The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-03-02

one. whats the use Of my being
rich, if l can't help my friends who
are poor?" he would say, and it Was
in vain l preached to him on the ut
ter uselessness of such doings.
OF course we didn't stag in New
York long, but shortly migrated TO
Irvington; and soon after arrived
Dirk Van KhoGnhyde, and took up
his abode with us, apparently for the
summer. thought this rather cool
for am sure, whatever l may have
said, never meant him to stay more
than usual visit; but after all he
was very amusing and useful, and
fetched and carried for me very well,
and always looked nice, and never
dreamed of flirting with any one but
me; though Mrs. Daydreeme would
have given her eyes to detach him.
So, as long as Tom did not object,
it was not for me to DO so; but after
he had been with us about six weeks
Tom did object, and for the first time
his manner to me was decidedly I'M
pleasant.
''Some i'll natured womarf has been
abusing me to you" | said, for Was
annoyed. / liked Tom to be always
smiling and affectionate to me.
Il shouldn't allow any one to abuse
you to me, but confess Ihave heard
something that has put me out. "
Tom was getting rather white. l
had never seen him angry before, and
think it became him. | felt that if
he looked at me long in that stern
way should give in; begin to cry,
and ask him to pet me again; but he
said nothing, evidently putting Il
good deal of restraint on himself to
remain silent, and left my room. And
then set to work and cried just like
the heroine of one of those dreary
romances that amused our grand
mothers, who We're always retiring to
their own rooms, letting down their
back hair, and, while calling Oil their
lovers by their surnames, shedding
bucketfuls of tears. But it was. of
course, important thatin our first do
nestle difference / should win; so |
stood firmly to my guns, land that very
night, before Tom and several other
people, l asked Dirk to manage SO
that he could stay with us to the
end of the summer. Dirk, who had
never intended to go, accepted with
rather amused look in his face, and
said things to me that evening
when Tom was nodding over the pa
per in the smoking room-which |
ought not to have allowed; but |
was angry with Tom-and-,you
might as well have tried to quiet a
mad bull with bundle of tracts as
try to bring confusion on a Nine
teenth century Adonis with cold
looks:
/ am not going to weary you by
the account of how Dirk gradually
got a certain amount of influence
over me, and made me do things
that at heart / did not want to co,
and tell him-which was not tru2-
that was fond of him, and made me
use all sorts of little mean tricks to
blind poor, dear Tom, who neverthe-
less seemed to be losing his spirits,
and tretting a good deal about some
thing. But then there was one thing
we overlooked, and which lam really
ashamed to put down here, to VT,
that 1 liked my husband better than
Mr.. Dirk Van khounhyde.
At last / think this strange fact
seemed to dawn upon Dirk. He be-
came savage, and tryrannized over
me in the most fearful manner.
really had to maneuver with intense
cunning to get a little time alone
with Tom now and then, and Dirk
was always catching us together, and
was angry after having done SO, so
that my life was made perfectly
wretched. Tom'slow spirits, too, did
not make things much pleasanter,
and my delight knew no bounds,
when one day toward the end July,
Dirk informed us that he was going
to Narragansett for week. l tried
to catch Toms eye as he told us this,
but only caught Dirk's and he divin-
ed what was in my mind, and looked
positively diabolic.
AS the time for his departure grew
near l counted the days; but my dis
appointment was great when, the
very day before the blessed departure
was to take place, Tom suddenly de-
termined to go to New York.
81 have had some business to at
tend to for some time," he said when
we were alone together for few
moments, Dirk having gone to the
stable to smoke pipe, "and-and-
perhaps it is best that you should
know the truth, Cornelia. You have
chosen that people should talk oil
you in such q way that, though, Of
course, do not believe there is a
particle Of truth in the gossip, yet
don't choose to leave Irvington while
Van Khounhyde is here. His visit
to Narragansett enables me to at
tend to my business
Ilonged to tell him all-yes, al
the truth-for Tom would have for
given me, | know, Dirk came in al
that moment, and the opportunity
was lost. The next day Tom tool
IN early train, and Dirk was to sc
after lunch. | found a note from
Tom on the hall table when | cam'
down. 1t was stiff and ill expressed
but could read affection and pail
between the lines, and | made up m,
mind on the spot as to my course O
action.
managed to avoid Dirk tillluncnh
con, and then, to my horror, he in
formed me that he had changed hi
plans and was not going to Nar
ragansett!
Indeed, l wrote to put that Of
three days ago." he said, smiling il
such charming way, directly
heard he was going to town. w
shall have a whole week together"
Whs. could / do? | could not turf
the maa out of the house, and yet
knew .hat the talk-bad enough be
fore-would redouble now. Wha
could do? What could | say?
made up my mind. Just as th
servants were laying the cloth for din
ner, when Dirk was smoking his usua
cigarette in the conservatory, a veile'