The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-10-07
MRS. PARKER'S
ANTIDOTE.

1t was not Mrs. Parker s hueu'e W w
Jealous. But as there is not humhu
heart in which the green-eyeu monster
has not dropped n few grains OIL ene
| double. distilled poison it is only fair TO
presume that she had received her share;
only they had been sown on such unpro-
ductive ground that it took her u long
time to find out that they had taken root
at all
1t is doubtful if she ever would nave
known that they were there waiting LOT
n few nourishing dewS of Suspicion TO
start them into lively growth had it
not been for Mrs. Wilson. Certain it is
She would never have thought of suspect
ing Joseph at the time she did If that
lady had taken her twenty-second square
of fancy work that Thursday afternoon
and had gone in some other direction
with it. instead of heading for the Par
ker cottage. She and Joseph had been
married just two years then.
az intended to come over last evening
with my NIECE said the garrulous Wis
itor, "but my neuralgia kept me at
home. / thought you and Mrs. Parker
and Jennie and I could have game of
cards. But it is just as we'll didn't
come, as Mrs Parker was out. l never
liked d three handed game. 1t always
seems too much like trying to cut some.
body's throat when his hands are tied
ana he Gull U uelcno
eyes," said Mrs. Parker, sit is rather
uneven"
Mrs. Wilson perceived that she had
made her eXordium too long for the
theme of her discourse to be appreciated
She nibbled Mt her underlip with veXation
and prepared for throwing out her bait
for the second time.
"Jenne and 1 often speak of coming
over to while away the time with game
L in
Mr.. Parker in,'' she remarked, insidu-
ously.
There was an indefnable undertone in
her low, smooth voice that made Mrs.
Parker raise her blue eyes with swift,
yelled look of inquiry.
''He is most always at home,n she adj
ded, mentally reviling herself for the I'M
comfortable blush that would creep over
her white cheeks and brow. 'But some
ness. Then, too, he belongs to lodge
and that takes him out one night in
every week.
Mrs. Wilson struck her needle upright
in the tangle of stitches and laid the
square of fancy work in her lap.
"Do you know, my DEAR she an
swered, with n sigh, ''that these lodges
are the ruination of more men than any
thing else in the world? I've seen too
much Of them In their effects. And here
is another idea that wish you would
tuck away in your pretty head and think
about. A man has all day to do business
in, and he's not very apt to devote two
or three evenings out of every week to
the dull routine of Office work and bar
gain making. Men are all alike, my dear.
And no difference how pretty their wives
may be or how many virtues they may
possess, they are all found, sooner or
later, to run across some other woman
whom they think a little prettier and
moro gracious than the one they are tied
to- am older than you, and have
watched good many courtships and
marriages and I tell you to look out.
Lodge! Businessl Fiddle sticksln
She finished her monstrosity of en-
broidery and then went home, but her
tormenting suspicious aroused by her
we'll directed hints could not be taken
away. Mrs. Parker stood before the mir
| ror after her caller had gone and ponder
| ed over what had just been said. Pref
| tier than she? She was not vain, but her
common sense told her that her rival
would be hard to find. Complexion clearer
| eyes more tender and true, hair more
| soft and glossy, and features more finely
marked were rare, and she turned away
| with n smile of satisfaction. But n pro-
!, longed tour Of introspection revealed tc
| her many faults from which other women
were comparatively free. And standing
out most prominent in all the gamut OF
| shortcomings was her Observation-Disclosures
| She had always been so. When child
| the simplest aXioms and corollaries that
tripped Off the ends of other tongues like
melted honey lurked in the background
of her memory In confused tumble Of
| thoughts that finally vanished altogether
She had rigidly practiced every trick and
rule known to mankind for developing
the bump of retentiveness of the mind
but all to no avail. Her memory hat
grown more hopelessly and, like great
wave of sorrow and humiliation, there
rushed over her a mass of vague recollec
tions Of the misery and notification thai
had many times been visited upon bott
her and Joseph-particular Joseph-a.
a consequence OF her forgetfulness.
BY the time she had reviewed as many
| of the details of her married life as She
could remember her first wavering BELLE
that her husband had sought relief from
the irksomeness of her society in that o.
n woman whose mind was ever free and
active had matured into n firm convic
ton. And so the first real sorrow of hel
| life was born.
She nursed her torturng pangs OF
doubt and jealousy for months without
giving voice to them, but the evil trait
grew apace aud with much less cultiva
ton than did the good 9races she had en-
deavored to acquire, and one day there
came provucation to anger and distrust
that could not be passed over in silence
Her conscience told her that she, too,
would become n mortal transgressor i
she failed to acquaint him then of hel
knowledge of his duplicity.
| The very air that came in through the
4 l.eho 1o1 k1.oA
propitious for the event the day was tc
| hiring forth II Has wnrm heayv md on