Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-03-15
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. lie is the
same delightful, good-natured fellow,
always ready to do kind thing But
that woman will be the ruin Of him"
"iow2 What is the troublo2'
1.-THE trouble Is she fancies herself
an invalid; lies around, does nothing
but read-has every foolish whim graf
flied; and, in fact, ! don't see how he
stands it,"
did she have any property"
Not n cent II 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 n block, you
know"
Perhaps she is really sufferer"
"Nonscnsei She had that fall, you
remember, at the skating rink At
FIRST her spine was thought 10 be seri-
ously injured Woodford paid out sew
eral hundred dollars TO have her cured,
and the doctors discharged her well,
they said But IL has pleased her TO
drag around, load on his hands, ever
since. IL Is thought that he Is much
crippled financially; know positively
that nc has lately mortgagcd his inter
est In the firm. II he cant manage to
make or save five thousand dollars by
the end of this year II is all over with
him; and he will never do 1t at his pres
ent rate OF living"
"Why doesn't he tell her2 Has she
] no sense of feelinp mt alp"
"None, except for herself; and he is
40 fond Of her that he will indulge her
10 his very last cent"
II thought be looked a little bit
down as he passed us this morning."
Yes, he is beginning to realize that
he has gone too far; and, poor fellow,
IL Is tugging at him hard"
Did she hear arightp Was IL of her,
Eleanor Woodford, that they were
talking2 Swiftly she sped out of the
dark, heavily curtaned back parlor OF
/ the stylish clearinghouse, and into
her room, a gorgeous alcovc apartment
ON the first door. She could not mount
/ the stairs on account OF her weak
/ spine. Weak spinc2 She forgot all
about II as she paced the floor angry
tears gushing from her large, brown
eyes. IL was shamcful-it was wicked
to be SO abuscd She had never in
her whole petted life been found fault
with As to money, what did she know
about IL? Her father before his failure
aud death, had always gratified her
Her husband had never made any diff
ference. Yet these were friends of his
Her bitter sobs ccasel, and her wound
ed vanity gradually lost itself in better
thoughts Did all the world think of her
with scathing criticisms ike those OF
the two chance callers, who thus killed
the time while waiting for some one to
come down to thcm2 She began To
feel glad that she had overheard II.
The mcrest accident had sent her into
the back parlor. Was it true? What
could she do? Her dear kind husband
in trouble and she the causel 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 new resolve.
lie came TO her large casy-chair with
a step somewhat weary, but his kiss
was as usual '"All right, Nellie. Had
II good dayP Why, you look-let me
see--how do you look2" he said, cheer.
lily.
81 look as II loved my big boy very
much, don't ~" she responded, mer.
rily.
His answer was another kiss and as
he turned towards his dressing closet,
her heart ached with unspolsen 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 were new
now that he was not smiling fondly on
her, Oh, foolish wifel 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 uron his knees.
well, dear, what now2 Another
new gown he asked, with his old,
sweet smile.
She pressed her lips slowly upon the
broad white brow, p.other pang at
Not this time. Harry, dear, let's go
to Mrs. Wickham's to board"
Mrs Wickham's" he 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 Il 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 restless child.
The move was made, and Eleanor
found that she was not so much fa-
tigued as she had often felt after a
days lounging with a novel. Her hus-
band thought IL only new within; but,
as 1t was not an expensive one, he could
not complain. When he wanted to
take her driving, she playfully told
him she was learning TO walk-horses
were not safe.
The first step, she thought Now fol
the next II came TO her almost by
magic In little rear hall room sal
Margaret Devices, clicking away at hei
typewriter, A strong, clear-headed
girl who had maintained herself these