Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-06-25
A ROMANCE OF THE STORES.


Il tell you, snorted Mr.. mebury
Browne, waxing purple with rage,
that l absolutely forbid you to holG
any communication whatever with
Captain Cannon, and if he comes here
again / shall turn him out of the
housew
"Well, you need not be so violent, "
protested pretty Mrs. Browne, as she
subsidized in becoming attitue on the
drawing room sofa and prepared for a
food of tears. only if you insist
upon my never seeing any man but
Yourself and bully me in this absurd
fashion, / shall go mad, or run away,
or something" and Mrs. Browne
stihad her sobs in the folds of deli
cately embroidered handkerchief,
while her lord and master marched
angrily Up and down the room, half
ashamed of his own suspicious, but
determined not to betray any outward
sign of repentance.
Mr. Ramsbury Browne was a rich
city merchant, who had committed
the not uncommon mistake of marry
ing a penniless and exceedingly pref
ty girl some thirty years younger
than himself, who, without giving
her husband any definite cause for
jealousy, contrived to make his life
exceedingly uncomfortable. The
reason was not far TO seek. Before
she came to London she had never
seen anything; therefore, balls, races,
meetings, polo matches, river parties.
and such like frivolities had for her
the charm which novelty alone could
give them.
Like most pretty women, she was
fond of admiration; men ran after
her. thinking, not without reason,
that she could rot possibly be alb
sorbed in her dull and uninteresting
husband, and it must be confessed
that Mrs. Browne did not altogether
discourage their attentions. Hence it
came to pass that Mr.. Brownies jeal-
ousy was aroused, and that he selected
his wife's friendship with the aforesaid
Captain Cannon as the excuse for an
extremely unpleasant matrimonial
dispute. The Captain himself was a
good looking Hussar, a loafing, ne'er-
do>well man about town, or gallant
chwalrous and fascinating officer
it all depended upon the point of view
from which his character was re-
garded Needless to say that Browne S
opinion of him was not the more fav>
orablc one, and when his wife showed
a somewhat marked preference for
the Captains society, exchanged little
notes with him about books, music
and such>likc Innocent topics, and
was generally followed by him where
ever she went Browne determined
that the intimacy should at once come
to an end.
You're not to see that man again, "
continued ke, clustering somewhat
unnecessarily in case his deteTmina-
ton should falter 'Doyou hear me,
Mrs. Browne"
ooh, yes, hear you she sobbed.
II won't see him any more; and per~
haps when you've bullied me into the
grave you will be sorry"
SO Mr. Browne marched of to the
city, filled with the proud conscious
ness that he had gained great moral
victory, and had made his wife miser-
able.
During the next week or two the
meelSness OF that young lady was ad
mirable and her obedience to her hus-
bands viii positively touching, The
demon Of jealousy had. however,
taken entire possession of the bosom
of Mr.. Ramsbury Browne, and his
wlfe's unlocked for submissiveness
only served to increase instead of al
laying his suspicious He thought
that she was merely acting a part.
and he watched her with redoubied
vigilance. In business matters he
was a strictly honorable man, and he
had a very good game ia the city for
honesty and Straightforward dealing.
Nevertheless, he did not think it IN
consistent with his dignity to descend
to all sorts of subterfuges in order to
catch his wife tripping. He sometimes
came home at unusually early hours.
He occasionally announced that he
would dine ont, and then appeared
with some lame excuse, at the family
meal. aud though he did not 90 so far
as to open his wifes letters, he care
fully examined every epistle which
came to the house, in the hope OF rec.
ognizing the hand writing OF the hated
Captain. This sort OF thing went on
for a week or two, and nothing came
Oft. Browne was beginning to think
that after all he was mistaken, when
he made discovery which revived all
his worst suspicious. He had come
home early; his wife was out shopping
and in an aimless sort of manner Es
walked into her boudoir and sat dow1
at her writing table. Browne had
rummaged ia ali the drawers before,
and knew the position of every paper
Nothing was changed, and as a last
resource he glanced at the waste paper