The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1894-02-01
HENRY wOODFORD'S WIFE.
A Chance Bit Of Gossip That
Changed Her Life

"Well, tell me about Henry Wood
ford How did that match turn out?"
Badly enough, thus far. He is the
same delightful good-natured fellow,
always ready to do kind thing. But
that woman will be the ruin of him"
"How? What is the trouble?'
1.-THE trouble is, she fancies herself
an invalid lies around, does nothing
but read-has every foolish whim graf
ified; and, in fact, / don't see how he
stands it."
"Did she have any property|'
"Not a cent 1t was an out-and-out
love match. She has expensive tastes,
and is indolent and extravagant Why,
his carriage hire is big item of itself
She couldn't possibly walk block, you
know"
Perhaps she is really a sufferer"
Nonsense! She had that fall, you
remember, at the skating rink. At
first her spine was thought to be seri-
ously injured Woodford paid out sew
eral hundred dollars to have her cured,
ana the doctors discharged her well,
they said. But it has pleased her to
drag around, load on his hands, ever
since. 1t is thought that he is much
crippled financially; know positively
that he has lately mortgaged his inter-
est in the firm If he can't manage to
make or save five thousand dollars by
the end of this year it is all over with
him; and he will never do it at his pres
ent rate of living"
why doesn't he tell her? Has she
no sense of feeling at alp"
None, except for herself; and he is
so fond of her that he will indulge her
to his very last cent"
Il thought he looked little bit
down as he passed us this morning"
Yes, he is beginning, to realize that
he has gone too far; and, poor fellow,
it is tugging at him hard
Did she hear Alright? Was it of her,
Eleanor Woodford that they were
talking? Swiftly she sped out of the
dark, heavily curtained back parlor of
the stylish boarding house, and into
her room, IA gorgeous alcove apartment
on the first floor. She could not mount
the stairs on account of her weak
spine. Weak spine? She forgot all
about it as she paced the floor, angry
tears gushing from her large, brown
eyes 1t was shame ful--it was wicked
to be 50 abused. She had never in
her whole petted life been found fault
with. As to money, what did she know
about it? Her father, before his failure
a0d death, had always gratified her
Her husband had never made any diff
ference. Yet these were friends of his
Her bitter sobs ceased, and her wound
4
thoughts. Did all the world think of her
with scathing criticisms like those of
the two chance callers, who thus killed
the time while waiting for some one to
come down to them? She began to
feel glad that she had overheard it.
The merest accident had sent her into
the back parlor Was it true? What
could she do? Her dear kind husband
in trouble and she the cause! Oh, she
must help him, somehow! Long she sat
buried in thought, and when the we'll
known step sounded at the door, her
face was radiant with a new resolve.
He came to her large easy-chair with
a step somewhat weary, but his kiss
was as usual "All right, Nellie. Had
"a good day? Why, You look-let me
see-how do you look?" he said, cheer
ily.
81 look as if loved my big boy very
much, don't I?' She responded, mer-
rily
His answer was another kiss, and as
he turned towards his dressing closet
her heart ached with unspollen tender
ness.
Her dinner was brought up. She
was not considered strong enough to
sit at the table For this service an ex-
ira charge was made.
Later, when he opened the evening
paper, she sat and watched him.
Surely those lines of care We're new
now that he was not smiling fondly on
her. Oh, foolish wife! Rising gently,
her long, handsome tea gown trailing
behind her, she stood beside him, one
slender white hand upon his shoulder.
Then, playfully putting by the paper,
she sat down upon his knees.
We'll, dear. what now? Another
new gown he asked, with his old,
sweet smile.
She pressed her lips slowly upon the
broad white brow, another pang at
her heart Then she spoke:
Not this time. Harry, dear, let'sg go
To Mrs. Wicliha ms to board"
Mrs. Wickham's" lie echoed; "why,
you wouldn't stay in her dull little
place a week" But even as he spoke
there flashed through his mind, in rapid
calculation: Twenty dollars week
there; forty here; eighty dollars a
month saved; nearly thousand dol
lars year"
Don't you like IL here?" were his
next words, as he glanced around the
luxurious suite
YES" she said, except that there
are too many people. 1t is SO noisy"
Very well, then, we will try it-any-
thing to please my darling;" and he
wrapped his arms around her as he
would have lulled a restless child
The move was made, and Eleanor
found that she was not SO much fa-
tigued as she had often felt after
days lounging with novel. Her hus-
band thought it only new whim; but,
nc IL nt ha