, 1891-05-27
HER SECRET.

HEX OEChEI.
When hat particularly shrewd and
businesslike young man, Mr.. Thomas
Darlington, Joined himself in marriage
to Ada, relict of the late isaac Abrahams,
his friends evinced considerable surprise
at the step. The widow was, indeed. as
they admitted. young and fascinating
and had, moreover, inherited n very sub
stantial fortune from her previous hus-
band But then she was dreadfully ex-
travagant in her habits, and had lately
developed a perfect mania for gambling
In fact, her losses On the turf and AT
the card tables were becoming quite the
talk Of society, and it is certain that
even during the short period which
elapsed between her first husbands death
and the date of her second marriage her
fortune must have been materially di-
minished by the drains she made upon
it In another year or two at her pres
ent rate she would. so Toms friends
said, run through it altogether, and then
he would find himself in the unenviable
position of having to support a recklessly
spendthrift wife entirely out Of his own
pocket.
A few Of his greatest intimates i'm
pressed this upon him before he took the
final plunge, and urged him to back out
Of his engagement ere 1t was yet too late.
But Tom turned a deaf ear TO their ad-
vice. He was very much in love with
the charming widow And, besides, he
entertained "A strong hope that after their
union he should be able to reform, or at
least control. his wife's extravaganza.
Instead, therefore, OF trying to cry off
the match, he hurried it forward to the
best Of his ability, in order that she
might have as short an interval ms pos
sible in which to enjoy the unchecked
expenditure of her money.
But when he was married to the lady
he found that his hope Of being able to
reform her had been decidedly chimer-
ical. Self willed and headstrong, she
would scarcely endure advice, much less
any semblance Of restraint. So, after q
few months of useless remonstrance, he
gave up all attempt at genuine reforma-
ton as a bad job, and had to content
himself with showing silent disapproval
OF her extravagances, or with throwing
in their way such feeble obstacles as he
could. These were slight enough, for
her fortune was entirely 1t her own CON
troll Still they were not quite fruitless,
And as time went on, people noticed
that Mrs. Partington's gambling transac-
lions were on a much smaller scale.
Her best friends began to hope hat the
Instincts of the mother were beginning
to assert themselves over the cravings of
the gambler, and hat it was thought for
the little one whom she was soon expect
ing that thus checked her in her career
of mad extravaganza. 1t is certain at
any rate, that, as time went forward,
she grew every day more out of spirits,
and nothing was more likely-for, with
all her faults, she was a soft hearted wom-
an-than that she should be fretting over
her past selfish extravaganza, as a sort of
robbery perpetrated on her unborn off
spring. Perhaps, also, her weakened
physical condition contributed its quota
to this altered frame of mind. But
whatever the reasons may have been,
the fact was undoubtedly there. And
each day the once lighthearted and reck-
less woman grew more moody and de-
pressed.
Tom appeared to notice this change in
his wife. His name toward her, al
ways kin and attentive, became actual
ly tender in its consideration, and he
tried his hardest to soothe away her
gathering depression of spirits. He was
not able to be with her much in the day
time, for, shortly after his marriage, be-
ing tired Of having nothing to do, he had
put some of his money into business"
in the city, where his constant presence
was now required; but he regularly spent
his evenings at home, hardly ever going
to the theater or to his club.
His wife seemed to feel his considerate
tenderness very deeply, for several times,
as he sat beside her of an evening, with
his arms thrown c~aressingly around her,
she suddenly buried her face on his
shoulder and burst into tears-like one
whose remorse is awakened by unmerited
and unlocked for kindness. On each of
these occasions Tom felt by n certain
subtle and inpalpable instinct that his
wife was on the very verge of making
some coufession-perhaps of sorrow and
regret for her defiant attitude toward
him in the past, But although by his
comforting words and soothing caresses
he did his best to invite her confidence,
the confession which he felt to be hang
ing on her lips never issued from them.
Meanwhile, what was SO clear to her
husband did not escape the notice of Mrs.
Partington's female friends, OF these
she had many, but by far the most
favored and confidential of them was
Mrs. Brandon, an old schoolfellow with
whom she had kept up a lifelong init