The record-union., 1896-12-27

| had a large fortune of his own, inher-
tied at his fathers death, for although
student, he was not youth. but vas
studying law as an after thought, hav-
| ing completed a collegiate course and
Travelled around the world and ex
hausted pleasures of almost every kind.
| We had a beautiful home, and for a
While | was happy. l am glad of the
memory Of that bright year of life. 1
don't believe that even in eternity ]
shall forget the happy year I spent
in my charming home. My husband
was kind to me and surrounded me
with society and pleasures.
| AT first he was kind then he became
| Jealous. Before God, and standing as
l do in the face of death, I say it truly,
| he had no cause. Of course my beauty
! attracted attention and admiration.
Had it not won him from home and
family and the society of lifelong COM
panions and friends? Had he himself
| not left all for me, when as a servant
girl in plain calico dresses 1 waited on
the table when he ate, and put in order
| the room he occupied?
| He took me out into the world clad
| in fine raiment and brilliant with
| gems, or if at home we welcomed the
world, surrounded by everything that
! pleased the eye and delighted the fam
| cy. How could he think my beauty
should pass unheeded by? And 1 was
| not dull or even commonplace; 1 was
! bright and witty, and my soul was
| full of music
l loved my husband. I have never
| ceased to love him. He was not then
| a good man. For fourteen years he
| has been as dead to me, but he is not
dead. Whether he is a good man now
| or not is not for me to say, for indeed
| L do not know. He looked like a good
man. and l have always hoped there
| was something within the man which
should make him that which he ap-
| peared to be-
! L think he grew to hate my beauty.
pause moment and recall those
years. Was there ever in my heart
| one thought untrue to my husband? :?
AS L lie in my couch dying-No, Our
| baby was born that first year. Thank
God. our child was born when the
| world was bright to me- The father
was pleased with the baby for he had
natural love for children, and they
| loved him. The baby would clap her
| hands with delight at sight of her
| father, even when he was cross and
angry, which he often was that second
year. That Christmas time (the baby
was not quite a year Old my husband
resolved to give a large party. 1 don't
| know why l have called nv story a.
Christmas story, except that of all the
days and nights of my life that dav
and night stand out the plainest to
| 7 Writ
do the minutest occurrence of that day
and night come back to me that I find
1t difficult to realize that fifteen years
| nave passed away since then.
| The day was bright and baImv. for
| our home was in the South. MY hus-
band had taken me far away from his
old nome and mine, and the roses were
in blossom and the birds We're singing
IN the trees. l stood upon the lawn
with the baby in my arms. Her black
nanny" was by my side ready to
relieve me. Everything was so calm
and patient looking without. How diff
ferent was the state of my own heart,
My husband passed by me as I stood
there without a word to me, but he
took my baby from my arms He took
her, for she would not let him go with.
out her.
Papa, papa" she cried It was the
only word her baby lips could speak
| ana when he passed as though he did
not hear she put up her little grieved
| lip and sobbed aloud, and he turned
back for her and carried her away. Old
NANNY followed, and not long after
| returned with the baby, but a tear
| rested on the little cheek and as /
rocked her to sleep a long drawn baby
sigh said to my oversensitive heart
| Papa, papa, take me-" Why should
she turn away from me to him? He
mad never known pang for her, nor
would he deprive himself of a pleasure
for her sake now, and I--why, l would
gladly die to make her happy
Night came. l had no heart to dress
for the party, but at my request my
maid laid out for me upon the bed a dress
elegant It's true, but simply made of
| white. The material was lace | had
worn this when as a happy bride l had
| lfst received our guests in our home
| But L had been more delicate of figure
| then, and / could not wear it now and
a heavy velvet robe was resorted to in
haste at the last moment. The change
saved my life.
l missed my husband during the even
ing, and l knew | was only safe from
his jealous suspicious when by his side,
| so / sought him, but in vain. through
| parlor, conservatory, refreshment room
and balcony. The man my husband
| hated was there, but with my hand
upon my husbands arm I felt safe.
Even jealous insanity could find no
fault then l thought
Like many Southern houses. the ver-
anda ran entirely around the building,
| but there was a break in ours caused
! by the partitioning of a smoking-room
upon the veranda. 1t hardly impeded
| the promenade, for it was not much
| used, and the doors usually stood
| open In my search / reached this room
and entering the open door, / was face
| to face with the very one | was seeking
| to avoid. He knew of my husbands s
| jealousy of him, and had not visited US
In many weeks, but as he wrote my hus-
| band afterward when the invitation
came to him to attend our Christmas re-
| ception, he supposed he had become con-
vinced of his own folly and so he ac-
cepted the invitation. But he was quite
as dlsinclined for a meeting with me
as was to meet him, without my hus-
band, and SO he simply bowed and spoke
| my name and was about to pass ont
| when through window which opened
into the grounds came whizzing like
messenger of death, which indeed it was
| intended to be, a missile, which exploded
| at my feet. Ny heavy dress saved NV