Year: 1874

and the flash of his blue eyes and
his frank smile, when saluting me,
l at first considered as merely
among the other usual incidents OF
my daily life.


1t was during q somewhat extend
ed 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 fe-
male sex, I discovered upon prob
ing him little, were not very en-
thusiastic or rose.coloed. Some.
times, when speaking of marriage
| and its relations, l thought his re-
marks 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. l naturally always
defended my sex and once when
laughingly expressed my belief that
if l ever should see the woman des-
tined to be his wife, it would no
doubt be one of those same pretty,
useless, taSLi unable creatures against
whom he rallied so bitterly-a look
of pain passed across his face, that
set me to thinking that had touch
ed sore spot in his experience.


We became very good friends,
eventually; indeed, am afraid
that should l confess the truth, we
INDUCED little in harmless tlirta.
ton. l know that | was always
pleased to see him and am sure
that he often fingered beside me in
a manner savoring little of devo-
ton. Still this was only on the sur
face; and | grew more and more
certain from melancholy that often
possessed him, that there was some
secret connected with his domestic
life, Of an unhappy character,


At last, from an accidental re
mark of one of my employers, I dis.
covered the "skeleton in his cloest."
He was married man, but sepa-
rated from his wife. l think that l
felt a little panied at the informa-
tion; and l certainly could not help
the GOODNESS of my manner when
next met him. He saw the change,
and asked with his eyes for an ex.
planation, 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 it was, a few hours
thoroughly calmed me =; showed me
something of the imprudence Of
which l had been guilty, in making
so close an acquaintance with man
about whom | knew literally moth
ing; and reused all the woman with.
in me, in pride and a dim suspicion
of revenge.


That revenge was much nearer
than l could possibly have dreamed ;
and unlike most revenges, no sor-
row is entailed by the recollection.
But of that anon. Following the
discovery, the first thing did was
to,enlarge it by ascertaining the par
ticulars-how, is a matter of no con-
sequence in connection with this
story. What additionally discov-
cred, howevar, Is Of consequence.


He had married petted, way
ward, beautiful girl-the only child
of wealthy parents, who had by i'll
judiciOus management fostered
every weakness of her character.
He had formed her acquaintance,
and married her after a short court
ship, while on visit to her native
town, and after few months remov'
ed 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
, thorough-going, practical women,
notable housekeepers, slightly Pu-
ritanical in their beliefs, and hold.
ing little sympathy with youth and
inexperience. The young wife was
impulsive, unused to discipline of
every kind, careless, ignorant of any
habits of industry, but warm-heart
ed and affectionate. No doubt a
very troublesome relative to 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