Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-12-19

gratitude. her humility-could he evel
forget themi She had needed him, come
to him in the sanctity Of remorseful an
guish and SO had disarmed the devi
who for a moment had stood whisper
ing at his side.
In a twinkling the room was illu
mined, and starting up, his face marred
by tears and passion, he faced his wife.
She was standing under the gas jet in
the corner, her trembling fingers still
holding the little knob. An impish fury
made her small body quiver. Her face
was blush white, the hairpins around
which she had twisted the fringe OF
hair above her forehead stood upright
and trembled with demoniac signifi.
.cance.
Hugh spoke first. For Marian's sake
he hoped the actual words of that inter
view had not been overheard, but lie
feared the worst
"You have grown tired waiting, -
and he pushed the disordered hair back
from his brow, forcing a smile. Eyes,
of course. had not meant to stay SO
long"
She gave harsh, insulting laugh.
Don't trouble yourself to lie about
it. You were we'll entertained. You
see know all heard every word she
said"
There were aspects of Hugh's charac-
ter, expressions of which his strong face
was capable, that his foolish little wife
could not understand and which some
times frightened her. She was fright
ened now. His face grew rigid and pale
to weakness, his eyes Opaque and heavy,
the pulse IN his forehead beat with slug.
gish intensity.
She faced him defiantly for a mo-
ment, then her hands went up to her
eyes and she commenced to cry. He
knew that her jealous, narrow soul was
reused to attack. Reason and persuasion
would alike be wasted upon her. But
Marian must be protected whatever
came.
''You heard all, you say?" And he
controlled his voice to quietness.
"Yes, I did," came in. spiteful
burst through Jenny's quaking fingers.
"Then yeu must pity her as much as
do.
"Pity ber?"
She faced him now, woman beside
herself with jealousy:
I'D like to see her driven from this
place, beaten, jeered at I'd like to see
her.
-"You must pity her, I say, if You
have spark of true womanhood in
you.
"How dare you speak to me Of her
of that creature? tell you the whole
street will hear what size is tomorrow;
yes, the whole town"
Conquering her awe of him, she
stamped upon the ground in a spasm of
fury that twisted her face into hideous-
ness
Creeping here at dead of night-oh,
I'm not fool Pretending to be sorry.
Bah! She's common woman, and
nothing else. Take your hands off me
You shan't touch me- Z"
Like peevish child she plucked at
Hugh's strong hands pressed firmly up
on her shoulders.
II shall touch you, and you shall lis
ten to me. If you have any grievance, it
is against me. The woman you revile is
innocent of the slightest wish to wrong
you. Say what you please to me. Do
what you please. But tho difference
shall be settled between us only. You
listened to miserable story Of sin and
remorse tonight. You know all you
were not intended to hear, and you
shall respect that confession +"
you'll see if l will. -
"You must If by hint or word
you betray what you know, we shall be
as strangers for the rest of our lives,
even though we continue to live togeth-
er."
"Well, I don't care. F." And she folded
her arms, rocking doggedly to and fro.
"When my husband wants me to asso-
ciate with, even to recognize, woman
like that, it's time we separated I"
Hugh's lips twitched painfully. He
lifted his hands in gesture of despair.
"Oh, jenny, is this your charity?"
She tossed her head and made no an
swer.
"You think yourself a good woman.
What does it mean? You go to church
and call yourself sinner. You ask to
be forgiven as you forgive. And you
would scourge the woman who is strug-
CLING to rise to the heaven of purity she
has fallen from"
"That's I'll very we'll. I don believe
a word she said that way. She's just
az
"Be silentl" he commanded sternly,
his eyes flashing "Let us end this mis-
cradle scene. You can only look on one
side of tho shield, as I might have
known. I advise you, however, to think
twice before you set up barrier be-
tween us. If you act sensibly, wo may
still, forgetting this, be happy together. +"
He opened the door for her.
"I'll spend the night here. Consider
what say. You shall tell me your de-
cision in the morning."
AS she passed him he held out his
hand.
"Have little mercy. Promise to be
silent I ask only that +"
II hate you both," flashed from her
thin, compressed lips and, striking his
hand, she rushed past him.
Before he slept he wrote letter to
Marian. He wanted to spare her humili-
alton if by any chance she met Jenny.
He told her in the kindest way possible
of his wife's attitude, adding some
strong, earnest assurances Of his endur-
ing friendship.
The next morning he sent it to her.
Marian read it again and again until
a mist of tears blurred the hastily
sheet.
He is dear, good fellow"