Year: 1874

rs panic 10 business. Otncf lhules are
standing by their husbands in Intelligent
sympathy and close economy. My long
hours, my desperate struggle Of late has
received from you no other tribute than
few complaints. hoped you would ask
me, but vowed would not tell you till you
showed sufficient interest to ask. Yester-
day, however, the strain was too severe.
Pride and strength were both giving way
but had found you at home aud at leisure
might have told you all. | needed com.
pauionship, sympathy, and good dinner,
for | had scarcely eaten anything all day.
Rut not grain did get Of either even
followed you TO the OPERA but seeing your
aHendant with sneeriug emphasisl did not
like to intrude"


Mrs. Hartley sprang up, and with eyes
flashing through her tears exclaimed


Your words are brutal, sir"


Possibly" be retorted, d" but a despe-
rate man is not apt to be nice in his phrase.
ology"


You do me cruel wrong" she continued
impetuously. You speak as if | were
absent last night wlliully and with knowl-
edge Of your need You kept me in ignor-
ance Of your affairs, and now taunt me
with that ignorance. You told me before
lyou had made money out Of Wall street
troubles, and nov, without any hint, | am
expected to know Just the contrary, and am
compared with those wives whose husbands
regard them as having brains enough to
understand their business. You are bitter
because Of my occasional absences when
months past, between your business and
club, have scarcely had husband. |
possess natureas active and full Of need as
your own. You satisfied yours elsewhere
without reference TO me. Had not as
good a right2 You left me no other re-
source save society"


"Very we'll, madam" interrupted her
husband, passionately. "Siuce you have
found iu society all your heart Graves, you
may now seek a better base of operations
than this house is likely to afford. ad-
wise you to return to your fathers house
at once Indeed, | see no other course for
you, for this establishment and all in it
will be in the hands Of my creditors in a
very few days You had better take what
you can while the opportunity exists"


And what will you do2" she asked
white, almost to her lips


"Siay here till turned out Of doors, and
then too shall belong to the world and
live in public places though fear can
hardly call the frequenters Of cheap board.
ing-houses society.


"Do you cast me OFF, she said in a low
strange voice.


That is in keeping with your sense oi
fairness You virtually cast me of for the
sake OF others but words must be put il
my mouth that will transfer to me The
odum OF the transaction. | simply advise
you to return to your fathers house Will,
you can quietly, for it will not be long be
fore strangers will sell this furniture anc
put us both out,


when do you wish me to go?' She
asked, with a quetness he did not under
stand


when you please" he said, turning
hastily to hide his pain.


why does she not ask to stay and hell
me to bear this burden, now beyond endur
ance,n be groaued within his soul "Hc
heart is indeed gone from me beyond re
call.


With an intolerable sense of wrong an,
with the more cruel conviction that so ia
J troubles she was only heavy burden, Mrs
Hartley fed from the room, and when he


husband turned she was gone.
s lie went mechanically to his business


and gave it mechanical attention. But
e had reached that pass where it require
! management the most keen and adroit.


was no longer possible to give this, aud HI
D suspension became cnly a question of ie'
l. days


When he returned in the evening onl


the servant again greeted him, and yoluI
C. teered the information:


81 guess Mrs Hartley is gone on a yisi
b sir She went off in carriage this aftei
l. noon, and a dray took a lot OF trunks"
IS The woman watched curiously for th
e effect OF her words, but Mr.. Hartley's steri
3 white face gave little indication Of II
g tumult and agony within his soul.
rs d" Did she leave no word? he onI


asked.


e " No sir


t. lie then went to her room. 1t was
d order, aud be soon noted that she had take
le but comparatively few things, and tho
is such as she possessed 10 her own righ
ID No gifts of his nothing that could be so
lg to advantage, had been touched. Tn
T, wounded him deeply, for it seemed as
ID she were bent upon severiug all relatio
u ship with him.


ID Worse than all, there was not word
st farewell. Even reproaches would ha
it been better than the omnious silence
as which she had departed


ly He at once decided upon his course, a
Of soon brought dismay to the kitchen cabin
1t by ordering them all to be ready to depu
n, early the following morning. They ne
he realized for the first time that the trout
ld above stairs could result in something me
N, than gossip and entertainment for the


but as their wages were promised to t
he end Of the month they had no recourse b
X to obey.


'ts Mr.. Hartley soon had the house all
se himself, aud it seemed to him like a sepl
oN cutT. Al uEHl ne tulumtuttu ulnluE u
nd spending his evenings at the club, but
Is manner and whispers Of his trouble SO
he began to subject him to notice from stri


gers and questioning from friends. I
'ds more fully that he realized his situation
Die deeper became his distress, and the mt


sensitive he grew to the slightest allus
lot to that which ranked at his heart. WI
u every day that passed without word fir


his wife added to his suffering, it also
it. creased his sense of wrong. Some mutt


friends tried to effect reconciliation,
'an though his heart was breaking because


the enlargement he haughtily repelled
not slightest reference to the subject. In


disposition to shrink from those that
lch knew he soon came to spend his time wi
So, absent from his Office in his empty hou
re- and would sit brooding hour after h


where the happiest moments of his life
but been spent


I'VE The crisis in his affairs came in due til
lch A note for large amount matured, and
me could not meet it, He called his credit
4 together and gave up everything. As
Fry made Of cold, white marble he went throl


the harrassing details of settling up his
he siness. Even those who suffered by
his failure pited him, but such was his m
his ner none might express it, His eleg
ow- house was soon dismantled, and of all