Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-02-25
Nellie Leigh.

MS coHee cup, anu rose from the Ia
BILE.
''But, Harry, it is SO cheap, and I
need it so much; Mrs. GRAVITY
says"
81 don't care what she says" he
interrupted; "she is a gay, extrava-
CANT woman Poor Fred looks little
like the gay, light-hearted fellow of
two years ago.; and Nellie, L have
noticed that you visit there quite Of
ten in the future you will please not
visit or associate with her in any
way"
And he buttoned his overcoat pre-
paratory to going down town.
Very pleasant and cheerful looked
the little room with its crimson car
pet, the table with it's dainty service,
while the December sun came stream
ing in through the window where the
canary was gailv singing, and flashed
upon Nellie Leigh's sunny curls.
But not of the room or its appoint
ments was she thinking, as she sat
before the CRATE long after the door
banged, and Harry had gone, for the
first time since their marriage, with
out kissing her. Suddenly she start
ed up, and exclaiming: 81 have it
-. &C A. - -
stairs, and going straight to a small
drawer, opened it and took out a roll
of bills.
They had been put there for safe
keeping by Harry, and well did she
know that they were intended as the
last payment on the house in which
they lived.
She glanced nervously round as
she held the money, and murmured
aloud:
sit is so silly of me; Harry is so
stingy, and then to tell me 1 must
not go any more with Mrs. GRAVITY /;
he is too tyrannical altogether" and
the blue eyes flashed. 81 want the
cloak, and 1 am going to have it. l
can save enough from the housekeep-
ing allowance to make it up, and
Harry will never know" she said.
The ringing of the door-bell start
led her. and hastily Selling a hun
dred dollar bill, pushed the others
back, and closed the drawer, and
thrusting it into the pocket of her
morning wrapper, turned round, as
the door opened and Mrs. GRAVITY
entered.
Tall and very handsome, was it
any wonder that Nellie, simple and
unused to society, should be fascin-
ated by the acknowledged leader of
the circle in which they moved? and
as she came forward and gracefully
returned her %salutation, Nellie won
dered why her husband should dis
like her o
Ah,Nellie did not know the stormy
scene enacted that morning; how
those black eyes had flashed, the ripe
crimson lips had uttered bitter, sharp
words. And the low, musical voice
had been raised till the domestics in
the kitchen had heard that sharp
tone, and knew that Mr.. GRAVITY and
his wife were quarrelling again.
No, she did not know of this, or
she might not have taken the bill
from her kind, generous husband to
appear well in her eyes.
So, when she laughingly told Nell
lie, to run away and change her dress,
for she wanted to secure some of
those elegant laces at Clark G Grays,
Nellie promptly assented. She would
show Harry she was not going to
obey him in all things-certainly not
about giving up Mrs. GRAVITY.
Very pretty she looked when she
again appeared, and annouced her.
self as ready. And later, passing
down Broadway, many turned to
gaze after them, both handsome and
both so different.
Nellie did not get home until near
ly dinner time; so she did not again
try on the garment which had tempt
ed her to wrong but laid it away
carefully so it should not meet her
husbands eyes.
And then changing her dress, went
down stairs to meet Harry.
1t was three weeks since she had
bought the cloak. And she was be-
ginning to feel quite easy in regard
to it. When one day while eating
dinner, Harry suddenly turned to his
wife, a world of love and tenderness
beaming in his dark eyes, and told
her of a stroke of good fortune which
had befallen him that morning.
81 made enough with that already
saved to pay for the house. And
then, my darling, we shall have a
home all our own"
He had risen from the table, and
in the dim light he had failed to no.
tice the sudden paling of the cheeks,
and the small hands lying in her lap
were suddenly closed, and the pink
nails cut deep into the delicate flesh
as Harry continued:
Il think l shall 60 down to Evans
and settle up. / shall sleep better"
sob, no, Harry, don't go. l can't
stay alone"
Her voice had a ring of terror and
anguish in it,and Harry turned quick
" as the sound smote on his ear.
"Nellie, darling, are you sickF"
'TSick? no but L don't want you
To leave me-"