The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1892-05-13
THAT LETTER TO NED.

was an enviable one She was young,
she had more than her share of good
.ooks, and Jack was, all things con-
,idered, a model husband. Generally
speaking, the handsome young Bohemian
was a fortunate man, inasmuch as sue
cess had come to him tolerably early in
ife. He was a popular member of the
Savage Club, and he had no difficulty in
lindng market for all his literary
wares. And when g man gets into the
:'ight swim it is comparatively
Easy matter to make an income of 81 900
IL year without any unnecessary call on
the imaginative faculties. Anyway,
Jacks house in the Avenue road, Regents
Park, was one of the prettiest and pleas
antest in London.
Nelly had furnished it after her own
heart. She found herself in the most
select Bohemian circle in London, which
20 the most enjoyable society in the world.
4 handsome, devoted husband, good
looks, good health and plenty of money
20 spend-it may be asked what any
woman wanted more
But, of course, she dill want more. 1t
IS astonishing how the crumpled rose
leaves annoy us in the hour of prosperity,
when at less fortunate periods we do not
notice them at all. AS matter of fact,
pretty little Nelly was passionately fond
If her husband. and like most people who
love strongly, she was given to cherish a
secret jealousy Of everything that came
between herself and her husban nd She
was ashamed Of this feeling, of course.
She would hardly admit to herself how
she grudged Jack the hours he spent in
his little den; she could be barely civil to
Ned Graham, the well-known author,
who called so frequently, and who had
written so many things in collaboration
with Jack
And when Graham removed himself
and his belongings to Scarborough
for six months Nellie was unutterably
glad-not that she knew why OF that she
saw much more of Jack, for the matter
Of that, but she felt glad and ashamed at
The same time.
"lt is all very well for you to talk like
chat, though" Jack said one day when
Nell had ventured to hint at her pleasure
over Graham's departure, "but it's no
end of nuisance for me just now, espec-
tally as we are writing something for the
Midas Magq2ine together, and CAN'T get
him to answer my letters. I've suggested
II great improvement in the plot, and be-
yond postcard to say that he really
can't see it can get no reply. Unless l
get something definite by tomorrow l
must run up to Scarborough and see him.
| promised Parkinson faithfully that the
story should be sent in by the first of the
month.
The corners of Nellie's mouth went
down and an imploring look came into
her blue eyes. There was always some
thing coming between her and Jack.
but you won't go alone, 4" she said,
"you will take me, Jack? ?"
"Oh. nonsense!" Jack returned,
brightly. Il shall only spend one night
there, and back the following day; and
| don't want to drag you about unneces-
sarily. Besides, just now don't know
which way to turn. haven't had line
from Graham for fortnight, although l
have written twice to him. And what
about Kitty"
Nell made no reply; her soul was all
up in arms, and Jack would have been
simply astounded had he known what
an effect his few words had produced.
There was no getting over Kitty, as
Nell knew very well, because Kitty was
Jack's sister, of whom he was very fond
and Kitty, who was nurse in one of the
great Northern hospitals, was coming to
London on the morrow to spend a hard.
earned fortnight's holiday.
Il dare say you are right, Nell OBJ
Sc we'd, with Christian resignation and
feeling very like a martyr, "Of course,
in any case business must be attended to,
and old married people like us have no
time for sentiment. will go and meet
Kitty tomorrow, after you are gone.
Don't mind me at all. "
As matter of fact Jack didn't; the
little sarcasm flew over his head because
his mind was already in his writing room,
where in q few moments he took his
body also. When he departed for the
North on the following morning-he no.
ticed nothing different in his wife's man.
ner; he loved her well enough, perhaps
better than she did him, and after all
what was an absence of twenty-fouI
| hours?
Nell busted herself about the house q
m'rtyr to duty, and rather enjoying the
sensation than otherwise. She took her
luncheon previous to going to meet Kitty
at Kings Cross, and for time forgot hel
WOES in her correspondence. There were
lot Of letters for Jack. too. as Nell pres,