New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-24
MARRIAGE oFTHEPERIOD-
:, rDCAV FAWCETT.
3Y EDGAR PAWCETf.
.. tn,h;says Vowan' "A Gentleman Of
Leisare,n d" Rutha5ord," etc,

Lido entered INTO its pomps and vah''ies AZ;
toen anparent zest All shadow OF Der LIE
,,,r;ted mien had fed. She aimed 10 inaAo HI Eaoh
a leader. AMI easily won ths hirI Of
dav with her was e0h'iliuVu. ,...sod for II
mrsement-or what most decep.i''ty 80 COO bor
Tor bours and hours she "oa''i ,,itb
Tor Ia had his dinners Mt the CASINO WIN
husband ~ I'd nartes until late at night. his
mar 80, of billiards his engagements 10 drNe
. th;s 90 that lady on Bellevue or Ocean Avenues
,r;.h Adelaide il was much the same III constantly
.oomed tn her as il the only occasions on winch ~
beId any prolonged personal intercourse WIFI noi
husband we're when they were oOth prcPaiie :"
,oss among the most sundeTing influences. society
Ut 90 widely separated them, would now anu theh
hrjro then, together-aud only for that purpose
After the festivities of Newport had ended tney le-
turned to New-York.
Adelaide had many admirers OF the oppos'to SoA'
Int upon one of these she had for soie tue oi''0'
.o bend an especially indulgcnt heed ms one
was Mr.. Seymour Woodbridge, bachelor OF consld-
.rable wealth and answering adherance to all the
odicts of CASTE Mr. Woodbridge possessed grace
fp1 6ourc and smooth. rather handsome, thougu
u,ndless face Report declared of him that he had
heen the only son of Western pork-merchihlt'
and that his general family origin was altogether
wrapped IN most plebeian mist. but aIter spehu-
inc several years abroad he had come to New orK
with pronounced inclinstions toward securing lasn-
ionabe prominence there, and had spent MS money
IN that end with judicious hberality. lie had oeeu
fairly we'll lance when Adelaide first gave MIN
favorable notice, but her kindly smile pun the laSt
toncb of success upon his efforts. 1t suited her to
have his devout attendance almost wherever she
went and he was only too anxious for Its unre-
served bestowal Sue never found him in the least
degree interesting; now and then his company
bored her not little On his own side Woodbridge
vas not at all stimulated by sentiment 1t looked
excessively we'll to pass for the genteel worshlper
of Mrs Archie Champlln. She was the mode anu
10 be perpetually seen at her side helped TO make
him So That was all, though numberless observers
by no means thought that it was all And the COT
rect. well-mannered snobbish Mr. Seymour Wood
bridge would have been greatly distressed to nave
them think it was all Mrs. Champlin, her friends
decided nsd let herself drift along with the stream
II was quite in the order of things that somebody
should be devoted to her. All the other women
N bor set pnbclv ignored their husbands and were
ignored by them in return. Uxoriousness was so
ridculous when one went out" much. 1t was just
as unpopular in London too, as it was in New-fork
None of the great English swells cultivated It, Ot
course this sort of thing should be regulated by
prudence And Mrs. Champlin had seen too much
of the world before her marriage TO behave lmpru-
IDENTIFY.
The early autumn in NewYork was devoid as
usual of any great dances or similar entertainments
But there was the inevitable round of dfnners Ade
laide and her husband both gave and attended
these One evening, while they were being driven
home from somewhat notable adair of this sort at
the house of q certain important masuate, Mrs
Champlin said to her husband in the careless tone
which she now nearly always adopted when adj
dressing him:
"Oh, by the way, Archie. you didn't tell John to
drop you at the club corner, did you T.
"Nos said Archie rather shortly, in the gloom OF
thecarriage which quite concealed his face from his
wife, as it concealed her face from him. His voice
was systematically amiable that Adelaide started
on hearing it.
aAre YOU not going to the club y she asked
mot Just yet. Pm going home with you. I've
something that want to tell you.'
Adelaide gave slight laugh. Can't you tell 1T
here p she inquired.
GOh yes" he answered. speaking now with his
usual nonchaance aud genality. But the drive is
so short you know We will be at home in few
minutes"
Has it coner thought Adelaide, With a sudden
throb Of the heart. Il hope SOP
Very soon afterwar1 the carriage stopped. The
hall light was burning brilliantly as they entered
their stately mansion. In Que Of the drawing rooms
DINNER sde-light made the rich furniture and
passed htlier unloosing the cords of her white
opera-cloak and letting her ample siken draperies
trail upon the soft-carpeted floor. Archie followed
her. He hal not taken oil his overcoat. AS his
wife sank into q chair he drew out his cigarette
case. But before striking match he said to her
with his invariabe courtesy: VIII you permit
Inc to smoke here
"0h. certainly" she said.
She watched his profile against the light near
which he stood. 1t gave every evidence of his ordi-
nary calm. He had Lit his cigarette and blown
smoko-cloul from it, before he said, turning his
face in her direction, though one of his arms re-
manned res ing rather negligenty on a portion of
the mantel:
My dear Adelaide, I dislike to interfere in your
private affairs. YOH know have never done so
since our marriage. Is not this truep
@Qute true" she responded And then after a
very brief pause, she added Neither have done
so in yours
al grant it," he said, though the words betrayed
tinge of annoyance no sooner perceived than gone
"Very WELL my dear, would not do so now if cir
cumstance did not make it in manner imperative"
He suddenly tossed his cigarette into the grate as
though its flavor had disrelish. and faced her.
standing erect. Circumstance does do this now.
Let me not employ any roundabout phrases Your
being seen 80 constantly with that man. Wood
brdge-a nice fellow. to whom have no OBJ
jeotion-is beginning TO cause remark"
There was a silence. Adelaide looked mp at
him, very conposcdly, in the dim light Do you
wish me TO drop Mr. Woodbrdges acquaintance r.
she asked with her voice even and cold.
Oh. by no MEANS" he exclaimed ~That would
be quite unjust to the poor chap. But want you
to make yourself more civil in two three other
directions. don't you know. my dearat least for a
time. You understandf Women are such takers.
such gossibs. No Goubt you've already suspected
that some woman has been giving me dark hints
aud all that nonsense. 1t Is nonsense-you can't
doubt for an instant, my dear, that think it SO.