The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1888-02-18
A HUSBANDS LESSON.

81 wonder why he stays so late n
The woman who uttered these
words had repeated them a hun
drcd times since the bright autumn
sunset in which she first sat down
beside the window to watch and lis
ten for her husbands coming, and it
was quite dark now, and still she
pressed her soft cheek to the case
ment and peered into the shadows
with clear, blue eyes.
She was very beautiful and very
young. But for the wedding ring,
upon her hand you would have
called her a girl; believed her to be
waiting for a lovers and not a hus-
bands coming Yet she had been
married three long years, and he, to
whom she had given all her heart
when she stood beside him at the
altar, already neglected her and left
her to watch evening after evening,
night after night, for tardy footsteps
for which in the old days of court
ship, had been the very echo of her
own.
Something akin to regret was in
her heart tonight as she remember
ed, as only Il neglected wife can, the
love and tenderness of those past
hours. How he used to gaze into
her eyes, and sing to her, and bring
her flowers and books and music
Why had he changed ? Was it
her fault? The tears would come
to the blue eyes now, and she was
wiping them away when the light of
lamp fell upon the floor through
the half-open door, and in another
moment a tall broad-shouldered
woman, Il servant, evidently, entered
the room.
"ln the dark again" she muttered
"and crying, too. It's a shame
that's what it is-a burning shame
Such pretty young critter, and he
used to make an idol of her y And
then setting down the lamp, she
added, aloud; "Come maam, come
to dinner. You know as well as l
do that Mr.. Powell won't be here for
hours and hours, and it's wrong of
you to injure your health in this
way. Do come down"
The young wife arose, in obedi-
ence to the summons of the old SER
vant-for Hopsiba had been her
nurse when she was u child, and
was II privileged person, and not
without some inhuence-and fol-
lowed he conductress to the dining
room, where the snowy cloth was
spread with every tempting delicacy
Of the season, and where everything,
from the oval mirror between the
windows to the ample coal scuttle
standing near the fire glittered like
polished silver
1T is not because his home is
cheerless,' she said again, and the
thought gave her little comfort.
She sat down, and as she ate she
listened to every sound iu the street
without. The wind was rising, and
now and then some area gate, or
some unfastened shutter was flung
to with violent clang. But
through all she soon heard light
quick step upon the pavement.
"Ah, nurse, you were wrong,"
she said, with a bright smile. Here
he is"
Nurse shook her head and choked
down the words. "The first time in
three months" which she felt com
PEELED to utter.
The door opened and a handsome
well-built man, with soft, brown
whiskers and hair that had golden
gleam upon its darkness when it
caught the light, and came into the
dining room.
"I'm so sorry 1 did not wait for
you, Harry" began his wife, "but
nothing is cold yet, hope, and
"Oh, its all right. I'm glad you
didn't wait said the husband in a
careless, ofi-handed way, which was
peculiarly his own, and which had
a similar charm about it. Go on
with your dinner, Rose. III help
III Stil'
And so he did, eating with a
hearty appetite, and talking all the
while more merrily than he had
done for long time.
1t was like old times, Rose thought
and her eyes sparkled and her
cheeks caught soft glow in the
freight as she caught her husband
looking at her tenderly and admir-
ingly.
"He loves me still, she said to
heself. "Oh, am sure of it! Dear
Harry he loves me still"