Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-06-29

whom and at all umeS he would como to take the woman's keen perception aud loving thought to mould his schemes and actions. But this morning I desired of all things that should find him in his most foolish love-making mood but fortune had decidedly turned against me, for there sat Charlie be- fore me provokingly serious He had drawn chair to the front of my couch and, with hls elbows resting on his knees. his face rest ing on his hands, he sat and gazed into my face with all the power of his serious. love- making eyes. If only he had tho fancy to admire my hair instead of my eyes. felt inclined to invent some means of di- verting his attention to my soft tresses. any, thing to get him where he would not be look ing so intently into my face. But 1t was useless. His intention was to sit there and look at me. And he always is the essence of 1 perseverance if he cannot see very good cause for yielding his will to another. After l nll need not have congratulated myself on 1 looking SO interestingly invalidish, if this was | the result of it. How very quiet we were, till began conversationby saying: "Why did 1 you not join the others?'
 "Rather a strange question, Nelly" he said, because you know why"
 "I am 80 sorry have spoilt your days | pleasure" I meekly replied
 'The, pleasure is postponed till tomorrow | on your account he tollowad up. "Oh, dear, dearW I pettshly interrupted. "I suppose you know iall about my nights | doings, and it has gone the round of the | house, if
 l Nights doings, deaP don'tknow exactly what you mean-hearh you were not we'll
 and an order had been given that you were
 not to be disturbed; and your pale face my child, tells it's own talc.'
 1 "Oh Charlie! '' said my eyes filling with | fo1 fcrT fol% T r
 had an awful nightr' And then plunged in- l to ray story and told him all.
 l He was a silent listener until got to that portion of my story whsn Walton appeared on l the scene. Then he broke into hearty laugh.
 This rather assured me, for was telling my woes in a rapid manner, while I nervously
 played with the ring on my fnger-the bond
 that outwardly held us together.
 My tale was told, and now I waited to hear what he would say.
 l Nelly, q solemn voice began, "you must have gone to sleep in - 1 Don't, don't! said, raising my hands in
 beseechlng manner, "don't, Charlie-I am a
 woman lady-oh! don't"
 l But Nelly"
 1 Here stole another cursory glance at his l lace. So solemnly serious it looked. Now had taken more than cursory glance
 mighthave discovered mischievous twinkle
 in the apparently seriously-looking eyes but
 all that saw was soemity stealing over
 his face, and as he stroked his beard I felt
 he contemplated something, it could be but
 one thing So, as he began, "But Nelly-'
 stopped him better had said it, so, quick
 ly raising myself from the couch to sitting position, in an instant the glittering circle
 was of my finger, as nervously and hurri-
 edly accompanied the action with: Of course, Charlie, you need not marry me; but don't say any more I always felt was not to marry, and this comes of taking
 fate in my own hands. D
 His face was study, commingling of
 anger and grief, as he sternly said: 1 "Nelly-take back that ring shall not touch it. :"
 The tone of the voice, the look in the face
 came to me as royal demand ere dared I rebel.
 Presently hand was laid lovingly on mine,
 and 8 voice out of which all sternness was
 gone spoke:
 'Nelly. did not wait for thirty years be-
 fore found the woman could ask to be my
 wife, and then to find she could so quickly
 and so easily wish to break the promise she
 gave me-a promise I took for Q VOW, as seri-
 ous and as binding as a marriage ceremony.
 The love I sought was not to be given to-day
 and .takeniback to-morrow-NellylN Nelly P l Then l lifted up tear-stained fac e-I know tears ran down my checks and
 Charlie took me in his arms; kissed my hair,
 my face, and--and I was happyl Charlie. Is said as I nestled against him. ''you don't really think that I was | was-"
 He laughed ut me-yes, he did laugh and eaid: aa50 ;.
 Suppose we say 1t was intoxicated tooth
 ache! and now forget all about it."
 Time sped happily and too quickly away. l when voices in the hall told us that we were
 not in an uninhabited land. hurriedly slipped from Charlie's caresses to make my way upstairs, while he carelessly
 sauntered away, hulnming a song as if noth- 1 ing had happened, How cool some men are Charities nonchalance would suggest that he l had been quietly reading a book; but I-
 for the life of me could not have looked as if
 had been reading; my rosy cheeks and ruf- | fled hair would not be likely to suggest that
 Charlie and had been sitting in opposite | corners of the room! When descended again was met with | sympathy from all, Charlie had told my tale
 as he thought we'll. and so helped me out of my dilemma and the last days of Arden Lodge
 were the pleasantest of all. =
 This was the meaning of the strange, and
 what for the moment seemed an unexplain- able memorandum.
 l The little book lay in my lap-it might
 be a musical-box, that had just played pret- I ty selection of tunes, and only waited for the spring to be touched again that it might give
 me another melody of bygone times. | 1 took it up and turned over the leaves.
 wondering what next would catch my eye 1 What other stories it might tell were re- | signed to the future, for a sound had stolen
 upon my ear-a sound of shrill whistle. | An well knew it's meaning | My lord and master was asking for me in ] bis own peculiar language, well understood
 between us. Chest and package with their l treasures, or rubbish, as the case may be.
 must be shut up. The turning-out business l would have to be left till another day-for. as l the whistle rose and fell, I knew that the | rooms were being searched for me. My hus- band would tell me over and over again, if he 1 returned, and I was not visible that the din-
 ing-room looked depressingly dull that thep drawing-room was of no use without it's mis-
 tress and oven the study wanted some-
 thing. Could be anything else than hap
 py wife when everything wanted me | Was ever wife happier than I-any husband l than he? Yet we have not had a cloudless | sky. Had it been-surely heaven had come down to earth, or earth called up to heavenl
 There is tiny grave that could say some
 thing. My joy-his pride-was taken one
 summers day; and in the mothers love
 grew selfish, and almost forgot the loss bore
 my husband-forgot his sorrow 1 Say not men cannot be tender-cannot f1ll