Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-01-23
AN UNFORTUNATE GOODWOOD.

Mr.. John Gamble of No 4 Montmorency
Terrace. Burgewostown, had deceived bis
wife. When he told her that he had to
leave town on important business, and
would not be back until the next day, he
really was going to Goodwood with few
jolly fellows. with whom he intended af-
forwards to spend bachelor evening. His
wife was usually annoyed when important
business called John away-which it in
variably did about the time of the great
race meetings-but on this occasion she
did not seem to be particularly upset.
"And you III not be able to be back to-
night ?'' she asked.
mo, my DEAR" replied John.
"Can't you possibly manage it ?" she
inquired.
mo, my dear, its impossible. But why
do you ask 20
"Oh,' she said in tone of regret, which
he easily saw was only meant to hide her
pleasure. 81 don't like your sleeping away
from home. If you could only get back,
I shouldn't nina how late it was; would
wait up for you"
cit would be no use,'' answered John.
I'm certain to be detained over night"
John Gamble and his wife had been
married twelve years, and on the whole
they had led very happy life. With the
exception of one quarrel-produced
through his mother-in-law's remonstrance
with John for his fondness for betting-he
and his wife had not had single disagree
ment since their wedding. The one quar-
rel, however, promised to be serious
enough and as both John and his mother
in-law were thoroughly exasperated. no
one could say how it would have ended
had not Mrs. Gamble, just when it was
reaching crisis, brought it to happy
conclusion by DESERVING to her husband
and turning her arms-or rather her
tongue-against her mother, whom she
herself had induced to begin the conflict.
Since then Mr.. and Mrs. Gamble had been
on good terms, but Mrs. CANDLES mother
had ceased to visit them.
Recently, however, another event had
occurred which seemed likely to disturb
the domestic happiness of Mr.. John
Gamble. A young doctor of handsome
appearance and engaging manners had
come to reside at the other end of Mont
morency Terrace-at No. II. In an evil
moment John Gamble had called in young
DIR. Shelton to attend his wife, and he had
apparently made his presence exceptional
ly agreeable to her, for she ever afterwards
refused to consult any other physician.
Yet, although she was continually pralslng
his skill. John Gamble could not help no.
ticing that since he began to attend her
and the children they appeared to suffer
more than ever from i'll health. At any
rate they seemed to need much more
more medical attendance. for, for some
months past, so chronic had sickness in
the family become that DIR. Shelton had
found it necessary to pay long visit every
week. John Gamble was naturally OF
Jealous and suspicious temperament, and
he noticed the increasing intimacy between
his wife and the doctor with anything but
pleasure. AS yet he had not felt Justified
in demonstrating concerning it with Mrs
Gamble, but he had frequently pondered
over it in private, and, without its being
ance referred to it by either of them, it
vas steadily making the relations between
chem less and less cordial.
AS has been said, on the morning that
John Gamble told his wife he should be
~ able to be home that night he noticed
that she seemed rather pleased than other
wise nv his announcement. Hitherto he
had been accustomed on such occasions to
ooutings and dissatisfaction generally on
= VI ~art, and although he had not alto
rot her i;ked these, he disllked thelr 40
sanoo now still more. Indeed, the change
IN har behavior was SC complete and strlk-
ing that it at ol,ce made consloerapie
and most unpleas. ant impression on MS
mind. That unpleasa impression was
not diminished by cir. 'umstance whlch
subsequently occurred. AS the eldest BOY
was leaving for school, Mrs. uaunoie ioi-
lowed him to the hall door. Whlie sue
was speaking to him John hap. 'epe" W
pass through the hall. He noticed 81 % Was
giving the child letter. When she ht ara
her husbands step she turned around ha. v
tily and, observing that he had seen what
she had been doing, she became very red.
He could not help connecting this fact
and her previous behavior in some way or
other with her acquaintance with DIR.
Shelton; but he left without saying any
thing about it.
All the way to Goodwood, however, he
continued to think of what he had noticed,
much more than the races he was going to
see. Again and again he tried with all
his power TO dismiss the whole affair from
his mind, but he could not. Do as he
would, it and the suspicious it had given
birth to, would mingle themselves with
his thoughts. He cast about in every di-
.rection for any likely aud innocent cause
for his wife's conduct, but could find none.
The more he thought of it. the more con-
WINGED he became that the only possible
explain alton of it lay in her relations with
the young and handsome physician. Be-
fore he reached the race course, his sus-
icions had hardened into absolute con-
victions.
Johns jolly friends soon discovered that
John himself was anything but jolly. He
did his best to participate in their gayetv
| but with little success. He pretended to
take an interest in the races but all the
time his mind was full of the gloomy sus.