Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-04-13
FROM THE SAME To THE SAME

Dear Aunt: l am writing to you from
my bed, where l lie crushed by the emo.
tion of that dreadful scene. Who could
have dreamed that things would have
transpired thus? However, all nv pre-
cautions were taken. / had sent word to
Martha and her sister, who were to come
at l O'Clock, and had arranged for the
grand fnote to take place as soon as we had
finished lunch, and while the servants
were clearing the table in the dining
room, which adjoins his study. From
early morning my batteries were prepared
AN hour of scales and piano studies. the
Monastery Bell" ''Silvery Waves the
"Reyeries of Rosellen," and all the other
pieces he detests. The exasperating music
did not prevent him from working stead
lly, without any visible signs of irritation.
AT breakfast he displayed the same pa
tlence, and what an execrable breakfast it
was-scraps, and sugared dishes which he
cannot endure. And if you had seen nv
toilet! A pilgrim dress five years out of
date, little black silk apron, and hair
uncurled looked for signs of displeas-
ure on his forehead-for that deep wrinkle.
so well known, which Monsieur shows be.
tween the eyebrows at the slightest annoy-
ance. Well, if you believe me. | saw
nothing. 1t actually seemed as if some
one had exchanged husbands with me.
He said to me, in a calm but somewhat sad
tone:
What! have you resumed your former
head-dress?"
hardly answered, not wishing to pre-
cipitate matters before the arrival of my
witnesses; and then, too, odd as it NAV
seem, l felt myself affected, agitated before
hand with the scene that l was about to
invite. AT length, after few rather sharp
replies on my part, he arose from the table
and withdrew to his study. L followed,
trembling from head to foot | heard nv
friends taking their positions in the little
parlor, and Peter going back and forth
putting away the silver and glasses. The
time had come. 1t was necessary to bring
him to blows, and that seemed an easy
undertaking after all l had done since
early morning to irritate him.
Upon entering his study | must have
been as white as death. The thought came
to me: Suppose he should kill mep He
did not look very terrible, however, living
upon his divan, with a cigar in his mouth,
DO | disturb you?" asked /, in nv most
cutting voice.
NO." replied he, TRANQUILITY "You see,
| am not working"
"Indeed p retorted /, still very spiteful;
"do you never work ?"
His answer came as gentle as before:
g You mistake, my dear. On the contrary,
| work very hard. Only our trade is of
the kind in which one can work without a
tool in the hand"
"And what are you doing Just now ?"
said sneeringly. "Ah! yes, l know
your poem; the one we have heard of for
the last two years. Do you know that it
is very lucky for you that your wife had a
fortune? 1t permits you to lounge as
much as you pleaser'
/ thought he would prance with anger.
Not at all. He came and took me very
afiectionately by the hand, saying:
There. there! is it going to be the
same thing again? Are we going to renew
our former hostilities? Why, then, did
you come back? ?'
| confess that / felt somewhat moved by
the sad and affectionate tone of his voice:
but l thought of you, my poor aunt, of
your exile, and all of his faults, and that
gave me courage. / said the most bitter
and cruel things | could think of-that [
was sorry / had married an author; that
everybody at Moulins pitied me; that
found my friends married to magistrates.
to serious, influential and prominent men,
money-but no, Monsieur was working for
fame. And what fame it was At
Moulins nobody knew him; at Paris his
plays we're Missed; his books did not SELL
and so forth and so on, till my head turned
with all the wicked speeches which sprang
in torrents to my lips. He looked at me
without answering, impossible in his an
ger. Naturally, this coolness exasperated
me all the more. | was so excited that
no longer recognized my own voice, which
had risen to an extraordinary pitch, and
the last words that screamed at him-I
do not remember what unjust or foolish
sarcasm it was-fairly buzzed in my deaf
ened ears. This time, l thought, surely
Monsieur would commit the necessary
act of violence Livid, with clenched
teeth, Henri took two steps toward me, say
ing:
Madame"
Then his anger suddenly cooled, his
face became once more impossible, and he
looked at me with an expression so dis
dainful, so insolent, so calm.
Oh ma toi; my patience was exhausted
! raised my hand, and whackl l gave
him the finest slap l ever administered in
my life At the noise thereof, the door
opened suddenly, and my witnesses came
in, shocked and solemn.
Monsieur" they began, "this is an out
ragew
''Is it not ?" said the poor boy, showing
his smarting and Redeemed cheek.
You may imagine my confusion. Hap
PLY, | took refuge in faint, and after
ward wept to my hearts content, which
greatly relieved my overstrained nerves
Now Henri is in my room. He watches
me, nurses me, and is really very kind to
me. But what am going to do? What
a dilemma. Oh, won't lawyer Pettibry
be furious over the loss of his easel
ANTI-MASONIC DAYS