New Ulm review., 1901-05-01


bert's sympathies were constantly
worked upon, his vanity hattered and
his old romantic affection for his
early playmate revived, with the adj
ditional elements of passionate admi-
ration of the young girls beauty of
person. He argued to himself that
Nanette's claim came first, and that
the tie between them was too sacred
to sever. Since she had not hesitated
to break. later engagement he ought
not to show less moral courage. He
could not see her suffer as she was
evidently suffering, when a single
word from him would restore her to
happiness. So he wrote to his
fiancee and asked for release from
his promise of marriage, and three
months later he made Nanette his
wife. Mr.. Sylvester Cameron was re-
ported as taking a rapid-transit voy-
age to the dogs about that time and
the professors daughter died of spinal
meningitis the next year, but Nam
cite was happy and that was, as it
always had been, the chief aim of Al
bert's heart.
During the first two years she
seemed absolutely happy in his love
and companionship, and life was a
paradise to Albert. He was growing
in his profession, he was making and
saving money, and he had the sweet
est and most domestic little wife in
the world, whose whole happiness lay
in his society. What more could a
man ask?
Then came change. Nanette
wanted larger house, more servants
and carriage. Of course, Albert
gratifed these desires, since he only
valued his increasing fortune as a
means of contributing to Nanette's
happiness. Even the rather elaborate
and to him tiresome entertainments
which she grew fond of giving in her
new house afforded Albert melan-
choly sort of pleasure, he watching
her enjoyment of the role of hostess.
Perhaps one of the hardest trials
of the young husand's life was when
Nanette developed passion for elo-
cution, and announced her desire to
take Lessons in the art in order to be
able to "recite'' for her friends.
''You see, I do not sing or play well
enough" she said, '.to give my friends
any entertainment. I never had any
musical talent. This makes me a sort
of nobody in society. Nearly every
woman I know does something. Now,
it is easy to learn to recite bits of
verse, and it will render me better
hostess and more popular guest"
"But it is not easy to learn to re-
cite verses well,'' Albert suggested.
''It requires a talent and a vast deal
of practice. Badly done it is torture
to the audience
''Oh, very well, if you think I am
incapable of doing it well I will not
disgrace you by any attempts,'' cried
Nanette with a food of angry tears,
which Albert mistook for tears of
wounded feeling, and fastened to dry
with tender words of praise, and love,
and Nanette began her lessons in elo-
cution the next day.
Then came the period of torture for
a proud, sensitive and loving man
who is obliged to witness some un-
worthy and crude performance of the
woman he adores, and to watch her
f1attered acceptance of the insincere
"bravos" which change into ridicule
| as soon as her back is turned. Nan
cite was young, beautiful. vivacious
an agreeable converser, and univer-
sally admired. Yet she was not con
tent with these charms which a gen
erous nature had bestowed, and needs
must attempt to shine in role to
which she was wholly untitled
Meanwhile Albert felt obliged to close
his lips and restrain the honest criti-
cisms of her attempt at "elocution'
because he knew such criticisms
would make her angry and unhappy,
and he had resolved to render Nan
| cite happy at all costs.
They had been married four years
when Nanette decided to take trip
abroad in company with her mother
and party of ladies who were going
into southern Italy. The Journey
came at a time when it was not posi-
bic for Albert to go; his heart was
wrenched at the thought of the
separation of months which must en-
sue, but other wives went abroad and
left their husbands at home, and he
must not ask his wife to sacrifice such
a pleasure since she considered it one.
Nanette was absent three months,
and then Albert joined her and they
returned at the expiration of another
six weeks.
After that sne went abroad every
year for a period of three or four
months, and her husband found the
consequent expense too great to feel
justified in sharing the homeward
journey. So he patiently awaited her
return, finding contentment in the
thought that Nanette was happy. But
one day, when she returned from her
fourth sojourn abroad, he discovered
that Nanette was not happy. They
had been married eight years, and
the husband thought he understood
his wife, playmate of his childhood,