Year: 1864

"But George" And the tears came
into the brown eyes raised to mine.
p! What wretch I was Why coulln't /
speak kindly to the poor darling, if must
tell her Of her fault But no; my heart
was full Of bitterness because she had dis.
/ Obeyed me, and then it always put me out
I of humor to see a woman cry.


" 1 don't want to hear any more about
it. Take your dress away I don't wish
to look at itl I hope you viii enjoy it, anI
/ the recollection that iu buying it you dis
regarded my wishes will doubtless add
much to your pleasure in it."
l think this last cruel speech hurt her
more than all the rest. Itmakes me fur
iOus against myself now when 1 thiuk Of
it. But 1 had opened my heart to ven
omous, satirical demon, and he sat there
securely throned, defying all my efforts to
Eexpel him, and grinning with malicious
glce while he pointed the barbed
words which fell like poision drops from
my tongue. had never spoken to my
wife 50 before. I hated myself for it


I watched her as she crossed the room
ard sat down, from me, in the recess of a
window, with tears dropping fast over her
pale cheeks. How l longed to 90 aud
bring her back, and kiss away the rcmem-
brance Of my harshuess But I did not.
1 don't know how long we sat thus, aad 1
did not know what I was reading; ] was
only conscious of being very remorseful
and very unhappy, when a timid, faltering
voice startled me cut of nv abstraction,
and caused me to look up. She was stan
ding before me, with the tears not yet dry
on her pale face, and the grieved look
palmer than ever in her soft eyes.


~ don't care about having the dress,
George. III take it back Tomorrow. /
know they will allow me to return it; cnly
please donot look so. I can bear any thing
but seeing you so dispieasedP' p


Did I fling down that hateful paper,
and seattle trembling pleader on my knee,
and kiss the poor pale face till it blOomed
again Alas the demon whispered, For
givness easily obtained is not much val
ued. Hold out only little longer" And
I did; and lost the opportunity which the
wealth Of words can not buy now


I steeled my heart against those plead
ing tones. I met the prayerful glance
with one so cold that it froze down the
upspringing tears, and then I said, cold
ly,


ono, you shall not DO that IF there
is anything I hate, it is carrying thing
back after it has been taken. Now you've
got it, keep it. I'll pay the bill when /
60 down in the morning" And that was
all. Then lturned to The other side Of
the paper and appeared engrossed in a tel
egram from Washington I could have
cursed myself as I watched her move
YEARLY back to the window, and sit down
with her forehead pressed against the pane
so despairingly; and when one or two cou-
vulsi7e sobs, but half stifed, reached me
I fairly started, aud rustled the paper
nervously.


Seven o'clock. Alice arose and moved
across the room. She stopped a few
moments before the glass, and I watched
her unseen. 1 remember now exactly
how she looked and was dressed. I never
can forget it I knew not then, as I
gazed at her so intently, that it was the
asst time l should ever see her with the
current of life warming her veins andi
flushing her face She wore black
dress. Black was always my taste, and
it set off her pure complexion beautiful
ly; 'high and plain, with no ornaments
but the delicate lace about the throat and
arms. One thick braid Of hair passed
across her head, and it suited her better
than any coronet. Aud as she raised her
hand to smooth the brown ripples about
her forehead the sleeve fell back, and TIE
prettiest round arm you ever saw cleaned
out so bewitchinglyl knew very we'll
why she had dressed with 50 much taste
on this particular evening. We were go
ing out together to a birthday party
given by young cousin Of hers; for Nora
t. ought nothing could go right withOu:
"Cousih Alice" to superintend.


She got her hood and cloak, making a
noise purposely to attraek my attention
but 1 heard nothing. Then she came
and stood before me while she was tying
on her hood and waited some time for
me to speak; but l would not; and at last
she said, timidly,


We we're going to Uncle William to-
night"


"Wen?"


That was all I said. Then she weut
away looking very sad. Presently a
dusky face peered in at the door,


Carriage am ready, missus."


Georgia, are you going with me to-
nigbt?"


''No."


clam very sorry" she said, meekly;
.'but Nora will be SO disappointed if do
not 60; so must CO."


avery well. ="


did not look up till I heard the door
close after her Then 1 flung the pa
per aside with mutterAd curse, and
strobe fercely to the window. l watch
ed her enter the carriage, and saw it drive
off; and then came back to the fire,
kicked over a stool, and kicked it again
when it fell; flung the paper into the fire,
which I punched savagely for want Of
something more substantial on which to
vent my fury, and then sat down with my
face in my hands and grOaned bitterly
through my cleDchod teeth.


Twas angry with my suffering, unofeud-
inc wife because she had gone out with
OUT me. 1 thought she ought to have
staid at home and broken her engage
meut to humor my abused caprice, when
she did not even know that I wished her
to do so. was also angry with myself
for treating her in such shameful man
ner. Never before in all my life had l