Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-20
WORLD FAMOUS STORIES
THE WIFE
THE WIFE
~ WASHINGTON IRVING

Washington Irving 11s3.Issa. vas an
shs H.. he's. known OWE w snR ,hs p1on
:ach STORE. :. RID. Van w.nke" and "Ths
present story 10 taken.p
| My intimate friend. Leslie. had mar.
| ried beautiful and accomplished girl
| who had been brought UP In the mids,
OF fashionable life. She had. 1t is true
no fortune, but that of my friend was
ample. and he delighted In the anticipa-
ton OF indulging her In every elegan,
pursuit and administering TO those deli
cate tastes and fancies that s1read a
kind OF witchery about the sex.
Her lie" said he. shall be like
The very difference in their char
acters produced harmonious COM
| bination he was of a romantic and
somewhat serious cast: she WAS all life
and gladness. have often noticed the
| mute rapture with which he would gaze
upon her In company. OF which her
sprightly powers made her the delight;
and how. In the midst Of applause. her
eye would stu turn to him. as II there
| alone she sought favor and acceptance.
| Never did n couple set forward on the
| fiowery path OF early and well suited
| marriage with fairer prospect OF fe-
| LEFTY.
II was the misfortune OF my friend.
however to have a succession OF disas-
ters, and within n few months after
| marriage he found himself reduced al
| most TO poverty. For time he kept
his situation 10 himself. and went about
with a haggard face and breaking
heart. What rendered his life more in
| supportable was the necessity OF keep
Inc a&s la hA Nf ht
Wife~-for he could not bring himself Ia
| oVerwhelm her with the news She
saw. however with the quick eyes of
affection, that all was not well with
him
At length he came to me one day
and related his whole situation In a
tone OF the deepest despair.
Does your wife know all this?"
I inquired.
For Gods sakel" cried he. III you
have any pity on me, don't mention my
,, wife, II is the thought of her that
drives me almost to madness"
And why not?" said /. She must
know II sooner or later. You cannot
keep IL long from her, and IL may break
upon her In a more startling manner
than II you told her yourself for the
| voice Of some one we love sottcns The
| harshest tidings. Besiden, you are de
priving yourself of the comforts Of her
| sympathy You are also endangering
the only bond that can keep hearts to-
gether an unreserved sharing of
thought and feeling She will perceive
that you are keeping something from
her, and true love feels undervained
when even the sorrowh Of the one loved
are concealed from It,
| stu he mOaned about how he would
dash nil her prospects To the ground
by telling her that her husband was a
beggar. lie felt that he would be drag
ging her down from place she might
have occupied but for his misfortune
saw hts grief was eloquent. and
let II have It's now. for sorrow relieves
itself by words. When hiA paroxysnl
had subsided, and he had relapsed intd
moody silence, ] resumed tho subject
gently, and urged him tn break the situ"
alton IN his wife.
| III viii be n source Ut pride and
triumph Ia her" ! said 1T will call
forth all tho latent energies and fer.
vent sympathies Of her nature. for allie
viii rejoice 10 prove that she iaves you
for y0,irself No man knows what the
wife of his bosom isno man knows
what n miniaiering angel she iswuntil
no has gone with her through the fiery
trials Of this world"
knew the auditor ! had 10 deal
with. and following up the imprss.
Sion had made. filished by per.
suadinG him 70 % homo and un-
burden hls SAD heart % his wife,
must 00nfsee ! f1lt aone NpEQ q n