The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-07-10

Il can go back 10 mothers" said
Betty, provokingly. "sho wants me
any day. aud then you can live quietly
and 10 suit yourself, and it will be
better al round"
Instead of bringing ont q violent
protestatiou of fond affection and re-
morse, which she fully expected, john
drew himself mp, looked at her hxedly
for a long, long minute, then dropped
her arm, and with white lips said
slowly:
eyes, it may be better as you say,
better all round. You know best!"
and was gone from the room before
she could recover from her astonish-
ment enough to inter a sound
With a Wild cry Betty rushed across
the room. first tossing the ten dollar
bill sayagely as far as she could throw
it, and Ainging herself on the com
Portable old sofa, broke into a flood of
bitter tears-the first she had shed
during her married life.
Glow could he have done i'll Oh
what have said? Oh John. John p
The bird twittered in his little cage
over in the window among the plants.
Betty remembered like a flash how
John and she had filed the seed-cup
that very morning; how he had
laughed when she tried to put it in
between the bars, and when she
couldn't reach without getting upon n
chair he took her in his great arms
and held her mp, just like a child, that
she might fix it to suit herself.
And the "bits" he had said in his
tender way, they had gone down to
the depths of her foolish little heart,
sending her about her work singing
for very gladness Of spirit And
now!
Betty stuffed her fingers hard into
her rose ears to shut out the birds
chirping.
eff he only knew why I sighed, "
she moaned. "Oh, my husband
Birthdays-nothing will make any
difference now. Oh, why can't I
die?"
How long she stayed there, crouched
down on the old sofa, she never knew.
Over and over.the dreadful scene she
went, realizing its worst features each
time in despair, until a voice out in
the kitchen said; Betty I" and heavy
footballs proclaimed that some one was
on the point of breaking in upon her
unlimited.
Betty sprang up, choking back hel
sobs, and tried with all her might tc
compose herself and remove all trace:
of her trouble.
The visitor was the worst possible
one she could have under the circum.
stances. Crowding herself on terms
of the closest intimacy with the pretty
briGe, who with her husband, hac
moved into the village a twelve-montl
previous, Miss Elvira Simmons hat
made the very most of her opportu
mites, and by dint of making great
parade over helping her in some do
nestle work such as house cleaning,
dress making and the like, the nader
lady had managed to ply her other vo
cation, that of news gatherer at ont
and the same time, pretty effectually.
She always called her by the frs
name, though Betty resented it; an,
che made a great handle of her friend
ship on every occasion, making JOIN
rage violently, and vow a thousan,
simes that the 80 old maid" shoul
Falk.
Been cryingl" she said NOR
plainly than politely, sinking dow
into the pretty chintz-covered rocking
chair with an energy that showed tina
she meant to stay, and made the chai
croak fearfully.
"Only folks do say that You an
your husband don't live happy-but
la! 1 wouldn't mind-I know tain
your fault"
Betty's heart stood still Had
come to this? John and she not liv
happy To be sure they didn't, q
she membered with pang the dread
full scene of words and hot tempers
but had it gotten around so soon
story in eyerybody's mouth?