Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-05-15

she QeuldQueQ.
No. am ready But see many diff
hculties. The servant?"
Give the new man-servant found here
this morning a holiday. | will speak to
Thomas"
If friend should call?"
You will see no one
. Ii we meet your father, people will see
US together
I'VE will 60 in closed carriage
" our father will stay here several hours.
Good aud Supplemented as he is do YOU
believe it possible he will not recognize "a
bachelor house?''
Il will send my work, my music, and so
ON, this evening Ny room?"
is as you left it.
''Sentimentalityr'
| "No-respect.
Have you any further objections?'
None. 1t remains to be seen whether
we shall be able to deceive Mr. Gregory. y
| by playing the affectionate couple.
Can you remember your grimaces and
fooleries of two years ago." she asked sar-
castically.
No; | have forgotten them" replied
Strickland, with frown.
And the two looked into each other s
eyes like two duellists.
when will you come here?" asked
Strickland.
This evening. I will bring my things
and shall slightly disarrange this and
that. | hope | shall not inconvenience
you. You are not expecting anyone?"
NO one: l was going out. If you
wish [ will stay and assist you. My
engagement is unlmportant. "
Pray go: We should have to talk, and
we have nothing to say to each other
Nothing. Will you dine here?''
mo, thanks; III GO home now and re-
turn by and by"
She rose. Strickland bowed in response
to her bow, conducted her to the door
without another word and returned with a
sense of relief to the library.
When he returned home, shortly after
midnight, the house had resumed an as
pect long strange to it. Lights were burn
ing In the drawing room and little alter
alton IN the arrangement Of the furniture
had restored to the room forgotten grace.
Bouquets of flowers filed the vases and a
faint sweetness of violets foated about the
hall and staircase. The piano was open
and some music stood on the bookstand.
On the boudoir table was a work basket.
By the hearth the visitor was sitting in
low chair, her little feet half buried in the
bearskin rug and her head reposed on her
hand, while she gazed wIstfully into the
| fire.
Was it dream? Bertha s flowers,
| Bertha music. Bertha herself in his
home again! Two years misery cancelled
in an evening! In a moment rushed
across his memory golden wooing,
proud wedding. happy months and the
bitter day of separation. He turned away
and passed to his room, saying: Good
night
Good night replied his wife, with
out moving.
The strange event that had taken place
in Gerard Strickland's house prevented
none Of its inmates enjoying d whole
some nights rest. Bertha, persuaded that
| tomorrow comedy could effect no real
change in her relation to her husband, went
spends night in hotel Strickland,
similarly regarding the past as irremedi
| able, read in bed for half an hour and
| then fell asleep.
To get married they both committed
thousand follies. After meeting her at
table d hote, Strickland had pursued her
half over Europe, vanquished the difficult
ties of an approach to her father in his
secluded country house, and ultimately,
assisted by the lady's prayers and tears,
gained the Old mans reluctant consent
to surrender his idolized daughter.
The young married people, pass ionately
attached to each other, enjoyed fifteen
months of remarkable happiness and then
came to an end
Bertha became jealous. Devoted to her
husband, proud, hasty, immoderate in all
her thoughts and emotions. she resented.
with all the intensity of her nature, a
meeting between Strickland and former
fame, dance, note. half an hours con-
versation. The husband unfortunately met
her passionate expostufation with the
dlsdalnful msouclaAce OF an easy tempera-
ment. The inevitable consequence ensued,
a bitter misunderstanding. An impudent
servant, malicious acquaintance, half
dozen venomous tongues, lasheu the
wife's jealousy into madness. An ex-
PLANTATION demanded from her husband
was refused with a sheer. He had began
to think her proud, unloving woman,
and. under the circumstances, judged
self-justifcation ridiculous. The follow
ing morning she entered his library and
with marvellous calmnesss, without qua
vering over a single word, announced to
him their immediate separation forever
Taken by surprise, Strickland tried to
temporize, acknowledge he had been
thoughtless. did all in a mans power to
rupture Bertha only replied so proudly
ami with so much severity that self-re-
spect forbade him further self-defense.
They separated. Strickland externally
lore his misfortune with quietness, and in
counsel with his own conscience concluded
his life broken and ruined by his own want
of tact. The husband and wife met two
or three times, as people must who barely
know each other. He devoted himself to
professional duties and amused himself as
he could. She led quite, almost solitary
life, restricting her pleasures to such
simple enjoyments as she could provide
herself at home, and seldom appearing
in public. One point both agreed-to
write regularly to Bertha's father, re-
peating such stereotyped phrases as Der
| tina is well and sends her love. | believe
| she wrote to you few days ago. Gerard
is well and at present very busy. He will
not this year be able to accompany me to
the seaside
IL will be easily believed that to go to her
husbands house and to ask favor of him
had cost Berth's pride struggle. For
papa sake; for papas sake!' she re-
peated to herself, to steel her nerves to the
humiliation, which, however. Strickland's
cold courtesy had considerably lessened.
If he would be equally considerable on the
morrow a little spirit, a Titles self COM
mand and some clever pretending might
enable them safely to conduct her father