Year: 1875

Al VIZ Nay yVu OVuiu SOs III rOus
businen that would occupy only .
part Of your time, and when you
! wereat liberty we could 60 out and
enjoy ourselves and see something Of
the world, instead of being eooped uE
| in this lonesome place."


"Oh, Alice, l am sorry to hear
you talk in this way. Thought you
were oontented aud happy here. y
He was surprised and deely grieved,
and Alice knew it; but she had pom.
dered this matter too long to give il
up easily now, and she brought for.
ward every argument that she could
devise to convince him that she was
right. and Gilbert Drew went back
to the field that morning with a sad.
der heart than he had carried for
many day.


After that Alice gave him, no
peace. She had get her heart on
leaving the farm and she was constant.
" picturing to him the easy csre-free
life she imagined they might live in
the city. Gilbert was far from shar'
ing her. views of the subject; but he
loved her too well to be uamindful Of
her pleasure, and finding that she
would be satisfied with nothing less,
he finally yielded to her wished.
Having an opportunity to dispose OF
his farm and stock for good price,
he did so, another spring-time found
our country friends safely settled in
city quarters. They purchased .
handsome house in fashionable 10.
cality, and Gilbert obtained the posi-
ton of clerk in q dry goods establish.
ment. Through friendly influence
they gained admittance to,an aristo-
cratic circle, composed mostly Of
people with wealth and leisure at
their disposal. Alice, with her love-
ly face and easy, graceful manners,
became quite a belle, and her time
was completely occupied in shopping,
returning the calls Of her fashionable
friends and visiting places Of amuse-
ment. Gilbert grew used to finding
the house closed and still, and hear
ing the servant girl say her mistress
had gone out. He was naturally
social, and was always glad to have a
few friends in of an evening and a
cosy little supper; but he took no
interest in the gay society in which
Alice delighted, the large parties and
midnight revels we're utterly distaste-
full to him. He was occupied at the
store only during the day, and even
ing after evening he sat alone, while
his wife passed away the hours at
some brilliant gathering, listening to
words of flattery, and forgetting her
womanhood and her truth, inasmuch
as she forgot to care for the interests
of her home and the happiness of
the man she had promised to love
and honor. She had q natural fond
ness for dress; but in her country
home, associating with people whose
means were similar to her own, she
had never indulged in any unwar-
ranted extravagance. and had con-
sidered herself well dressed in an
alpaca or a fresh muslin. But now
she had everything about her to
stimulate and arouse the desire for
fnery, and as the ladies with whom
she associated wore jewels and fine
laces, she naturally coveted the same,
and was fretful and unhappy ifdenied
them. Gilbert INDUCED her in ev-
erything that he could possibly afford;
but his salary was not large, and
sadly he realized that instead Of gain
ing in property, as he had hoped to
do, he was falling behind at a fearful
rate. He grew morbid and unhap.
DIV, and the home that blossomed
with the flowers of love and peace
lost its charm for both of them.


Coming home one night about a
year after their removal to the city,
Gilbert went up to his wife's room
and found her before the mirror,
giving the finishing touches to an
elegant toilet. She looked very
lovely standing there in her robe of
azure silk, with its overdress of misty
lace caught up here and there with
silver grasses. But the sight of her
beauty excited no pride in her hus-
bands heart, and with keen pang
he thought how once the sound OF his
footsteps had brought her to meet
him with welcoming kisses and
fond words.


care you going out agaiu tonight,
Alice % he asked, sadly.


Eyes; this is the evening OF Mrs.
Hildreth's reception, and l could not
think of staying away. See, isn't
my new dress becoming" she asked,
turning to him with an animated
face.


eyes. Alice, you look very lovely,
but you used to look better to me In
a shilling calico than you do tonight
in your Snery. Oh, how happy we
were in our old home! 1t seems to
me that if we were back there now,
lust as we used to be, 1 should be
the happiest man alive 81. :,


"How can you be so absurd p said
Alice, almost in anger. IL thought
YOU were getting over those foolish
notions. You have been out lately
more than usual, and l did hope you
had given up moping and would try
and enjoy yourself"


81 have not been out expecting 70
find enjoyment. 1 only go out be-
cause it Is so silent and lonesome here,
| wish you would stay at home some