The Monmouth inquirer., 1890-09-04

some news Of him, for a month ago saw
him in Rio.n
"Indeeds How delightful Do sit down,
Mr.. Thompson. 1t Is very pleasant to meet
any one who has seen my husband so re-
Gently. How was hep
HE was,'' he said, with deliberate hesi-
tation, 'sas well as could be expected?"
GAS we'll as could be expectedw repeated
Mrs Hanscom, with alarm do you
mean that he has been ill?"
"Well, not exactly ill., preyaricated
Tom, who had not yes quite made up his
mind just what to say.
'sBut do understand you? Tell me,
please, what has happened to him."
Mr.. Hanscom wondered what the end
would be- He heartily wished that his
wife would recognize him and settle the
difficulty by throwing her arms around
his neck.
Nothing very serious" said he 81
dare say he has told you that he has be-
come very fond of jaguar hunting!''
ssAh, jaguars! Tell me, Mr.. Thompson,
tell mel''
'sWell, he went out. jaguar hunting one
day, as usual-ah--he was accompanied
only by his servant. They entered the
brush-ah. Suddenly, and without warn
ing, huge female-ah-jagua sprang
upon your husband and-ah-bore him to
the earth The native fed for assistance;
help arrived; the victim was found faint
from loss of blood, with the right arm
torn from its socket, his left eye destroyed,
and the calf of his left g-ah-deeply
scored by the ferocious claws of the cruel
monster"
''Dear me, how alarming" commented
Mrs Hanscom, and the exclamations
seem SO slight after the awful story that
Mr. Hanscom felt seriously disappointed.
''That fully accounts for his low spirits.
His right armn-
Eyes, torn out of the socket. He has
learned to write with his left hand"
''Ah, dreadfull and his left eye de-
stroyeds"
Eyes, be wears glass eye, poor feIlowr'
"It must be agony. And the calf of his
leg deeply scorede Terrible misfortunel
And when you left him how was he? VIII
he survive?" A new light seemed stobreak
upon Mr.. Hanscom Did his wife want
him to survive. He felt by no means sure
of it,
st is impossible to say with certainty"
he said, but you must hope for the best
Let me beg of you, my dear Mrs. Hanscom,
to keep up your spirits"
"Oh, don't see why I should be mis-
cradle There is very pleasant society
about here; and you know there are as
good fish in the sea as ever came out of it
Toms worst suspicious were by this
time more than confirmed '"rhe heart
less woman' he thought. "This is how
she receives the news of my being man
gled and disfgured." But still unwilling
to give up hope, he continued aloud:
fsT1<f.,. Fo11ox,r T oocrrro won fhat sT, his
delirium your name was very often on his
lips"
Indeed? Then he has not quite for
gotten me?"
Forgotten yous'' repeated Tom, his
feelings for the moment getting the better
of him. "Oh, mol think it is but the lot
of few women to have husband SO utterly
devoted to her."
"And of few men to have wife,
$50 charming said Tom, finishing the
sentence.
Oh, Mr.. Thompsonl OF course you will
stay to luncheon. Do, to please me. You
know that q woman hates solitude little
less than smallpox One moment. will
just go and give the necessary orders" and
she quilted the room
''Well, this is awful, reflected her hrls-
band. 'She reminds me that there are as
good fish in the sea as ever came out of it.
Lsuppose she would like to marry some
one else believe will leave her at once
and never let her know the truth"
His meditations were cut short by the
return of his wife. Her style of conversa-
ton made Tom more and more reckless,
and he launched into an account of an i'm
aginary picnic where he had broken the
hearts of several pretty girls and had be-
haved in highly reprehensible manner.
''It must have been very delightful"
said his wife, Il wish had been there I
have nice times here sometimes, and as a
married woman ask whom like to my
house. You must come and sup with me
again, Mr. Thompson" When Tom ap-
peared to get despondent and blue she
told him that he was too good locking to
give up, and that she would give him all
her sympathy.
II am not worrying myself a bit, }" cried
Tom.
u am glad to hear it," returned she, II
don't worry myself. Cozy suppers and'-
"The probable death of your husband"
"Oh, am philosophical. We only lived
together q short time. What am / to him?
What is he to me? Lifei still before me-"
II wonder If she would like to get up a
Irritation with me-" thought Tom. "Ahr'
he said aloud, 'if thought might hope
for little of your sympathy''
Surely it would be unwomanly Of me
to refuse it."
Tom drew his chair little nearer.
ACant you give just little of your sym
pathy and love to me?1 said Tom.
She gave SCARCELY perceptible token OF
assent, when Tom sprang up and con-
fronted her What would your betrayed
husband think Of this? You are vicious
woman. have no respect for you.''
"Then why did you ask for my lover"
Because wished to assure myself that
you were the vicious woman now know
you to be-"
"Are you going, Mr.. Hanscomf' (meekly).
eyes, / had better go; it is for the best;
we could not be happy. Good-by," and
he started for the door.
"Good-by," she echoed, and continued
in another tone, but, Toni
"Tom? Who told you my name was
that?"
"You did, two years ago, you goose"
"And you know me, Lydia; you have
known me all along?"
''No; ! did not know you until YOU told