The Progress., 1888-09-15


but what was this the woman on the stage
was singing, her hands pressed to her heart,
and her eyes rolled up in mock agony2
s'Ah sweet secluded onel
All. poor deluded onei
He'll fool you if he can
szs Now he's a married man,
Ha-hal &5
Now he's married man,
Nettie comprehended every thing In a
Hash. The little man and the two hand
some women standing back there belonged
to her husbands party-through some mis-.
take she and Cynthia were in their places,
and they were trying to get them out She
rose to her feet and turned to her husband
with indignant eyes. sNettie come with
me-" he said, in a low voice. 81 will explain
every thing" Nettie felt strong revulsion; !;
she grasped Cynthia by the wrist and hur-
ried her away. Zone moment, LADIES'
mean no offense,' y said the little man-uby
Jove, Wheatleigh, they've gone!n
In the aisle they almost ran into a man
staggering under great basket Of flowers /:
the odor made Nettie faint
AS for Cynthia she only knew that some.
thing dreadful had happened. Nettie was
deathly pale and looked straight before her.
not having uttered a word since they left
the theater. Cynthia took her two hands
and held them tight, not knowing what else
TO do. How terrible it all was, yet how
wildly exciting! She recalled John Wheat
leigh's haggard face the excitable voice Of
the little man, the Well-bred amazement
with which the two women had regarded
them as they went ut-she thou ght she had
seen those women before; indeed, it was
such an adventure that poor Cynthia found
herself taking a kind of guilty joy in the
1nfi "A n =,
stared before her; she didn't look like Nettie
Wheatleigh at all. Would it be in the papers
in the morning? Would Nettie get a di
vorces Every body would know that she
had been there and had seen it all, and would
come to her for the particulars. Cynthia
fairly grew giddy at the prospect Of her
coming Importance. Now they were at Net
ties house, she must go in; she could not
leave the poor girl while she looked like
that. Then Nettie spoke for the first time.
"Come in the house, she said, hoarsely;
"tell the man to wait. = 5
She ran upstairs and flung herself upon
the bed, face downward. Cynthia gently
took off her bonnet and would have bathed
her face, but Nettie motioned her away
She did not cry or make a sound, but only
buried ber face in the pillows as though she
felt Thousand eyes upon her and was
ashamed.
There was violent ring at the bell, and
John Wheatleigh came rushing up the
stairs. She sprang to her feet
ssNettie, darling, where are you? o.,
Nettie, don't look at me like that-let me
tell you Miss Olds please go into the next
room for few moments; I must speak ia
my wife alone.''
Stop; remain where you are, Cynthia.
Do you not see that whatever you have to
say to me must be said before her-now?''
'Nettie, dearest, it was all mistake
That was Ned Wilson, his wife and her
sister was going with them, you see-to
meet them, that is, and mixed the tickets
np--l gave you-I ought to have told you.n
1T was shameful = she said, in a low,
hard voice, ito humiliate me before ali
those people, before Cynthia, before she
shudd those two wo1nen.',
'Nettie, Iswear meant to tell yo,l-at
the table this morning, the words were on
my very lips to tell you. had written to
Ned Wilson then, but had made up nv.
mind not to go if you didn't want me to,
and Justas Twas going to speak you asked me
TO take you-then we had that silly little
quarrel, and foolishly went away without
telling YOU If you knew how miserable i
mad felt all day-it was that that made me
send-O God |! she doesn't believe me e. and
the poor boy covered his face with his
hands and gave great sob Then it was
that the true and beautiful womanly in.
stinct arose and showed itself in the de.
spised Cynthia si5
Nettie, !" she said, firmly, you are max.
ing TOO much OF this; your husband has
done no wrong-look at him., Nettie. He
concealed something from you because he
was piqued-it was foolish, but not wicked.
and ne was sorry for it before it was made
known to you in the way it was tonight. /
Know who Mrs. Wilson is, and who her
sister is-he loves you and nobody else.
You can trust me, can't you, when promise
never TO speak OF this to any one, and and
Nettie, shall try to forget it myself. ),
~, did not deserve it, John: T did not.
indeed = and Nettie flung herself sobbing
on :, her husbands neck, as Cynthia silently
withdrew 80 ~ - J.
AL his life John Wheatleigh loved Cvn-
.thia Olds for those words. The sinner IN
ner kindly face was as a beautiful smile to
MN ever after-her harmless tWaddle as
pleasant music fa As s p, 7,
The operetta of Madame Roouette, Had 4
long run in the metropolis The airs were
played on hand organs, by street bands. and
#py energetic young ladies on the piano. blt
although Nettie forgave her husband freely.
ana nc restored him to her perfect condolences /
she could never hear Now He's q Married
Epoch s. --ss-A 'ss5 4 a. - i -