Evening star., 1902-01-04
CHAPTER MI.
What the Wife said.

To he known as having shifted debts
on 10 the shoulders of a husband mar
ried for the purpose is not IN ITSELF by
ladies who get into debt, considered as
a dishonorable act; it is done every day.
not only in the prisons, but in Fleet mar
ket and St. James. There are men VINO
have been married dozens OF times; tney
trust that the repeated marriages Will nor
be found out, and by changing their names
they make it difficult Of discovery; there a-e
sailors always ready to marry provided they
can make off directly after the ceremony
and before the creditors get wind of the
thing: there are men on the poor side of the
Fleet and the Kings Bench who are light
ed. in return for a small allowance. to enter
upon this pretense at marriage. A woman
who does such thing certainly sacrifices
a certain amount of se1f-respect, but most
women who do it can find thousand rea-
sons to justify the step
The ladies who thus shift their liabilities
are generally city madams; when one gets
to the ia ashionable quarter the thing IS more
rare: it is not unknown; but woman N
the position of Isabel, with a fortune of
some thousands a year, a house IN ST
James street an establishment correspond
ing to her income, and enjoying society
of the best. cannot afford to be known as
having taken advantage of the remedy pro-
Vided for debtors who cannot pay she
cannot afford to have her name dragged
about in the mud wherever other women
meet together; she may brazen it out but
her position and consideration could never
be the same after such a discovery as 1t
was before
If 10 such a record of a pretended mar
riage it were also to be discovered that the
husband was a black-a horrid black-a de-
SpiSed and contemplate negro-cOndemned
to the gallows for some Infamous crime,
rAhbary---tNP general ODiniND of the
world would certainly be very much against
the bride of such a marriage. 1t would be
held pardOnable to enter into such mar
riage. if necessary, but 1t must be with q
white man. To go through the form of
marriage with a black, even if he were
going to be hanged in a day or two, would
certainly be considered thing beyond the
power Of forgiveness or excuse. Except N
the case of Isabel l have never heard of
such a marriage.
Isabel knew all this perfectly we'll If
the story was made public her own posi-
ton would be irretrievably ruined And
the man who knew the story was breathing
fire and fury and flames of revenge He
must be silenced. But she knew her broth
er-in-laW too well to trust him with money
to silence the man. She saw very plainly.
on the part of that noble lord, design of
nourishing and guarding secret with
which he would keep her In terror and him
self in money for gambling.
She resolved to try, first of ALL the mans
wife. The poor woman, rescued from star
Vation and now kept in Sufficiency and
comfort was ready and willing to do any
thing for her benefactress. When Isabel
opened her door she was sitting at the win
dow on the sunny side having needlework
of some kind in her hands and singing to
herself out of sheer comfort and content
nent She sprang to her feet.
Why, madam" she cried.
Yes, have come to see you. Let me sit
down" She threw herself upon chair
and tried to collect her thoughts. Yes, 1
have come. . . . l have come-to see you.
I am in terrible trouble, Mrs. Fulton and
you ma, be able to help me-
You, madam? Trouble come to you?"
Yes. 1 have been brought face to face.
with a great danger
But. madam. how can 1 help? If 1
could heaven knows how proud and happy
j should be-"
You do not know who I am. Your
daughter, perhaps. has never told you my
name"
oh. yes. she has. You are Mrs wey-
land. and you the widow of Hon. Ro-
maid Weyland. Was the girl wrong in tell
ing me?"
Certainly not .. only =. after
all that has passed-and your husband only,
restrained from insult or violence by igno-
Eance of my residence
Insult? From my husband? Why, mad
am. what has he to do with you?"
Has he told you nothing about me?"
Dear madam, my husband comes home
every evening drunk as David's SOW He
goes into the small room there-I call it
Alice r0Oll-and throws nlmSelI on the
bed where he sleeps like log. In the
morning his mouth is like lime kiln and
his hands shake like two bell ropes. Then
he goes out, and he never speaks to me.
Not one word does he say-hoIds out his
hand for his Allowance shilling u day 1
give him-and he goes away"
Let me confess. then. | was the woman
who could not pay her debt of f100 or ESQ
when he had the shop on Ludgate Hill: and
therefore was the cause. he says, of his
bankruptcy
oh. no. no. 1t was not any bad debt,
madam-nOt yours. nor any other. / re-
member the business quite well. You are
quite mistaken. madam"
He called upon me. He said that IL did
not pay that very day he should be bank
rupt."
Dear madam. my husband, / am sorry
to say, has always been a bad man. II is
not only the drink. but the dishonesty
Many a man for less has been hanged
When he told you that he was already
bankrup. he wanted your money for him
self: he would have defrauded the cred
itors, to whom IL Should have been paid
The creditors would not have pressed you"
"Oh! is this crue? Then l might have
been spared the shame and reproach-
Dear madam, you must not think of
shame and reproach- My husband forced
You to do-whatever it was"
Il might have been spared.' Isabel re-
peated. cIasping her hands. Heavens. /
might have been spared
You did no harm to my husband; YOU
only prevented him from defrauding his
creditors. Alas! 1 know too well that he
was ruined already"
He threatens to make a scandal; he is
furious against me; he is only kept quiet
by money"
IF he gets money for silence he will keep
silent-,In1ess he is encouraged by others to
talk Madam, do not give him much
money"
should 1 see him?'
No, madam. you must not. Indeed, ]
know not when you could see him. In the
morning, after leaving the lodging he has q
glass of purl to settle his stomach he says;
then he takes a pint Of wine IL any one OF
his old friends viii give 1t to him: II not he
drinks beer; in any case he Is bemured be-
fore noon; he sleeps 1t of in the afternoon
and he is speechless in the evening"
Yet he may be taken In hand by design
Ing persons. / fear she meant her noble
brother-in-law as designing person
Madam. / think you have nothing 90
: fear. My husband may go OF in the morn
inU with the intention Of making a scandal
But he win think little about it: he will