Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-08-09
fooleries of two years ago2" she asked sar-

y
castically.
''No; | have forgotten them," replied
Strickland with frown.
And the two looked into each other
eyes, like two duelists.
"When will you come here? asked
Strickland.
This evening. will bring my things
and shall slightly disarrange this anc
that. / hope l shall not inconvenience
you. You are not expecting any one?"
'No one was going out. If you wish
l will stay and assist you. My engagement
is unimportant."
"Pray go. We should have to talk, and
we have nothing to say to each other"
Nothing. Will you dine here?"
No, thanks; Pll go home now and re.
turn by and by"
She rsse Strickland bowed in re-
Spouse to her bow, conducted her to the
door without another word, and returned
with 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 filled the uases, 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 work basket.
By the hearth his visitor was sitting in a
low chair, her little feet half buried in the
bear-skin rug, and her head reposed on
her hand, while she gazed wistfully into
the fire.
Was it a dream? Bertha's flowers !;
Bertha's music. Bertha herself in his
home again Two years misery can
celled in an evening In a moment rushed
across his memory a golden wooing, a
proud wedding, happy months, and the
bitter day of separation. He turned away
and passed to his room, saying Good
night p
Good night~ replied his wife without
moving.
The strange event that had taken place
in Gerard Strickland's house prevented
none of its inmates enjoying wholesome
nights rest. Bertha, persuaded that to-
comedy could effect no real
change in her relation to her husband,
went to her room with the feelings of one
who spends night in hotel. Strickland,
regarding the past as irremedi-
able, read in bed for half an hour and
then fell asleep.
To get married they had both committed
a thousand follies. After meeting her at
4 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
his idolized daughter. The
young married people, passionately at
.ached to each other, enjoyed fifteen
months of remarkable happiness, and then
came the end.
Bertha became jealous. Devoted to her
husband, proud, hasty, immoderate in all
ler thoughts and emotions, she resented,
with all the intensity of her nature,
meeting between Strickland and former
lame, dance, note, half an hours con-
Fersation. The husband unfortunately
net her passionate expostulations with
he disdainful insoucidnce of an easy tenn
permanent. The inevitable consequence en-
sued, bitter misunderstanding. An i'm
oudent servant, a malicious acquaintance,
half dozen venomous tongues, dashed the
wife's jealousy into madness. Al explana
lion demanded from her husband was re-
used with a sneer. He had begun to
.hink her a proud, unloving woman, and.
Under the circumstances, judged elf-justi
ication ridiculous The following morning
;he entered his library and with marvellous
without quayering over a single
word, announced to him their immediate
paration-forever Taken by surprise,
tried to temporize, acknowl-
edged he had been thoughtless, did all in
/ mans power to avoid the rupture. Ber-
.ha only replied so proudly and with so
much severity that self-respect forbade
aim further self-defense.
They separated Strickland externally
,ore his misfortune with quiteness, and,
n counsel with his own conscience, con-
,luded his life broken and ruined by
lis own want of tact. The
husband and wife met two or
.hree times, as people meet who barely
know each other. He devoted himself to
professional duties, resumed some of his
bachelor habits and amused himself as he
could. She led quiet, almost solitary life,
her pleasures to such simple
enjoyments as she could provide herself at
home, and seldom appearing in public.
On one point both agreed-to write regu-
Iarly to Bertha's father, repeating such
;tereotyped phrases as: Bertha is we'll
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 sea-
side"
1t will be easily believed that to go to
her husbands house and ask a favor Of
him had cost Bertha's pride a struggle
For papa's sake for papa's sakew she re-
peated to herself, to steel her nerves to the
cold courtesy had considerably lessened.
If he would be equally considerate on the
little spirit, little self-com-
mand, and some clever pretending might
enable them safely to conduct her father
through the few hours to be spent it
town, to see him off to Victoria and,
with polite bow, to separate and return
to their several existences.
Dinner was ended. Mr.. Gregory smiled
and happiness, and the two
actors at the opposite ends of the table, of
smiled, too.
Their parts had proved difficult. From
the moment of the old gentleman's arrival
they had had to call each other by their
Christian names, and to use the little en-
dearments of two married people still in
love. More than once, word, an intona-
ton that sounded like an echo of the
dead past, made Strickland pale and Ber-
tina tremble Their embarrassment mo-
mentarily increased. The more perfect
their discrimination, the bitterer
was the secret remorse that rung
the hearts of both of them, while they ex-
changed for meaningless things, words,
looks and smiles, once the most sacred
signs of affection. With the fear of be-
traying themselves was intermixed
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