Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1895-06-06

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"ShaII l go and receive your husband,
or will you go?'
"You. No; perhaps l had better do II
myself, Send him in here. III manage
my own affairs
And she did manage them-how was
never accurately known. But half an
hour after Mr.. and Mrs. Alexander
Thomson were seen sitting together on
the drawing-room sofa, as comfortable
as il they had never been separated.
And most likely half the world would
say the wife was quite right in thus full
filling to the letter her marriage vow,
condoning everything, shutting her eyes
to everything, making believe that wrong
was right, and going back in the most
respectable manner to her husbands
house, there to sustain the character of q
blameess British matron, She did it "for
the best" as many women would argue,
or "for the sake OF the child" which Is the
argument Of hundreds more who deliber-
ately continue in wealthy dishonor; for
what dshonor can be worse than mar
riage without respect and without loyeW
But, as the proverb says, Bella had
made her bed, and must lie in It," No
body had right to interfere or advise.
Silence never attempted to do either She
sat with the child in her lap, the poor
pitful little creature whom she had
grown fond Of, and was almost sorry to
lose, till she was sent for into the draw
ng-room, and then, to make things less
difficult she entered with baby in her
arms.
It's father civilly noticed it and her,
and there was a slight CLEAN Of pleasure
in his dull fshy eyes, rs If he were proud,
after fashion, of his good-looking, clever
wife, and of his new paternal dignity.
mice little thing! And Mrs. Thomson
tells me you have been so kind to it and
to her, Mrs. Jardine. Accept my thanks,
my very best thanks. 1t was quite good
idea of my wife's this-coming to you
for change of air"
eyes, Blackhail is an exceedingly
healthy place" said Bella, with laugh
her old careless laugh. If there was q
ring of mockery, even contempt in it.,
the man was too dull to find 1t out. He
eyed her with extreme respect-nay, adj
miration-and put his arm round her
waist with pompous demonstrativeness,
as if to prove to all the world what an
exceedingly happy couple they were.
The tragedy had melted into genteel
comedy, nay, almost into broad farce,
were il not for the qlender line that so
often is drawn between the ludicrous and
the ghastly.
II suppose we had better leave at once.
BY changing horses we shall post fast
enough to reach home tonight and go to
your fathers on New Years eve" said
Bella, hurriedly. $50, my dear Silence,
we won't wait till my brother comes
home. Mr. Thomson is decent enough
now" she added in whisper; ''but, by
and by. after dnner-I don't want Rody
to see him after dinner. We shall post
all the way" she said aloud, "and by mid
night we shall be at home"
"Wbere l hope soon to have the pleas
ure of seeing Mrs. Jardine," continued
Mr. Thomson, with ponderous polite
ness. "Assure your husband that he will
be always welcome at our place, and III
give him tho best glass of wine, or whis
ky, If he likes it, to be found in all Scot
land. And-and-
Come away, Silence. I'll get my things
ready and the child's in ten minutes
Make. haste"
But even when the two sisters were
alone together both carefully avoided
any confidential word. Bella made nc
explanation, and never named her hus
band but once, when Silence proposed
to give him some refreshment.
ooh, he has taken care of himself al
ready; trust him for that. He always
takes care Of himself. Why, my dear
if there is one creature in the world
whom that man never forgets, it is Alex
ander Thomson"
No answer. None was possible. An(
Bella kept up her hard, gay, reckless man
ner, neither shedding tear nor utterinl
one grateful or regretful word all the
time Silence was dressing the baby Only
at the very last minute, when she saw 1T
aunt press n last tender kiss on the poo
little pinched-up face, the woman in he
could not help showing itself, even through
the "grand air. which had now who'll!
returned to Mrs. Alexander Thomson.
"God bless you, and give you one o
your own" said she, pressing her sister
hand. "You have been very kind to mi
and mine, and always would have been
1 know that. But it's better as it is.
couldn't stand poverty. l always di'
enjoy life, and l always must. lie is Il
very good circumstances and he promise
me l shall have everything can wish fol
So, good-by, Silence. | suppose nobod
is ever very happy, except you"
Bella went down stairs, the other fol
lowing and accepting mutely her volumir
GUS public thanks for the great kindness
she had received, and how she hoped t
come again soon to Blackhall
"And, my DEAR mind you clear out b
then all Cousin Silence's old sticks, an
have the house thoroughly done up, moo
ern fashion. There is a man at Richer
den who will do it WE'LL Rody knows hin
BY the by. tell Rody-"she turned shad
paler. and her lip quivered for momen
''No; tell him nothing; he won't care. II
will be only to glad to find his house emf
ty, and have his wife all to himself
some husbands are Come Mr.. Thon
: son'-she always called him Mr.. Thon
son-"if we don't make haste we shall
benighted, and you will have to dine
, some horrid roadside inn, which yo
know you couldn't stand on any accoun
, Good-by, Silence, thousand thanks an
| u happy New Year! It's close at han