The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-01-15

ding day, and then we had our first and
only quarrel.
The circumstances were trihing
enough. A letter had come to Alice,
asking her to pay a short visit, if l
could spare her, to some friends she had
known intimately before her marriage,
"the day after tomorrow. :" suppose |
was not in the best of tempers-worried
with business, perhaps, ard a trife out
Of sOrts-a bit jealous, too, it may be,
for one of the SONS of the house had
been once u rival.
AT any rate, when she produced this
letter and told me that she would like
to accept the invitation, some evil spin
it tempted me to raise objections. |
could see the keen disappointment in
her face, and that increased my silly
petulance and jealousy till l recklessly
launched out i'll diatribes against her
friends who had sent the invitation.
She defended them hotly-fOr Alice
was always loyal-and so the day ended
in a cold good night, leaving her panied
and unhappy, and ne - thoroughly
ashamed of suspicious l knew to be
groundloss and CT an i'll temper l was
too proud to confess.
l 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 new experience. A little lift"
had divided us for the first time and |
could boast no more that my wife had
never heard Il harsh or bitter word from
me.
In the morning there was still cloud
between US l knew that l was in the
wrong, and yet would not own it even
to myself. Alice gave me one little wist.
full look, expressive of timid l., pc
that my mood had changed. | saw that
look, and for a moment felt impelled
to fling my arms round her and ask for
giveness. If only had yielded to that
impulse! gave her one cold kiss. TO
think that it was the last I ever gave
her, living or dead!
While l was dressing my eye fell on
the small case containing the bracelet |
had bought as present for my wife. l
picked it up, hid it in my pocket, took
it down to breakfast and, fool that l
was, never gave it to her.
opened the letters, which were
mostly on the business that was worry
ing me. The rest l pushed irritably
away, l opened them afterwa1d, and
do you know, Harry, that in one of
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 Oh my
shoulder so lightly as if she feared to
offend, and, bending down, she said
pleadingly, Won't you let me 60,
Charlie?" And l, or the devil that pos
sessed me, cOIdly answered, "You may
please yourself. "
| Harry, l don't know what you will
think Of me when you read all this.
You cannot condemn my brutality more
than do myself. Don't judge me too
hardly, Harry. l did not know how
short would be my opportunity.
Half past 10 came Our trap drove up
10 the door. The station was nearly
three miles off. and Alice, who gener-
ally was waiting for me, did not appear.
For a few minutes l stood Tuning in
the hall, delighted with my rash griev-
ance. Then | shouted, "Alicep'
Coming" was returned from the
room above, and Immediately after my
wife hurried down stairs, fastening on
her hat as she descended.
Alice got into the trap and took the
reins, as usual. l seated myself beside
her. The man got up behind, and so we
started on that last miserable expedi.
ton. Neither of us said much. l looked
at her once or twice sideways. Never
had she seemed so handsome or in such
glowing health, but there was an IN.
naturally deep flush upon her Cheek, and
her lips were tightly closed together.
When we reached the station, the