope may find her in you. For
when | read the letter my husband
wrote to yours, said to myself: She
it is or no onol And so have come
to YOU"
''At lastr'
Exactly, John"
"And so have come to you"
Sand what did you sayp"
Don't interrupt me. or"
"No, no; go on"
TO offer you my friendship. Soy
ons Annes. Let our husbands go
their own way, and we ours. i have
for tonight two tickets to'a charming
mask ball; two elegant costumes are
in readiness; we will amuse ourselves
royally. And not the least of oul
pleasure lies in the fact that our hus
bands believe us bound by contract
while we hold ourselves limited only
by our own inclination"
"And vouP"
IL said agreed"
s.How-Maggie! you, my wifeP"
] cat 8 o'clock she will call for me
We will dress in the hotel"
"At 8 o'clock"
From the hanging clock rang on
one, two-eight strokes.
John sprang up excitedly, and a NJ
less exciting effect did the striking o
the clock have upon the young wife
From her face the earnestness disap
peared with which she had begun ant
continued the recital. She crosse,
her little hands and looked beseech
inply at her husband, who stood in thu
middle of the apartment and stare'
wildly at the clock. 1t seemed sh
took great pains to subdue her inwar'
iovousness. She rather feared an Gut
burst of anger from her husband, VIII
now turned his gaze to her, and In tn
conflict between anxiety and happi
ness. of which her lovely face was thu