Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-10-24
AN ONLY QUARREL.

got into n thoroughly morbid state q
ruthlessly candid lecture is often as
good for him as is slap i'll the face for
a hysterical girl. Your motive is truly
kind, and should be ungrateful if l
failed 10 recognize it as such
You point out that it is now three
years since my dear wife's fatal acci-
dent, and that, closely as we We're
united and terrible though the shock
must have been. others have had to bear
blows as severe and have borne them
with pluck and resignation.
My dear Harry, SO far as you know
the facts, your criticism is perfectly
just But until you know them more
fully it is impossible for you TO under
stand my feelings Alright. | will relieve
my mind by telling you things which
have burdened my thoughts during
these years and have made it impossible
for me To throw off my sadness
Alice WAS killed upon the second an
niversary of our wedding day. For two
years our married life had been, as Won
are aware. one of unclOuded happiness
What plans we made for that second
anniversary! | took three-quarters of an
hour to choose present for Alice, and
a great mystery oyershadowed the some
thing that she was making for me- Then
there were the invitations to our little
party i'll the evening, the great question
rs to whether we should ask the rector
or the doctor-they We're not on speaking
terms-and the debate on the happiest
way Of spending the earlier part of the
day.
1t should be passed i'll the depths of
the country, we both agreed, and after
much pondering over the local time ta-
bles we settled that the II O'Clock train
should take us TO Beechwood, "a walk
and picnic tete-a-tete amid the summer
glories of the forest. tea at the clean
little BarleycOrn inn. and so home.
So we settled on the eve of our we'd
ding day. and then we had our first and
only quarrel.
The circumstances were triflng
enough. A letter had come to Alice,
asking her to pay Il short visit, if
could spare her, TO some friends she had
known intimately before her marriage,
the day after tomorrow. | suppose
was not i'll the lest of tempers-worried
with business, perhaps, and a trifie out
OF sorts-a bit jealous. too it may be.
for enc OF the sons of tho house had
been once rival.
At any rate, when she produced this
letter and told me that she would like
70 accept the invitation, some evil spir-
il tempted me TO raise objections.
could see the keen disappointment III
her face, and that increased my silly
petulance and jealousy till | recklessly
launched out in diatribcs against her
friends who had sent the invitation.
She defended them hotly-for Alice
was always loyal-and so the day ended
III n cold good night, leaving her panied
and unhappy, and ne thoroughly
ashamed OF suspicions | knew TO be
groundless and Of an ill temper | was
too proud to confess.
! | had wakeful and restless time
that last night. Our disagreement
preyed strangely ON my mind. and in
the dark hours assumed quite exag-
gerated Importance. You see for us it
WAS II new experience. A little lift"
had divided us for the first time, and
could boast 10 more that my wife had
never heard harsh or bitter word from
| me.
In the morning there was still cloud
between US. | knew that | was in the
wrong, and yet would not own it even
To myself. Alice gave me one little wist-
full look. expressive of timid hope
that my mood had changed. | saw that
look. and for moment felt impellcd
to fling my arms round her and ask for
givcness. If only had yielded to that
impulse. | gave her one cold kiss. To
| think that il was the last l ever gave
her. living or dead!
While was dressing my eye fell on
the small case containing the bracelet
hal bought Us u present for my wife.
picked it up. hid it in my pocket, took
it down TO breakfast and, fool that
was. never gave it 10 her.
| opened the letters. which were
mostly on the business that was worry
ing me. The rest / pushed irritably
away. | opened them afterwaId, and
do you know, Harry. that i'll one CT
those parcels was the gift that my wife
had been working for weeks to make
for me.
We breakfasted almost in silence, but
after the meal was over she rose and
came softly round the table toward me.
Then she put her dear hand on my
shoulder so lightly as if she feared 10
offend. and, bending down, she said
pleadingly, Won't you let me go.
Charlie:" And l. or the devil that pos
sessed me. coidly answered, "You may
please yourself. =
Harry. don't know what you will
think of me when you read all this.
You cannot condemn my brutality more
tnan l do myself. Don't Judge me too
hardly, Harry. / did not know how
short would be my opportunity.
Half past 10 came. Our trap drove up
- the door The station was nearly
three miles off. and Alice. who gener-
ally was waiting for me, did not appear.
For few minutes ! stood fuming in
the ball, delighted with my rash criey-
ance. Then shouted, "Alicer
SbihhIb. WIS returned from the
room above and Immediately after NV
wife hurried down stairs, fastening on
her hat as she descended
Alice got into the trap and took the
reins, rs usual | seated myself beside
her. The man got up behind, and so we
started on that last miserable exnedj-
ton. Neither of us said much. looked
at her once or twice sideways. Never
had she seemed so handsome or in snch
glowing health, but there was an mn.
naturally deep flush upon her cheek and
her lips were tightly closed together.
When we reached the station tho
TAIN was already i'll it. | rushed ~ the
booking office, bought our two tickets
(I have them now, for they were never
used, seized my change and hurried
my wife off the platform, reaching tbe
train just as it was beginning to movc
Alice hesitated
Get in, for goodness saker' cried
peevishly. opening n carriage door. and
thcn-God forgive me-I gave her n