The Washington critic., 1886-09-09

drove him; he gave you all he had to
give. and in return you gave him noth-
ing but cold looks and unkind words;
and so he left you, to seek love aud
sympathy from his mother
This thought almost maddencd me;
in fancy / saw her sitting In my place
by his side, loving and carcssing him
as | had the best right to love and
caress him ! pictured her receiving
tenderly the little loving acts | had re.
ceived so coldly, and now | was seized
with q jealous anger against her. |
mentally accused her of estr0nging my
husband from me, and of trying to win
his love from me, as though his heart
was not large enough for both of us.
When Maud arrived In the afternoon,
] treated her to a long TRADE of abuse
against mothers.in. law In general, and
my own in particular, and / vented all
the anger | really felt against myself,
on the innocent Mrs. Cartwright.
"Why, Nelly" said Maud, 81
thought you liked Mrs. Cartwright 50
much, and thought her so nice, that
you even wanted her to live with you,
only your husband very properly, as
mamma says, objected" "
"Sol did," ] answered; "but ] did
not know then she would ever entice
my husband away from me In this way,
or, of course, should never have
liked her."
Really, Nell, you are very hard
derstand, Mr.. Cartwright went to
her of his own free will, because she was
not well, and he thought his company
would do her good" said Maud.
Nonsense; ] am sure he would
never have left me alone unless she
had put him up TO it, replied, rather
Grossly.
"TGo truth is, Nelly, You are so
much In love with your husband that
you are jealous even cf his mother;
and you are making yourself miserable
about nothing. Why, Mr.. Cartwright
will be back in a fortnight, and dare
say you will get letter from him every
day; so cheer up, and let us go for a
drive" said Maud.
] agreed to this plan, and giving
Maud the reins, lay back and thought
of her words. Was she right after allg
Was | jealous? Was | really, as Maud
said, in love with my husband? Had
| only found it out now | was deprived
of his company? Was this the reason
that could do nothing but inwardly
reproach myself for my conduct to
him? And the longer | thought the
more convinced | became that Maud
was right, that / was jealous, and that
| was in love. as she called 1t.
This knowledge did not make me
happier, for no sooner knew | loved
him than longed to tell him so, and
make up, as far as | could, for all my
former cruelty; for | could call my
conduct by no mider word. ] passed
a sleepless night, and as | lay awake
composed various letters of confession,
which resolved to send the following
day; but when morning came my pride
stepped In, and | began to feel it
would be impossible to write, and
settled l must wait till my husband
came home, and then tell him how his
absence had altered me.
got up early and walked out to
meet the postman, so anxious was to
| get letter from him; it was the first
| had ever received from him since our
marriage. and no girl was ever so
anxious for, or so pleased with, her
first love.letter, as | was over this.
1t was long letter, full of loving
messages and terms of endearment, all
of which cut me to the heart, for they
sounded like so many reproaches; in
reality think there was tone of gen
tie reproach throughout the letter He
gave me an account of his journey. and
of his mothers health, begged me to
write him few lines every day; but he
said not a word about returning,
Ispent the morning In answering It,
much to Maud's amusement, who, OF
course, thought l was pouring out
volumes of love and complaints Of my
temporary widowhood; after tearing
up about q dozen sheets of paper,
at last sent short note, cool and with
no allusion to my misery. The more
tried, the more impossible found it tC
write any expression of love or pen
itence, though l was hungering to dc
so.
For whole week went on in this
way, suffering more acutely every day
and every day receiving long, lovine
letters from Mr.. Cartwright, and
writing short, cold answers.
lost my appetite, | could not sleer
at night, and the torture / was endur
ing made me look so i'll that Maud be
came frightened, and declared she
would write and summon my husband
home, and tell him | was pining away
for him. forbade her doing this, 81
sternly that she dared not disobey
me, for was determined he should
never hear from any lips bu
mine that at last his hearts desire wa
attained, for loved him.
At last, when he had been away tel
days, could bear 1t no longer, for
felt should have brain fever H | wen
on In this way so determined to g
to Melton, where Mrs. Cartwright
lived, and see my husband. came tC
this decision one night, and went into
Maud's room early in the morning, tc
tell her my intention. ! expected sh,
would laugh at me, but think sh
guessed something was wrong, for sh
seemed glad to hear it, and helped M
to pack few things and set Off in tim
to catch the morning train.
1t was three hours jouney-they
seemed three years to me, for th
nearer | got to my husband the NOR
impatient l was to see him. At las
we got to Melton, q largish town. o
course, Ns was not expected, ther
was no one TO meet me, 50 | took a A,
to Mrs Cartwrights house, where
arrived about o. clock.
l learnt afterwards that Andrew wa
with his mother in the little drawing
room when l drove up, but thinking
was only visitor, he escaped int
another room, SO l found my mother
in'law alone.
BY her side were some of m
husbands socks that she was darning
socks which l had handed over /