The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1888-05-10
4 HuSBaND'S REPENTANCE,

SOSLAIOu 1iSCCkl = -' r-r". = 4
Merle Arlington stood before her
husband, her small hands clasped
lightly together and her large blue
eyes filled to over.aowing with tears.
"Indeed I do mean it, and I deny
your right to question ME 30 closely.
Merle, if / had as little confidence in
you as you appear to have in. me. I
would not live with you another
day." ~
ooh! Frank! what do you mean?"
"Just what 1 say. Sometimes I
think it would have been better if you
and / had never met"
And saying this Frank Arlington took
up his coat and turned his back upon
upon his young wife.
Poor Merle! she drew in her breath
with a sob and the tears coursed
down her pale, thin cheeks that once
we're so plump and rosy.
Frank Arlington took no notice of
this. He had allowed his temper to
get the better of HIM, and when once
angry he never hesitated what to say
or do.
Pausing, with his hand upon his
head, he said coidly: swell, I am 60
ing now, I was coming home early to
night, but I have changed my mind
and will not be home until late"
"Ah! Frank don't say that, do come
home early. 1t is my great love for
you that makes me so anxious, and I
worry so much about you, if you only
would listen to me Frank. If you
would only give up going with Jack
Caution and others OF his set and"
ether. begin that again, and I'll
promise you I'll never come home,'
he interrupted angrily, and closing
the door behind him with no gentle
force he was gone.
Merle Arlington stood motionless
where her husband had left her trying
to realize what had happened.
They had been married nearly four
years, and this vas not their first
quarrel, for the past six months they
had BEEN very unhappy, but Frank
had never spoken quite so rudely to
her before.
Frank Arlington was not at heart q
bad man, but he was inclined to spend
his time playing cards, and of late had
lost considerable money. He was
easily led, and his companions were
not such al would tend to rouse the
good in him; on the contrary, Jack
Caution aud his followers spent their
time in gambling and Frank Arlington
WAC completely in their influence.
The evening before our story opens
he had not reached home until past
two o'clock and it was when his
young wife had demonstrated with
him that he had lost his temper and
spoken words any man might well be
ashamed of having uttered.
Poor Merle! she had married Frank
Arlington against the wishes OF her
parents and friends and now she was
made to suffer for it.
Turning, she went slowly upstairs
to their little sitting room and softly
opened the door, as if afraid OF dis
turbing some n
: Crossing the room she lifted the
heavy drapely that divided the sitting
room from their sleeping department
and softly approached a little crib.
Here she sank down npon her knees
and gazed with loving tear.dimmed
eyes at the little golden head nesting
among the lace covered pillows; evil
IDENTIFY baby's dream was q happy
one, for the red lips were parted in a
sweet smile.
At last the sleepy blue eyes opened
and baby laughed aloud and put up
M dimpled hand topat her mothers
face.
Merle clasped the little form in her
arms, and kissed the sweet baby face
as she murmured:
ooh! my little innocent darling.
papa does not love US any more; he
has gone without kissing you good-by.
Oh! baby, my hearts, breaking" and,
laying her head down on baby's pill
low, Merle cried until she was ex.
hausted>
When she grew calmer she sat up
and tried to think. The tears still
glistened on her long lashes, and her
face was deathly pale.
She would go away, OF that she was
quite certain, but where-that was
the question, where could she go?
Her husband had ceased to love her
had spoken words she could not for
get, and she could not remain with
him longer. Yes, she would 90 away.
She packed a small satchel with a
few necessary articles for little Daisy
and herself, and taking q photograph
OF her husband taken in the dear old
days when they were so happy from
q little case on the table, she looked
at it loug and earnestly, then brushing
away the tears that blinded her eyes.
she quickly placed it in the satchel,
and taking baby in her arms she put
on it's little cloak and bonnet. How
sweet she looked, dear little pet, as
she ran up and down the room calling
for Papa" and trying to catch the
pretty sunshine that made q golden
patch across the carpet.
Happy baby, too young to realize
her mothers suferings, too young to
know that she was leaving home for.
ever.
Merle clasped her child in her arms
and kissed the laughing face, then she
closed the door behind them and
started in the direction of the depot.
Y X
ACome on, Arlington, over to the
club rooms and let's have a game OF
cards, perhaps you can square your