Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-05-31
about to sob in her fear. ashall we no

about to sob in her fear. "Shall we not
" send for mother2"
4 tSend for your motherl" repeated.
"Send for fiddlesticks, said l, with reck-
less irreverence. "Why, see therei
\ Look?" and along the side of the instru-
ment were the words bliss heat, 100
!. degrees; affection, 100 degrees, friend
4 ship, so degrees; indifference, so de-
4 grees; GOODNESS, 40 degrees, aversion, 20
i degrees; hatred, degrees
| "oh, John, ]" was my wifes appeal,
i s'don't keep the ho1rid thing in the
i house. am sure if is something dread
full" and few tears did gather in her
II eyes.
| 'Have no fear, Angelica" cried,
| kissing away her tears. "Have no fear.
4 See, the thermometer stands at 120 de-
grees; bliss heat, dearest. Hurrah for
psychic forcen And the dear girl actu-
Il ally laughed in the swift transition of
feeling, and joined in the rapturous
!, hurrah. tsHurrah for Uncle John ~ We
then both exclaimed together, and An
gelica kissed the thermometer in her en-
4 thusiasm. The warm hearted grill Bliss
4 heat, now and forever How kind, how
\ noble of dear uncle, to send us what
would be a perpetual photograph, as it
were, of loves young dream And that
evening l prayed-Angelica joining in
the aspiration-tha uncle's govt would
soon forever disappear, and we resolved
to invite him for a lengthy visit. Then,
d toward midnight, we stole down cautl-
ously to the dining room, where we had
arranged lovely niche for the thermome-
ter, and with what rapture did we note
how the psychic force still stood at bliss
heat-1S0 degrees.
$50 shall it ever bel" was my pious
exclamation, and Angelica responded
with a fervent hand clasp.
wish to relate faithfully and soberly
kthe history of that wedding gift, and its
influence on our lives and characters. If
II relied on my memory alone l might
perhaps exaggerate, or appear to do so.
Happily there is another resource, and
| one whose exactness and fidelity can be
depended upon. 1t is my diary, wherein
| am accustomed to chronicle the throb-
bings of my inner life and the record of
each passing day. A few pages will tell
the whole eventful story.
July 10th-Angelica was charming
vision at breakfast She is bewitching
in every mood, and how ardently love
her. The mufhus were exquisite. Dear,
noble little woman, so tender and 50 af-
| fectionate How beautiful she bakes,
1t will be rapture to teach her German,
which is my passion, Shall instruct her
according to the natural method, and then
read Don Carlos to her. Its ideal senti-
ments, its glowing imaginary, its magniti-
cent style, will inspire her with enthu-
siasm The thermometer at bliss heat
is our daily benediction. We gaze at it
at all hours, and then at each other. Both
tell the same story. How sweet is exist
ence-surely life is worth living. 1t is
two weeks since our wedding.
June 12th--A very curious occurrence
! happened this evening at dinner. ! was
just enjoying the roast lamb, when an
organ grinder appeared, and his monkey
began to rub its nose against the window
bars. sect off, | cried, ''you wretch"
"Ah, John, do let it play. love mon
keys" ''But, Angelica, that music dis
turbs my appetite. Begonei'' l cried
again to the man. Angelica pressed her
handkerchief to her eyes My angel
weeping l gazed at the thermometer.
1t marked 100 degrees, and the psychic
force was rapidly falling. 'Here!' l
shouted to the man, "here is a dollar,
and come every evening at this hour.
The man grinned, the monkey took off
its cap, my angel smiled, and | was
saved Again the thermometer stood at
100 degrees. 1t was narrow escape.
Life, life, thou art precipice-one false
step, one needless act, and the abyss re-
ceives US. To think that our bliss was
! almost wrecked by monkey,
June 14th--I gave my darling her first
lesson in German by the natural method.
1t went off beautifully. She has lovely
Aussprache; the words roll like velvet
from her lips. To hear her say das
Thermometer is an education in itself.
On coming home to dinner found An
gelica very much fiurried. She explained
that the cook was i'll, and she herself had
to prepare the repast. congratulated
her thousand times until her eyes
sparkled like an electric light I told
her afterward, in a casual way, that the
soup would have tasted better with mint
instead of mace, ard she burst at once
into tears, while to my horror the Their
mometer began rapidly falling until sixty
degrees was reached. "Angelicar'
cried, ~ was only jesting." And,
soothed by my endearments, her tears
vanished, and she actually asked me to
give her second lesson in German
while the thermometer just as rapidly
rose to bliss heat 1t was again mar
row escape. And when l told her of it
she murmured; 'sDear John, forgive me !
am so inpatient" Was ever mortal SO
happy
June 15th--Happiues is a sportive god.
1t is never an abiding possession. So
happy yesterday, and tonight, as write
these lines, how wretched And from
such trife, too. Ny darling asked me
why did not come home earlier to din
ner. l laughed at her remark, and gave
bantering reply. 81 am not jesting,"
she rejoined. you used to spring up
tie stairs, and now you saunter slowly"
"But, my love, am tired when | come
home +" eff you really loved me" she
responded, 'you would never be fatigued. |
But you are tired of me, suppose and |
she burst into tears. felt really vexed |
at her want of sense, and such cold, |
dull pam, born of disappointment and |
despair, seized me that answered harsh
ly. She looked at the thermometer, and |
my paralyzed gaze noted it swiftly fall |
ing, despite my imploring gestures.
Down, down, sank the psychic force I'm
til it reached twenty degrees (aversion), |
and with shudder she left the room, re-
marking stingingly: "Thisis your work,
sir" My work! My work! And
adore her, despite my harsh reply. Oh,
life, life, thou art mystery And |
woman, thou art doubly 4 mystery. And |
Angelica, thou art .tre5ly a mystery. |
There was no German lesson to-day .
To think that she cherishes aversion
she of all beings. And l thought it
would be ''bliss heat" forever 49,.
have not the heart to continue these |
extracts from my diary. Their general |
tenor can be very well gathered; they re
corded such changes in temperature that |
we were both in despair Each mood 90 |
49,