Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1888-08-23
A JEALOUS WIFE.
The interesting Story Of a Cryp-
togram.

toRram.
Mr. and Mrs. Ronayne wore gen.
orally considered by their friends and
acquaintances TO be an. exceptionally
happy and fortunate couple. They
had a pretty house at Chiswick,
got up in the latest Standardization.
able style. Mrs. Ronayno drove on,
daily eithcr in her neat victoria or
neater brougham, drawn by the most
spanking pair Of chestnuts that ever
came out Of Tattersalrs. Mr.. Ro-
nayne was known 10 be something In
the city" though what the some
thing was no one knew precisely;
but the resulting income must be,
every one argued, considerable. No
small economies were apparent in
their menage, even TO the eyes Of the
most critical and prying Of spinster
ladies. Mrs. Ronayne had her gowns
made at the best OF West End
"houscs," and her bonnets and other
accessories Of attire were quite beyond
reproach. As for Ronayne himself,
Poole and Smalpage tailored for him,
Hoby shod him and Lincoln, and Ben
nett covered mis- slightly bald Uranium
with the most immaculate and glossy
OF silk hats.
The little dinners given by this
fortunate pair were quite epicurcan In
their way. Though limited as 70 the
number Of guests--for II was seldom
that more than ten or twelve sat down
TO the Ronaynes' exquisitoly docked
tahle-the hostess was noted for her
skill in getting pleasant people 10
gether, and therefore her Invitations
were rarely, ifeyer, declined, and her
guests were never bored. All the
married folks OF their acquaintance
quoted them to each other as a realized
ideal OF matrimonial felicity.
"Oh Arthur, II you treated me with
half tho Difference and affection with
which Mr.. RonRyne treats his wife,"
said Mrs. Fitzsharp TO her mild-faced
lord and maeter, ''what a happy
woman should bei'
"My dear Mathilda, can't you get a
gown TO ft you as Mrs. Ronayne's At
AAAt AshN ohHDboO ~ AAOk tnO lAulL 0I
your gowns, after all; It's the dowdy
woman inside them" snarled Mr..
Brown TO his patient spouse. whose
only answer was weary siga. "Ro-
nayne is lucky fellow"
And so the Fitzshaips and the
Browns thought themselves very
much TO be pitied, while their more
fortunate neighbors were TO be envied,
admired-and toadied.
Every body was civil. nay, more
than civil to the Ronaynes. Mrs.
Ronayne's gowns and bonnets were
copied by all the maids and matrons In
Linden Park; her drawing-room was
always full 10 overHowing on her "At
Homo" days, and compliments and
pretty speeches foated like incense on
the air whenever she put her daintily-
shod foot inside her neighbors' doors
The fortunate Mrs. Ronayne lacked
nothing; her two children were a.
pretty and picturesque as any to be
seen portrayed in all the glory OF gold
cn hair. plush a1d well-turned legs on
the walls OF Burlington House. Just
as a rose looks best with an unfolded
bud or two near II, so pretty woman
never looks more charming than when
a nower-faced child or two hangs about
her. Mrs. Ronayne knew this, and
darling Evie" and darling Robbie"
were generally TO be seen In the draw
ing-room on her Thursday afternoons,
or In the carriage when she drove Ia
the Park. Was there any locked cup
board holding its grinning, bony In
mate In that gorgeously furnished
suburban villa? Was there one little
rift In the. lutte that made music for the
Ronaynes? one crumpled leaf in their
couch OF rosesP one black, coarse
thread In the eloth-oi-gold web OF their
hvesp Let us peep, like Asmodeus, un-
der the Ronaynes' roof and see
The breakfast hour at Honeywood
villa was nine O'Clock, rather an early
hour for Londoners, but Mr.. Ronayne
liked 70 get down 10 his ofioe by half
past ten, and Mrs. RonaynU liked 70
preside over her husbands matutinal
repast. pouring out his coffee with her
own fair hands, and casting sollcitous,
not 10 say curious, glance at him as he
looked over his correspondence. In
deed, 80 anxious was she that her lord
should lack none of the petits soias
which were his due, that she always
entered the brealSfast-room at least
quarterioi an hour before him. and cast
housewifeiy regard over the table, 70
soc that every thing was arranged in
accordance with his somewhat fastldl-
Gus taste. At the same time. aud for
her own satisfaction, she was In the
habit Of scrutinizlng pretty closely the
covers OF all Mr.. Ronayae's letters.
One bright spring morning Mrs.
Ronayne emerged fresh and fair as
Aurora's self from her chamber, and
descending fho stairs rather more
quickly than usual, entered the coy
little hreakfast-room. and went straight
10 the tablo where Mr.. Ronayns's ex-
tenaiyo correspondents was spread out
impoalngly. Running tho array Of lot-
lpn eyeF rapidly, uhp anally singled