Connecticut western news., 1902-01-23
!: A Confidence
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, A Story of One Who Misjudged ( His Wife.
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Twenty years! I am notched and grizzled. You are only mellowed, rip l ened." My friend smiled and lighted fresh cigarette. He puzzled me. Ru- nor had led me to expect to find him, after my long absence, a disappointed if not soured man. I had sought him here in the retreat where he and his cold, uncongenial wife lived, 1t was said, like a pair of hermits. Arriving at moment when the lady was ab- | sent, l thought myself fortunate and | prepared to probe the unhappiness of i one whose affection in early youth had left very sunny spot on my memory. I was, in fact, ready to give him all the pity and sympathy which bachelor of | experience can feel for the irremediable mistake of a married friend.
 Have you been hearing tales about meT' he asked. Shall I tell you the story of my welded life?"
 "If 1t does not pain you" Do you know that I have been a millionaire?"
 "I have heard something of 1t" ''The wealth of an ancient relative poured in on me after his death. How | the golden wave came and went is a story by itself. For five gilded years was transigured in the eyes of the world, and it was during that period met and fell In love with my wife"
 had heard all this and more, and felt sorry. I looked ste3dily at the op- ;N@ Iz, ,.X4 l.., him. I knew the story of the worldly mother and daughter who had forced him into a loveless marriage for greed 1 of the fortune which had proved so elusive. He went on:
 Tt was not I alone who thought her supremely beautiful. The world had already bestowed on her a queenship before the June day when I first saw her at an open air fete, all in white, pale, cold, severe and sweet, like a goddess in marble. Her mother walked beside her, woman of a different I type. As I gazed after her in what you would call romantic enthusiasm a friend laughed and bade me veil my admiration, as those women were known to be in quest of a golden mil lion. If 1t be the case that what every body says must be true, then true 1t was that the cold, exquisite daughter and the naughty, hawklike mother were adventuresses playing game for 1 fortune, beauty against slender purse and a year or two of prime youth. Al ready beauty had over and over again dared to reject love, adoration and for | h ho Q not yet been reached whispered my cynical friend. Your million will do it. By this time had proclaimed myself an open worshiper. am bound to ad- init that all the encouragement I re- ceived was from the mother. The daughter remained icy. I persisted in | my suit and In short time was the accepted lover of the woman who held me in thrall."
 "She accepted you willingly"
 ''Tacitly SO. The mother seized on me with effusion. My affianced wife ap- peared just to endure her new position with patience, nothing more. The mother assured me that her daughter had a most affectionate nature hidden under that chill exterior. She loved me, and she hud never loved any other man. 1 tried to believe her. And so We were wed.
 After time, when the excitement of my first pride and happiness had sub sided, Logan to feel reluctantly con scious that t.lerr vas sor' athing want ing in our life together. My wife's Le- havior was perfect from every point of vi hut fhnr.a x.-oz NP 1 between us which nothing was able to break through. Wherever we went was aware that people said had been married without love for the sake of my million. How was I to feel sure that the verdict was not a true one? Had she given her heart to some wor- thy fellow who was millionless and re- ! jected him even as she had accepted me at her mothers bjdding7
 "I resolved 10 take things as they came and to make the best of the goods the gods had provided for me. We led life of amusement and pleas ure. Our house in town and our coun- try house (not this house: something much granderl were as perfect as mon ey could make them. My wife went everywhere dressed and bejeweled as the world expected to see her. We en- tertained the smart crowd known as society. I was proud beyond the pride of man when I saw the woman I had chosen receiving the admiration which no one could refuse her. I even thought she seemed glad of my pride in her, for once or twice as I looked at her l across the shoulders of a crowd that divided us I thought I saw something in her eyes of warmth which was ab- sent from them when we found our selves again in our home.
 "As time went on her reserve, which was my despair, communicated itself to me. and the impossible barrier be- tween us was complete. Do you ap- prehend the situationT' he asked.
 Perfectly" I said.
 "Does all this agree with what my friends say about meT
 "I confess I had heard you had un- fortunately married a cold and heart less woman," said.
 We went on smoking in silence. At last he said abruptly, 'I have more to tell"
 Hurt yourself no further. dear old friend. I think I can imagine all the rest"
 "Can you? am not so sure that you can"
 We smoked in silence for about a minute. and then he continued: