Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-04-07

II - n M II II II
their united resources, and from her
personal allowance she had long since
decided that "helping John" should
take whatever she could spare, even
though in open rebellion against her
husbands wishes. She should make
no secret Of it, nor yet would she seem
either to beg from him or defy him by
mentioning it beforehand.
Nothing more had been said on the
subject until this evening, when she
had been summoned before her hus-
band. He was sitting at his desk In
the library, and his expression, stern
and forbidding, had warned her that
the expected was about to happen.
There was no preamble. Il have a
letter from your father" he began
abruptly. "in which he says your broth
er has been boasting that his sister,
who has 'bagged a millionaire will
keep him in tin hereafter" Mr.. Sew
alrs voice was very hard, and the
words "bagged a millionaire" were
said with a sneer which made Pauline
vince.
1T is quite true" she said evenly,
that l have given him money from
my allowance
"You admit it, then" her husband
broke in furiously. The loss of self
control in this man seemed so impossi-
BILE and so unexpected that his wife
started back in alarm. His voice had
in it all the despairing rage of a crea-
ture which feels again the familiar
grip of the trap from which it had
thought itself forever free. "Woman
as you are, l wonder that you own so
much. Before we were married or
dered you never to give one cent of my
money to your worthless scoundrel OF
a brother. Have you forgotten It? An
swer me-"
Pauline's twentieth century spirit rose.
ut was my money, not yours" she
said defiantly, land why should you
order me to do anything? l am not
child"
| 1Ou are my NhS'
II suppose you mean your slave"
81 married you, Pauline" said Mr..
Sewall, with contemptuous bitterness,
because | thought you would make
me an efficient and obedient housekeep-
er. trusted that your fathers daugh-
ter would have some good sense and
discretion, but / see," he continued,
that you are like the rest-without
reason or honor. 1t Is not your fault.
l suppose. since you are woman"
Josiah Sewalls miserable experience
had made it impossible for him to
realize the effect Of such words as
these OH a sensitive woman who loved
him. Pauline lashed out wildly. You
married me, then, to be servant with
out wages who cannot give up her
place. Very well. have my revenge,
for | married you, an old man who
might have been my father, simply
and solely for your money!" Then she
had turned and fled from the room
without another glance at the frozen
figure at the desk.
Pauline shut the eyes Of her imagi.
nation when she thought of the future.
Remorse, together with many eXtenua.
tions of her husbands words, was al
ready hard at work within her. She
did not go downstairs again that night.
In the morning when she went to
breakfast her husband had already
gone. All day long she wandered from
one trifiing employment to ano;her,
restless and disconsolate, feeling for
the first time the disadvantage Of being
a rich woman with servants hands to
fulfill all the necessary duties Of life.
| Over and over again she reviewed
despairingly the scene Of the night be-
fore, wondering how she had ever come
to fling that cruel, taunting lie. but her
own calmer reflections had brought
such quick forgiveness for her hus
band that she grew hopeful for herself,
so that she was woefully disappointed
when he did not appear at dinner time
1t was only at o o'clock that she
heard him come in and 80 to the libra.
ry. Presently he sent for her, and she
went to him with a most contrite spir-
it, determined to do her utmost by apol-
ogy and conciliation, no matter what
he might do or say. But she was scarce.
| ly prepared for the ominous whitenesS
4 of his set face or the judselike STERN
ness of his demeanor as he sat at his
desk with couple of official looking
| documents under his hand.
Pauline stood before him, hesitating
appealingly. Her husbands eyes met
hers without change from their stony
calm. All at once it came over the girl
what u task she had undertaken - to
make this hard old man Of the world
love and trust an undisciplined and in.
experienced creature like herself-and
how miserably and soon she had come
to utter failure.
Josiah Sewall looked at his wife's
face paling and flushing, and at her
quivering lips. He believed she had
spoken the truth in her anger the night
before. He saw nothing in her express
sion now but fear Of the consequences.
And Pauline. OH her side. saw only the
sneer in his searching eyes. and her
own hardened, and she Strengthened
and felt no more dread. but only pa
tient sense Of inevitable misery.
Mr.. Sewall spoke first. "1ou inform
Ell me last night" he began coldly,
"that your reason for becoming my
wife was through no regard for myself
as you had pretended, but simply to
reap the advantage of my money. Such
a condition Of affairs naturally ex'
cludes you from any claim henceforth
to my regard. 1t does not constitute
believe, a reason for divorcing a wife,
but can at least prevent you from re
alizing your expectations. Since money
is your only object shall make 1t my
business to deprive you Of that In the
future as completely as lies in my pow
err 1 have today altered my will, leav-
Ing you at my death exactly what the
law allows and not a penny more. l
have also made out list"-Mr. Sewall
raised a paper from the desk without
moving his eyes from his wife's white
; face-"of certain shops at which you
can order, think, whatever you need