Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1903-09-25

emO1les TO dozen substantial citizen.
d and their extensively attired wives, en-
: dured the two hours spent at table, anC
q the two duller ones in the great par.
;. Tors, where the small company seemed
lost and everybody talked as if afraid
: of his own voice. She was no gayer than
the rest by the time the entertainment
was half over. The atmosphere of re-
spectacle stupidity was infectious, and
1 this pervaded every nook of her new
: home. In her brothers house she had
had young visitors, and there was. at
the dullest, the hope of release to con-
sole her. Now she was settled in life, >"
could sit down with idle hands and
spend her days in contemplation of her
grandeur. She had married we'll No
body looked askance at her when old
maids were the subjects of pity or ridi-
Guile. The most censorious could not
couple her name with the dread word
dependence" She had no household
cares. Mr.. Withers and Miss Field re-
lieved her of all such
And the mistress of the mansion was
left to her own devices? By no means.
If her husband were fastidious. he was
also tyrannical. He dictated not only
what dress his wife should appear in
daily. but also what laces and orna-
ments she should sport; at what hours
she should take the air; whom she |
must visit and whom invite; what
songs she should sing to him when he
asked for music in the evening, and
when the day should close-the day so
wearisome in its similitude to all that
had preceded and those which should
follow it.
My cousin is man with aspirations
above the frivolities Of fashionable
life. and excitement is injurious to his
health" Miss Field notified the bride
that day after her home-bringing 81
fear Mrs. Withers will tire of the even
tenor of our way"
81 like quiet" Constance replied.
But she did not mean stagnation.
She was married in April, and on the
first of July the trio removed to Mr..
Withers' country seat. Here Constance
was to find that the dead level of her T
existence had yet lower plane of dull
ness. There was not a neighbor within Z
four miles, hardly a farm house in
sight.
We recruit here after the dissipa-
ion of the winter" Miss Field said, =
'njoyingly. The solitude is enraptur- I
ng. One can sleep all day long if she =
ikes'' e.
This proved to be her favorite meth ~
d of recuperating her exhausted ener- ~
les Mr. Withers, too, liked post p'
randall sies-a, prescribed by his ply TX
Ician as eminently conducive to diges-
on Constance was not more lonely dt
hen they slept than when they were I'd
wake. The horrible sterility of her life &C
as not to be ameliorated by their So ar
ETY.. If commonplaceness be a crime, ah
r. Withers and his cousin were Of ne
nders of an aggravated type. Harri- an
S Alterations and Elnathans plati- aV
des were to the tortured senses of the vo
ird person of the party less endura- I'M
e than the cicada's shrill monotone rig
rough the hot summer day, and the sci
tydid's endless refrain at night. Her IN
r by their weight, began to gall and col
It into her spirit. She grew unequal TO
temper. nervous and restless, under pas
? restrictions imposed by her spouse Wo
insane impulse beset her to defy his Her
.hority and set at naught his coun- wei
S; to rush into some outrageous wa.
ak that should shock him out of his 10
priety and provoke the prudish toad ity
er to natural speech and action. and
his madness was never stronger T
n on one August afternoon when she on
aped from the house. leaving the ct
sins to the enjoyment of their re- thrc
erative maps in their respective ing
mbers and took her way to the bose
intain back of the villa. She had OF {
er explored it, tempting as was the upol
lie of the hemlocks and pines that the
v up to the summit and the walls conn
ray rock revealed through the riffs Be
ne foliage. A current of fragrance, conc
odor OF the resinous woods, flowed fiigh
n to greet her ere she reached the push
klrts OF the forest, and the lulling the g
muir OF the WIND IN the evergreen tain
ms was like the sound Of many as hi
wooing waters. The tender green GUS
is of the larches tapped her head suit.
lie bowed beneath their low branch count
nd the wide hemlocks were spread towal
enedlction above her She was emba
with nature-free for one short ed hi
10 think her own thoughts and neith
ut her desires. She laughed as q ing d
Y cedar knocked of her hat at the hat. b
Mt that she tore her dress upon a smile
Die. 1 have
ley are leagued with my legal er's u