Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-04-07
T walked" she answered quietly.
She did not look up.
Her husband fancied she looked tired

T walked" she answered quietly.
She did not look up.
Her husband fancied she looked tired
and dragged, though as a matter Of
fact she was not in the least so. 1t is a
curious proof Of what unprecedented
| things even seasoned and iron willed
man Of the world will sometimes do
when Josiah Sewall impulsively thrust
his hand into his pocket and drew out
handful Of bills and loose change.
"By heavens" said he, ut is brutal
shame! You shall never again.
Pauline was on her feet in an instant,
flushed and angry. her hands clinched
at her sides.
81 will not touch one cent Of your
money because you pity me" she cried
eXcitedly.
Her husbands face, arrested mo-
ment in his surprise, hardened again
into the old stern lines. He thrust his
money back again into his pocket and
went on as If he had not been inter
rupted. "You shall never again touch
It for any other reason" The anger and
defiance of her eyes faced the stern
scorn of his, and neither fell.
Then she famed out again. You
were cruel to me before" she cried,
"cruel and unjust. You condemned me
before you heard, and when told you
married you for money you must
have known ! lied. But you have no
right to treat me So will not touch
your money from pity. but l tell you
will make You give 1t to me as my
right. | am your wife. and 1t Is mine
as well as yours. will make you"
Josiah Sewall sat leaning heavily for.
ward on the table. His eyes were keen
through lids nearly closed. His face
was white and set. but 1t was not bit
ter, only the face Of man who pits
himself against well matched oppo-
nent and longs for the bout to begin.
81 bet you $4,000 you will never
make me-"
Pauline stared at him curiously, with
parted lips. startled out Of herself. III
remember that" she said. but mechan-
ically. and then she went past him out
Of the room. Yet by the time she had
reached her chamber she had once
more that self control, had said what
she did not mean, had made fool of
herself.
Pauline suffered for many days Mr..
Sewall treated her with distant cold
ness There were no more drives, no
more conversations. The poor girl felt
with n bitter sense Of injustice that she
had lost the precious results of all
these long months for the sake OF
moment Of bravado How could she
make him give her his money as her
right? she asked herself scornfully.
Should she 20 in her brougham. in her
well made clothes, with all the evil
dences of wealth about her. to law
yer and accuse her husband OF nonsup-
port? Why, indeed. did she want the
money now ut all. excepting for poor
Johns sake? To gain her end would
be barren victory II she could not
win with 1t the love and respect of this
stern old man whom she had married.
And so Pauline set to work to storm
her husbands stern heart through the
twinkle In his eye, to bring about her
rights with jest, which is the only
way they will ever be gained while
men are men and women are wise.
One day Mr.. Sewall was surprised by
4 request from his wife to visit in Bos-
ton an elderly aunt whom she had not
seen since she was little more than a
child.
Itwas early in June. and the request
was the first she had made to him for
over a year. Il shall be obliged to ask
you to buy me a ticket" she said
haughtily. 1t was evidently an effort
to ask so much. Her husband stared at
her in surprise He had had sudden
vision of her, bis wife, alone and penni-
less, in strange city.
"Do you realize'- he began and
broke of again. "You are not accus-
toned" he went on, rather awkwardly.
''to travelling by yo"rsc.. am going
on next week m"sc!:. ;s you know, to
make my quarterly visit at my Boston
shop. VIII you not wait and go with
me-"
THANK you, l believe not" said
Pauline quietly. 81 have made my ar.
rangements to 60 sooner"
Mr.. Sewall saw her off few days
later with rather curious sensations.
| There had been a terrible struggle In
his masterful mind as to whether he
should not force upon this willful girl
the money she had so lately refused,
but pride had held him back. He had
also perhaps a suspicion that he might
not succeed. He watched her serene
departure with a mixture Of impatience
and admiration, but found himself alb.
surdly relieved when he got brief
note Il few days later announcing her
| safe arrival.
The house seemed lonely enough
without her. Josiah Sewall was stole
| at heart. but he caught himself during
these days imagining nervously all
sorts of predicaments into which Pau
lines penniless condition might betray
| her, and there were sometimes mo.
ments of unaccustomed doubt as to
whether he had acted always for the
best toward this second wife Of his,
who, in spite Of everything. had
brought so much peace and happiness
into his life The thought Of her boast
ing words never failed to bring con-
temptuous smile to his face, but In his
heart of hearts he did not now believe
she had married him for his money.
He went to Boston by the midLighi
train on his accustomed date. The
next morning he went early. as usual
to the big branch shop which bore his
name. He never failed on these visits