The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-24
A Wife's Secret.
ELIZABETH MADISON


whole week slow. steady heartache.
Sometimes this aching had suddenly sprang
into a quick, fierce life, and pain which
seemed as though 1t would smother my
breath and drive my reason into a great
whirl of madness. =
had been a wife, loving and deeply be-
loved for year, and that winter was the
twenty-fourth of my life. 1t was the thir-
tieth of that of Maurice Dale, my husband.
who for four years had been a physician in
the old town of Clandebury. where we had
resided ever since our marriage.
l was an only child, and my parents died
before my remembrance My aunt. who
adopted me, was a childless widow in very
comfortable circumstance and had in
dulged every wish of mine, so far as her
fortune permitted. At 10, with small
knowledge of the world and small of my
own heart, had become the betrothed wife
of Winston Garrett, whose mother was an
old and beloved friend of my aunt
Winston was q spoiled child; so was I.
We fancied that we adored each other. He
had all those charms of conversation and
those graces of manner and person which
are apt to attract the fancy of young,
inexperienced girl. but L could not pene-
trate beneath these, and see that the char
acter of Winston Garrett lacked moral
force and discipline. For while we got on
very smoothly together; then certain antag-
onisms in our characters began to develop
themselves. Both were high-splrited; so
during the second six months of our en-
gagement, we had frequent jars, recrimina-
tons and reconciliations. Then Winston
went west to survey some lands in which
his father had been specializing
We were to have been married on his re-
turn, and we parted with mutual protesta-
Al 81 n A1f IlfIf
rett was impulsive and susceptible; his alb
sence was necessarily prolonged; and an
old friend of his father with whom he pass
ed several weeks, had young and beaut-
full daughter, in whose society he was CON
stanty thrown. l was grieved to find that
his letters grew less frequent, ana that
there was a sensible diminution in their
first ardor.
NV aunt was not woman to submit
quietly to this If I mad been; SO she soon
obtained indubitable evidence that WINSTON
had involved himself in a Irritation whlch
was most dishonorable, with the relations
that We occupied to eacA other, ana sum-
ulated my pride into dissolving our engage
ment
The knowledge of Winstons perfidy was
a terrible stroke to me, for he was the ldol
of my girli5h dreams and faneies. But
the bitter experience did me good, ana the
greatest sorrow that thundered over my
ptiSSN0
stronger.
year and a half later 1 met my nus
band at small village where we had gone
to VISIT.
Maurice Dale was unlike any of the men
With whom l had been thrown; he was
grave thoughtful studious yet there was
a spring of keen humor in his nature, which
sparkled in his deep gray eyes and hasned
in rippes of light over the fine, grave race
1t did not take us long to penetrate the
mutual interest which each took in the
other.
NV aunt was pleased with Maurice, still
she was very ambitious for my future, and
The thought that 1 should marry a coun-
try physician with no prospect but his pro-
fession was not gratifying to her pride.
But she gave her consent to my choice,
on the whole, with cneerrulness, and the
next December Maurice brought me to his
home
Sometimes there stole across my heart
when l sat by the side of my husband a
little shadow, and that was the thought
that my life had one secret from him. for
had never told him of my engagement
with Winston Garrett, 1t had been my in
tenton TO do this, but my aunt had dis
suaded me from it.
Don't do any thng of the kind, my
child she said; "a man has no right to
be inquisitive about such matters so long
as they in nowise concern himself Don't
do it, say. Take my advice and you will
be glad of it,
And l took it, but I was not satisfied
One night not long before our marriage 1
said to Maurice, as we sat together in the
parlor:
II wonder what your faults are; haven't
found one yetr'
The grave face bent upon me its sweetest
and tenderest SMILE. "They will come
soon enough, my little girl Why do you
want to know?' drawing him arm around
my waist.
"Because-because I do
Most satisfactory reason for a woman
but you shall be gratiied this time. One
OF my faults is, Marguerite that am nat
urally jealous-that is if there be any
cause for it; but I've tried to curb and con-
troll this quality, and you will never expert
ence any trouble from it,"
My conversation with my aunt flashed
across me at this moment. Maurice. YOU
must have perfect confidence in those
whom you love-"
Absolutely; If that is once shaken, it is
never restored. 1t is not in my
nature ito trust again after having been
once deceived"
1t was the first anniversary of our we'd
ding day. Maurice and 1 had been out
shopping for the holidays. I had gone up
stairs, and only removed my bonnet when
our domestic put her head in at my door,
saying there was gentleman in the parlor
down.
Marguerite Jennings!'' 4
knew him at the first glance, and 1t was
not strange that my heart gave a quick
flutter, for the last time 1 had looked on
that face and listened to the bright tone I
had been the betrothed wife of Winston
Garrett. He came forward, now, with all the
old grace of manner and gave me his hand.
My greeting must have been constrained,
for the thought of my husband made my
guest an unwelcome one.
81 was within half a dozen miles OF
Clandebury, staying until after the holi-
days, and the longing to look on your face,
Marguerite, had grown so strong that I
could not go further until had been nearer
it," And a shadow crept over the hand
some face of Winston Garrett. Listening
to his tones, my heart went back to the
past. but only for a moment; then l said
with calmness and dignity that Winston
Garrett could not have remembered: you
forget Mr.. Garrett, that our relations
make a little less feedom of manner more
acceptable with me-"
A shadow darkened his face. "Ah, Mar
guerite," he broke out, have you no
warmer welcome than This for the man
VI ho has come to entreat your pardon, and