Year: 1866

Don't go, Helen. Can you not for once
sacrifice your pride to your husband happi-
ness ? 1t may save you years of regret and
pain.


No; Charles is unreasonable, Annie, and
[ will show him that | am not a child to be
driven by frown into his way and wishes


The young wife beautiful face wore
hard, determined expression, as she stood
before the long mirror in her elegant dress
ing room, fastening spray of scarlet flowers
in her black hair. The gentle eyes of mid
dle-aged lady regarded her sorrOwfully, for
Mrs. Tilbury was not naturally willful or un-
amiable, as she saw in her present action the
result of her brothers mistaken policy, in
refusing to accompany his wife to brilliant
evening party which she had set her head
upon attending. He wasdomestic and home
loving In his disposition, while she was gay
and lively but She had ever deferred to his
wishes, and sacrificed much for his pleasure.
Unfortunately, the longing to go out in the
olden way had proved 10 strong as to cause
her to plead for the indulgence, and he had
refused her without any reasonable grounds
for that refusal. She was made to feel that
he was selfish in the action, and her proud
spirit rose up in rebellion against what she
came to regard almost Is tyranny, in the ex-
citement of the moment. There had been
sharp, bitter words for the first time in the
course of their married life, and each felt
sorely aggrieved. The result was the nom
appearance of Mr.. Tilbury at the usual din
ner hour, and the firm resolve of his wife to
go without him, and against his will Miss
Tilbury, who was residing with them-an
only sister, an invalid, and a quiet, gentle.
intelligent woman-had seen and heard all
with heavy heart, clearly perceiving the
dangerous ground ON which those two young
people were standing Knowing how vain
it was to strive with her brothers will when
he had declared his purposes, she turned to
Helen, hoping an appeal to her better nature
might accomplished the desired effect But
she had mistaken the strength of Helen's
will when the latter imagined herself wrong
ed, and might as well have appealed to the
stars to descend, as to eptreat the young wife
to leave her purpose now. The curled, rig
i'd hp-the steadfast, glowing eye spoke
spirit aroused not easy to quell.


But Helen, dear, think what you hold in
your hands. As a woman, the arbitress of
a loving man fate, you are too wholly re-
sponslble to act, lightly or wilfully without
counting what may be the cost. In all diff
ferences of feeling even when men are most
unreasonable, it Is the wcman's place toyield,
where so much is at stake / know Charles
so well that tremble for the result. He
will never get over 1T.


Il can understand, Annie, how natural it
is for you to take part with your brother
against ME In this matter. He is your broth
or, and has always ruled your yielding, .plas-
tic nature to his will. am not like you. If
[ have been the slave of his wishes, it was
because loved him toe, well to set myself
50. He has presumed upon his power to de-
prive me of the most harmless enjoyments
| have been cut off from society ike nun,
and had the modification of knowing that
my old friends comment upon it to my hus-
bands detriment. In permitting it | do him
wrong as well as myself, and it shall be so
no longer. j do not so much care TO go out
as you may think, though l do often long
for change from the constant quiet after so
gay life as / have been accustomed to. If
Charles would go with me, / should feel so
proud of him-noble, handsome as he ap-
pears But here / have been for more than
a year, spending evening after evening at
home, without any kind of amusement. He
does not even think of taking me to the OPP
era, which l love passiolately. If hint it,
he places my music before me and tells me /
can sing and play as we'll as those Italians or
Germans, who torture music-lOving souls
with their labored efforts at acting without
ability to succeed. For society, i have you
with your crotchet, and your brother with
his newspaper, which he never cares to read
aloud We're this not constant daily
thing, certainly would not complain. As
it is / cannot longer refrain. His frown and
disapprobation have too long kept me in
chains Now / become myself, and break
them in defiance Of his unreasonable dis