Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1885-12-26


had heard few things which afforded
her . tolerAbly correct surmise a. to |
the state of Affairs.
The next two hours were spent By the
young vito in weeping until she could
weep NO longer /; then In sheer despera- |
tion she dried her eyes. What could |
he keeping her husband away ~ long |
Was he never coming back again or
had he suspected the nature OF that |
dreadful secret that was ranking In !
her heart, and taken that opportunity
to desert her ? Oh, why had she made J
that promise Why had she ever been
born % come ~ such wretchedness rs
this 2"
At last the door opened once more,
and Harry's we'll known step was heard
In the hail. And not his step only. but
his voice singing In q tone Of the almost
"rhs girl LETT behind me-"
accompanied by what sounded very
much like . jig.
"what is the mstter with your" ex-
claimed Aurelia, between her smiles
and her team - he entered the room.
matter enoughi' replied her husband
with . mysterious look.
"But Why were you gone 20 lOng?"
persisted Aurelia. anxiously.
"Oh. for tho very good reason that
they :old me when I got to the doctors
that he had gone, or perhaps had been
sent, 20 the luDAtic asylum, where you
also should have gone. a. 1t now seems
you did 20 on certain occasion ~ re-
Joined Harry, finishing up his remark
by executing pss seul across the fioor.,
Aurelia watched her husband for .
moment In silence, alternately flushing
ard paling with agitation then drop
ing down upon the sofa, she said i'm.
plorinely
"Do cit dcwn, Harry, and tell me
what did take place I cannot end ure
this suspense any longer !"
WE'LL" said her husband, ensconc-
ing himself In tho other corner Of the
sofa. They told ms the doctor had
driven out to the lunatic asy lum with q
friend-some one, suppose, whom he
appears to have been u regular cont.
dence game all around-and 1 waited
his return, not suspecting that his visit
to that place wcu ID have any counec.
ton with this dreadful mystery 81
yours.
"Oa coming in be arasptd me by the
hand and eaid : swell, barry New.
come, am glad to zee you !" aud then
drawing me into his study the whole
was told
"Is seems that ON last Saturday.
week ago bodybuilding my absence
on that business trip, you visited thu
lunatic asylum with those country
cousins of yours who were stay Ing her,
"a fact which you carefully concealed
from me, by the way, because Of tn
intimate connection between that visf
and the terrible secret you unearthed.
/ a :
having charge, a. you understood, o
one Of the female departments, tool
yon into her coz fidence, learned you
name and mine, and some Of your his
tory, and then informed you that sh
had known me for several yeafs. Tha
had been under q solemn promise Il
marry her. had treated her very badly
ruined her reputation for life, and T.
cover up my mhdeeds, entrapped he
into . lunatic aeyluu, where sh
actually became insane, and continues
60 for several years. She finally re
covered, however, and was appointe'
to the position she then held.
"She told you further that ha
visited and corresponded With her sine
my marriage to you, had declared tba
loved her better than ever, and ha
prom ised to marry her as soon as
could find any way to get rid of you
either by divorce or any other manner
This, no viewer, was profound score
between her and me. and that 1 woul
inevitably kill her and myself also
she betrayed me-"
swell, Harry" faltered Aurelia. 9
her husband paused, having listened
him In strange whirl OF mingled di
comiiture and relief. "Ie not that
m after Of some importance?
temperance enough" replied he
husband, to lead me to extort froI
the doctor q solemn promise that Il
matter shall never pass beyond u
, three. And now for the sequel. tt
| woman you saw and talked with, ar
who exaotsd Of you that oa,h-boun
/ promise, 90 far from being an employ
, Is one of the most troublesome and l
} corrigibie CT the inmates. The boob
OF the institution show that she can
' there fifteen years ago-when l "
/ about nine years old-and has be
4 there ever since. The doctor saw t
/ superintendent and the woman ali
o She is in the habit OF playing su
. urapks. the superintendent said, 2,
had sent away several marri.o Lao
!. In the same serene frame of MUD th
J, you were In. He had noticed that Q
= drew you aside and had some con vera
j, ton with you, and was afraid 9
had been playing > on some mischie
GUS trick. And that's the beginni
and end OF it,"
= HaIry's a-r. had been around b
-, wife tns the last few minutes while
& l yas eobbing ont her shame, jog. s.
contrition on his shou der; and as
a finished he raised her tear STAINED II
% and kissed IL. "a
"Come nowl" he said tenderly. I'D
q your eyes, and promise me that hem
a forth you won't think ne the wo
3 man that ever lived. See here. y
70 have drenched your handkerchief
and mine, and we can't have the wa
y ipg.b running up at such "a
i Give me another kiss, and make j
50 ono more promise-to me this tim
70 that You will hear no more dread
40 stories about me-or any one else,
that matter-in confidence. Prom
Y now, ard then we'll have some sup
IN never mind II 1t Is cold; 1t will to
a. great deal better than 1t would hi
n done two hours ago, with that hor
o. skeleton of assecret Rrinning al me fr
Be behind the tea urn"
re- You awful mani" exclaimed A
y, relia, with another burst Of tears-h
~ py ones this time, and quic
u spent. "Oh, Harry, I've been 30 q
10 erAblel But I'll never, never do b
Q foolish thing againi Yes, indeed.
ng promise you anything uow!" and
or ocstas tic hug ended the quarrel and
on mystery; the hrst and last that
invaded that happy household.