The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-07-21
wildered, while Cynthia stared, "Qurk,

! these the seats herei The usher will try "a
| straighten the thing out if these ladies will
/ kindly let him see their coupons Maybe
- His words were drowned in n burst OF
applause. Floria De Brassi, as the young
! Prince Gaillard had bounded on the stage-a
! glory Of blonde hair and silk ileShings.
/ Nett'e had not an idea of what the trouble
was about; she looked at her husband, who
was still standing. His face was white, his
| lips moved, but she could not hear the words,
! The usher was saying something to Cynthia,
who was heplessly fumbling in her Tag for
the coupons Nettie had handed her when
they came in; but what was this the woman
on the stage was singing, her hands pressed
TO her heart, and her eyes rolled up in mock
agony
All. sweet secluded one!
All, poor deluded one!
He'll fool you If he can
Now he's IA married man
Ha-hal
Now he's married man.
Nette comprehended everything in flash.
The little man and the two handsome women
standing back there belonged to her hus-
bands party-through some mistake 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" Nette, come with me-" he said in a
low voice IL will explain everything"
Nettie felt strong revulsion; she grasped
Cynthia by the wrist and hurried her away.
"One moment, ladies' mean no otfense,"
said the little man-"by Jove, Wheatleigh,
they've gonel"
In the aisle they almost ran into n man
staggering under great basket of flowers;
the odor made Nettie faint
As for Cynthia, she only knew something
dreadful had happened. Nettie was deathly
pale and looked straight before her, not hav-
ing uttered word since they left the thea
ire. Cynthia took her two hands and held
them tight, not knowing what else TO do.
How terrible IL all was, yet how wildly eX-
citing! She recalled John Wheatleigh's bag
gard face the excitable voice of the little
man, the well bred amazement with which
the two women had regarded them as they
passed out-she thought she had seen tn ESQ
women before; indeed, II was such an adven-
ture that poor Cynthia found herself taking
n kind Of guilty joy in the situation. And
Nettie-bow stonily she stared before her;
she did not look like Nettie Wheatleigh at
all Would it be in the papers in the morn
ing Would Nettie get divorce Every
body would know that she had been there
and had seen il all, and would come to her
for the particulars Cynthia fairly grew
giddy at the prospect of her coming import
ance Now they were at Nettie's 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
She ran up stairs and flung herself on the
bed, face downward Cynthia gently took of
her bonnet and would have bathed her face,
but Nettie motioned her away. She did not
cry or make "A sound, but only buried her
face in the pillows rs though she felt a thou
sand eyes upon her and was ashamed.
There was "a violent ring at the bell, and
John Wheateigh came rushing up the stairs.
She sprang to her feet.
"Nettie, darling, where are you' Oh, Net
tie, don't look at me like that-let me tell
you! Miss Odds, please go into the next room
for few moments; | must speak to 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-nowf'
"Nettie, dearest, it was all a 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 up-I gave
you'll ought to have told you"
at was shameful" she said, in a low, hard
voice, ito humilate me before all those poo
Pile, before Cynthia, before"--she shuddered
-"those two women"
tlNntt,a 7 I 20 tnl1 NJ
the table this morning the words were on
my very lips to tell you l had written to
Ned Wilson then, but l had made up my
mind not to go if you didn't want me to; and
Just as was going to speak You asked me to
take you-then we had that silly little quar-
rel, and foolishly went away without tell
Ing you. If you knew how miserable had
felt all day-it was that that made me send
o God! she doesn't believe mel" and the poor
boy covered his face with his hands and gave
great sob. Then it was that the true and
beautiful womanly instinct arose and showed
itself in the despised Cynthia.
"Nettie" she said, firmly, "you are making
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 he wa,
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"
"Oh, did not deserve it, john did not,
indeed" and Nettie flung herself sobbing on
her husbands neck, as Cynthia silently with
drew.
All his life John Wheatleigh loved Gym
thia Odds for those words. The shipper on
her kindly face was as a beautiful smile to
him ever after-her harmless twaddle as
pleasant music.
The operetta of "Mme. Roquette" had q
long run in the metropolis. The airs were
played on hand organs by street bands, and
by energetic young ladies on the piano, but
although Nettie forgave her husband freely,
and restored him to her perfect confidence
she could never hear, "Now He's Married
Man." without a spasm of the heart.
Epoch
Fruit from the Rose Bush.
Those who know that the rose is of the
same family rs the apple and pear may have
wnpIarpl thot tina nnp Shnull bn Sn STRICTLY