Year: 1874

OIten possessed nm. that there was
some secret connected with his domestic
life, of an unhappy character.


At last, from an accidental remark of
one of my employers, I discovered the
{" skeleton In his oset. " He was a
married man, bat separated fro his
wife. think that felt little panied
at the information and I certainly
could not help the GOODNESS of my man
ner when next I 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 I might have told
him, and then-this story would never
have been written As it was, q few
hours thoroughly calmed rae showed
| me something of the imprudence of
which l had been guilty, in making SO
close an acquaintance with a man about
whom knew literally nothing; and
reused all the woman within me, in
pride and a dim suspicion of revenge.


That revenge was much nearer than
could possible have dreamed; and IN
like most revsnges, no sorrow is en-
tailed by the recollection. But of that
anon. Following the discovery, the
first thing did was to enlarge it by
aseertaining particulars-how is matter
"a III consequence III COuuGG4IOu WIFI
this story. What I additionally dis
covered, however, is of Consequence.


He married petted, wayward, beau
tiful girl-the only child of 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 q visit
to her native town. and after a few
months removed to tho 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
thorough-gOing, practical women, no.
table house-keepers, slightly Pnritani-
cal in their belief, and holding very
little sympathy with youth and mex
perience. The young wife was impul-
sive, unused to discipline of any kind,
careless, ignorant of any habits Of in
dustry, but Warm-hearted and Affection
ate. No doubt very troublesome rel
ative 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, and had fondIy 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 ex-
ample and advice. But his sanguine
hopes were doomed to early disappoint-
ment. Instead of his wife growing
dOcile and yielding, she became more
wiliful and intractable, rebeIled with
high spirit against any rule, and looked
upon her husband more as a companion
with whom TO enjoy the Rmuse ments of
fashionable society, than as helpmRte
and friend with whom to pass through
the trials and cares of life. Still she
had kind heart and warm affections
and had more love and sympathy been
exhibited in connection with efforts to
change her habits, and less cold, severe
exactions shown on the part of her hus-
bands relatives, the event might have
been better for all. At last the usual
result followed. Quarrels became of
frequent occurrence estrangement
grew up between man and wife; and it
was only a year after their marriage
that the ycung wife, one day, after
passionate outbreak and most unhappy
scene with her husband, left his home
and returned to that of her parents.
Here she was not only received with
open arms, but cOndoled and sympa-
thized with to her great iniury-a di-
vOTce proposed and all chance of recon
ciliation destroyed.


Such was the painful story, as I gath
cred the particulars-no rare one in the
world, I am quite aware, and yet sad
enough as embOdying the wreck OF two
lives. Perhars a knowledge of the
whole sOftened my pride toward Mr..
Lee a trife, though it by no means
cured my wounded self-respect or put
me more at ease with myself. What
more acquaintance might have followed
is uncertain perhaps none whatever,
under the changed conditions; nor have
/ the clearest idea how my revenge
would have been accomplished, had l
not been favored by new and unexpected
circumstances.


1t was in the month of December that
one very cold and clustering morning
lady was usheTed into the instruction
room by one of the salesmen. She was
a young and remarkably pretty woman,
as I discovered at the first glance, and
dressed very becomingly in the prevail
ing mode. The usual remarks that
''she was afraid she would be stupid"
and my reinsurance that I had taught
pupils from twelve to eighty IL age and
IRON Irish Nora to the Hon. Mrs. High
ny6E III BOSlIASus k1ttSSHu D6bHooA us
and thence, after feet were comfortably
warmed, and gloves removed, the lesson
began. Upon the raising of her veil,
as she seated herself, discovered that
her beautiful brown eyes showed traces
of recent tears ; and several times as
the lesson progressed an unconsciously
drawn long sigh or sob proved very
plainly that she had lately passed
through some strong emotion, and that
nature was kindly restoring the equili-
brium.


In the course of the lesson, that day,
she told me that she was married and
the mother of a little boy somewhat
over year cd. She limited at trouble
in connection with her marriage rela-
tiOps, and of late news that had caused
the past night to be spent very unhap-
PLY. She seemed low-spirited, and
deeply ashamed of her ignorance as re-
garded all knowledge of sewing or the
construction of the simplest garment.
I encouraged her-told her that pa
tience and application only were neces-
saIy, as she showed very good natural
abilities and would learn easily. Bat
she replied sadly that she was afraid
that those were virtues she had never
cultivated, nor even until lately deemed
at all necessary. She assured me that
I could form no idea how useless
and helpless she had been. She had
never liked to sew, and her mother had
never wished her to do so, telling her
there were plenty of poor PEOPLE who
would be glad to do such labor instead.
She hoped I would not laugh at some
of her no doubt trihing and silly ques-
tions, as she had never even made a gar
ment of any kind in her life-not even
a little one for her baby I laughed
good -naturedly: could not help 1t;
and told her that she took too severe a
view of her deficiencies-that there were
plenty of other ladies Just like her; but
she said, smiling little mouFnfuliy in
return, that ii I knew how bitterly she
bad lately begun to understand what an
uneducated woman in useful matters
she was, and how inconvenient she had
found the position, I would not wonder
at her desire to do better.


This first lesson was succeeded by
others, for several days following, dur
ing which learned that she had been