The Washington herald., 1911-01-08

other man.
Il knew that Beatrice was jealous. 81
her words did not affect me. l went t.
London and asked Julia to be my wife
She lived with an aunt in a poky house
in kenSingtOn. a different home to the
one in which she had been brought up
and I think she hated it's meanness. bu
she was honest with me. saying that she
| had loved her cOuSin-who was dead
that she should never love again. If
cared to marry her, knowing that, she
! would be my wife
| Cared. I felt as though I was in
| Paradise. a dead man was soon forgot.
ten. told myself
After time Julia asked me if there
was not some kind OF an engagement,
| existing between me and Beatrice. | eX-
planned that ii had been arranged long
ago. and was not recognized as binding:
| all the same. as IL was my unicleS no.
ton. ii would be better if our engage
| were married / would tell him. I had
a little difficulty to persuade Julia to
agree to this, but finally 1 succeeded, and
| We were married in q month.
Il don't think she would have been in
duced to marry me so soon. but her aunt
was on my side. and she hated the life
| she was leading
| trice came up to town, and Jula's aunt.
with great triumph. informed her of the
| marriage. My uncle had believed / was
| abroad with friends: now he was unde-
ceived and wrote telling me he wished
| to see me at once and that l was not to
bring my wife.
Il went. He was a stern man: the
,lxrx
the date fixed for their marriage, and
| the blow had changed his nature. He
told me l had acted deceitfully. that
! had disgraced the name l bore, and that
he had made up his mind to let me pay
for what l had done. For two years he
would not allow me a penny: the five
hundred a year that inherited from my
father must keep us. At the end of that
time, If he was satisfied with my con-
duct. he would allow me an income suit
| able for my position his heir; at pres
ent my heirShip was doubtful.
when l left him ! saw Beatrice who
wished me happinesse and said l had
been wise to marry Julia. and she would
do her best for me with our uncle; also
the next week.
She came, and after that first visit a
fortnight never passed without Beatrice
spending a portion of day with nv
wife. She would arrive about noon and
leave soon after afternoon tea. and I
discovered that when my cousin came
my wife did not care for my company.
They were the best of friends, and while
Julia's friendship for my cousin had in
creased. / knew that she cared less for
me than on the day she became my wife
If tried to discuss the reason. she would
say that she had told me she had no
love to give. but that she would never
disgrace my name I knew that she was
pure as the driven snow. but man
wants to sun himself in the warmth of
his wifeS love.
Then a time came when l knew I
was to be a father. and I hoped my
wife would turn to me. but it made no
difference: and thinking it was our mar
row means that she resented. I began to
frequent the gambling saloons. At first
I was lucky, and when you were born
money was plentiful. Your mother never
asked the reason Of our affluence. /
know now she thought my uncle had
relented.
After my run Of good luck. fortune
changed, and 1 lost. One night 1 came
away from the gambling saloon owing
G50O to one man, and l had no assets.
We lived in apartments. The only things
I possessed of value were thoSD lockets.
The miniatures were exQuisitely painted:
they had been done soon after our mar
riage, and l had said in sentimental
fashion that we would each wear one.
My wife had a little valuable jewelry,
but I would not ask her to part with it,
and it was impossible to sell the lockets
In this dilemma l took an early train
the next day to Arlington Hall, and
told Beatrice the position in which was
placed. She appeared to sympathize with
me. but when asked her II she could
lend me any money she said she'd Just
used the last of her allowance. and she
advised me not to apply to uncle, saying
she would ask him when he was in a
good temper. Just then he was vexed
about some rent he had lost through the
failure of one Of his tenants. left the
matter in her hands and did not leave
Arlington Hall until the last train
Two days later I saw the man to
whom I owed the money, and before I
could tell him that hoped to pay the
money shortly he thanked me for II,
saying as it was my uncle's check he
supp0sed the old boy had shelled out
Then he went to speak to another fell
low. and I.only knew the bare fact that
he had received check for the amount
of his debt was so pleased that +
spent what money I had in my pocket
in buying an expensive toy for the baby |
Then met with a friend. and by the |
time got home II was late, and de-
cided to defer writing-t0 thank my uncle |
for his generosity-untii the next day. I
did not name the check to my wife, as |
she knew nothing Of the debt.
q Morning came. and vas Nl-innuenA
land . fortnight eiapssd bs1ore was