Year: 1874




emporiums (no matter which One) of a
leading American city, held a position
as a teacher for several years.


My duties were very monotonous !;
but | used to extract a considerable
amount of interest and amusement,
while engaged in giving instruction,
from learning the histories-and they
were very varied-of my scholars.


The observation-disclosures always comes
back to me at the Christmas time; and
therefore when the season rolls around
again, with its merriment and cheer,
its misletoe and holly, its written and
unwritten tragedies and comedies of
life, feel like Iecounting it to others.


The position of instructress brought
me almost entirely in contact with my
own sex. Sometimes | had a male
pupil-one of a mildly mechanical turn
who would wish to become familiar
with the machine, so as to he able to
assist some wife or sister; but the in
StructlOn room, as rule, was usually
quite free from frequent visits of the
sterner sex


During the fall of special year be
came conscious, however, that a certain
Mr.. Harry Lee, a gentleman whom





of one of my employers, and whose
face was quite well known to all in the
establishment, began to occasionally
drop into my department and look on
during instruction hours. He was very
pleasant and gentlemanly i'll his man
neTs, and gave as an excuse for the in
terest he took, that he was a born Yam
kee. and therefore very fond of inven-
tions.


Although there were other teachers,
| discovered that he fingered most
frequently in my vicinity, and seemed
more interested in my conversation
than that of my companions. l was
young at the time, and no dOubt had
the usual desire of my sex to please. |
felt fiattered, perhaps. at his respectful
attention, and took particular pains to
make my observations on what | knew
about sewing-machines" as intelligent
as my limited powers permitted. He
soon became frequent visitor, and
sometimes when business was dull
would linger and converse on other
subjects besides the technicalities of
the trade. | found that he was well
educated, had travelled considerably in
his own country, and knew, as they
say, ''men and things His intimate
friendship with one of the firm pre-
vented any remarks as to the frequency
of his visits; and he made the addi-
tional apology for possible intrusion,
that he was very much at his leisure,
and sometimes thought of connecting
himself with the business. | admit
that | was quite interested in him, and
felt pleased when sometimes he would
bring me some favorite book about
which We had conversed and exchanged
views, or ask my opinion on some ma
gaZine article that was engrOssing pub
lie attention. | had never given a
thought To his relation in life-whether
he was married or single; he had
simply been To me pleasant episode
among my daily labOrs; and the flash
of his blue eyes and his frank smile,
when saluting me, at first considered
as merely among the other usual incl
dents of my daily life.


1t was during somewhat extended
conversation, one day, some weeks
after our first acquaintance, that the
thought flashed across my mind that
he had seen trouble and was unhappy
in connection with his affections. His
opinions of the female sex, | discovered
upon probing him little, were not
very enthusiastic or rOse-colored.
Sometimes, when speaking of marriage
and its relations, thought his remarks
rather cynical and bitter; and once or
twice he criticised some of my young
and fashionable pupils very severely,
seeming to have a very poor opinion Of
them as to their usefulness as probable
wives and mothers.


We became very good friends, event
ually; indeed, ! am afraid that should
| confess to the truth, we lndulged a
little in harmless and pleasant tiirta-
ton.


At last. from an accidental remark
of one OF my employers, | discovered
the skeleton in his closet" He was a
married man, but separated from his
wife. | think that felt little panied
at the information; and | certainly
could not help the coldness of my
manner when next met him. He saw
the change, and asked with his eyes
for an explanation, though not with
his tongue Had he taken the latter
liberty, it is very possible that | might
have told him, and then-this story
would never have been written. As 1t
was, a few hours thoroughly calmed
me: showed me something of the i'm
prudence of which | had been guilty,
in making SO close an acquaintance
with man about whom | knew liter
ally nothing; and reused all the woman
within me, in pride and dlm suspicion
of revenge.


That revenge was much nearer than
| could possibly have dreamed: and
unlike most revenges, no sorrow Is en-
tailed by the recollection. But of that
anon. Following the discovery, the
.l,,p.r I III tn anl1rOn If Inv
ascertaining particulars.
He had married a petted, wayward,
beautiful girl-the only childOf wealthy
parents, who had by injudicious man
agement fostered every weakness of
her character. He had formed her
acquaintance, and married her after a
short courtship. while on a visit to her
native town, and after a few months
removed to the city where he now
made his residence. He had brought
her home To the house of his mother,
who, with his sister, was OF the true
New England type. They were thor
ough going, practical women, notable
housekeepers, slightly Puritanical in
their beliefs, and holding very little
sympathy with youth and ineXperience.
/ The Young wife was impulsive, unused
/ to discipline of any kind, careless, lg-
norant of any habits of industry, but
warm hearted and affectionate. No
doubt a very troublesome relative To
the staid, methodical women with
whom she took up her residence.
Unfortunately for the wife, also. her
husband had been taught to look up
| TO his mother and sister as the best OF
women, aud had fondly fancied that
when his new treasure came under
their control all those little weaknesses
of which he had soon become aware
after marriage, would be cured by
their example and advice. But his
sanguine hopes were doomed 10 cary
Jisanpointment. Instead of his wife
growing docile and yielding, she be-
came more willful and intractable,
rebelled with high spirit against any
rule. and looked upon her husband
more as a companion with whom 70
enioy the amusements of fashionable
society, than as a helpmate; and friend
with whom to pass through the triais