Year: 1860




her," Somers continued


"When we moved up here things went
on in pretty much the same pleasant way
until there came to the village lady
whom / had formerly known, and about
whom and me there had been little gos-
sip in old days. Our acquaintance was
renewed, and visited her several times;
made no concealment of my intimacy with
her, and invited my wife to accompany
me, but she declined. She wished to
make no new acquaintance, she said.-
There was frequent visitor at my house
"a relative of my wife's-who poisoned
her cars with suspicious that it was not
right between May Brennon and myself.
She repeated the old gossip, with addi-
tions, spoke of my visits to Miss Brennon,
and limited at criminality, as that nasty
minded class always will, who, having
small virtues of their own, and depraved
fancies, conjure up impure conceits re-
garding their neighbors, imputing la
seriousness and wrong where the strict
est purity might not see occasion to blush,
l was returning home one summer even
ing, on foot, having spent the day in bus
mess at town few miles from this,
when by strange chance, short dis
tance from town met Miss Brennon.-
1t was pure accident that brought us
together, and she turned back with me,
taking my arm. We walked slowly, as
the weather was warm, and stopped a
moment on the rustic bridge yonder to
look down into the stream and say few
pleasant words about old times. saw
some one pass by us as we stood there,
but was Indifferent as to whom it might
be, and bidding my companion good-by
l went home, as happy as lord in anti
cipation of meeting the ones there that
/ met with a cold reception. My bane
was sitting with my wife in counsel, and
Tread judgment on the face that had too
many times lately turned unkindly to-
wards me.


So you've come, Mr.. Hypocrite, have
yov?" was the first salutation.


Certainly, my dear, | replied, "though
l can scarcely see reason for the applica-
ton of the name to me-"


"You cannot! You who have Just left
that vile creature, on whose account and
in whose company you have all day been
absent from your home! You cannot~


81 have been away all day on business"
said |, as calm as Socrates, 81 was return
ing home and encountered Miss Brennon.
We walked together little way, and
then left her for my pleasant home, and
certainly did not expect sucha reception"


"You did not" said she sneeringly,
"but you are found out, sir. You stood
upon the bridge with your arm around
the strumpet's waist and kissed her.


l felt aroused at this. / can bear any
attack upon myself but the reflection up
on Miss Bennon was too much for me,
who knew her pure character and exalted
worth.


at is falsehood?" I shouted, "and
your informant is a malicious and malig-
nant falsiferp,


The relative gathered herself up to 60,
but before she went / gave her lesson
on lying and tale-bearing that she has
not forgotten yet. She has never cross
ed my door since. AS soon as she was
gone / turned to my wife, and said


"As for you, madam, if you cannot
make better use of your tongue, you
had better never speak again.


/ was heated, in passion, and scarcely
knew what | said, but the unkind words
entered into her soul. | left the house
and did not return for long time, |
found her calmly and undisturbedly sit
ting where had left her, but she spoke
not. She arose and performed such du-
ties as were required of her, but she did
not speak. In vain / addressed her; she
made no reply. Igrew alarmed. ] beg
ged her to speak to me, but not one word
would she deign me. 1t has continued
thus ever since. Not one word has she
uttered to me or any one. My home is
dismal as tomb, or would have invited
you there"


He ceased his story, and / told him
how much interested l had been in it.
"But," said l, "have you tried no remedy
to cure this disease, for disease it must
be-" He told me that he had not
"1'hen said /, stake rue home with you,
and if don't cure her, strike the spurs
from my heel as an unworthy knight"


went home with the poor fellow, and
found things pretty much as he had re-
presented. / was introduced to the mis-
tress of the mansion, who received me
with a profound bow.


"a delightful home, madam, this Of
yours" said I, glancing admiringly out
of the window. looked towards her as
though expecting a reply. She merely
nodded her head.


care there many such in the vicinity
among the hills9" persisted, looking
her in the face.


She colored as though she were con-
fused. i found subsequently that / was
the first stranger that he had dared to
take home for several years. 1 saw by
her organism that she was not naturally
bad woman, and OWNED at once that
she had vowed perpetual silence at the
unkind words of her husband, and that il
only needed but single word to break
the spell that rested upon her.
l continued my engineering, making
all manner, of domestic enquiries regard
ing the children, of whom she appeared
very fond, but could not elicit WORD
r ~ II IL a 4