Year: 1870

REcoNCILED AT LAST.


"I do not wish you to go to Mrs.
Leroy's party. She is not proper
person for you to associate with"


81 don't care what you wish me
to do. l am not to be dictated to
like that. If 1 am alive and well, 1
shall go to Mrs. Leroy's party to-
morrow night. 1 shall do as 1
choose"


"You will do as you choose? Yes.
But if you do will never open my
lips to you again."


With these words the one who
had been last speaking took his hat
from the sofa where he had flung it,
and opening the parlor door walked
quietly out.


The only other occupant of the
room now was young woman with
fretful looking black eyes, who, i'm
mediately she was left alone, sat
down to the piano and ratified off a
brilliant voluntary.


Then she suddenly stopped, and
reseating herself, faced the crisis
she had brought herself to. She
tried hard to persuade herself that
she had done right. She had been
married to Edgar Abbenseth now a
little more than year, and the world
considered them very happy mar
ried young couple. Perhaps if the
world had overheard all the little
conversations which, during the
year past, had taken place in the
parlor of the Abbenseths, it would
have changed its mind.


Eta was what would have been
called girl of spirit. She had per-
feet health, and was naturally wilful
and rebellious. When she came to
be married, she found it easy en-
ough to honor and love her husband,
but the word ''obey" stuck in her
throat.


The coming of a little baby to
that modest homestead had not
tended in the least to subdue her,
In the language Of all her friends,
she was tile same wild Eta still.


Mrs. Leroy was a woman whose
house Edgar had been in the habit
of visiting before his marriage. She
was approaching middle age now,
and lived as handsomely as she
could on a rather slender income
Her position in society was dubious,
and she loved to give late suppers
to that class of actors, actresses,
newspaper people and artistes, which
was by no means of the first grade
either in the moral or social world.
In fact, she was Countess of Bless
ington reduced to a limited sphere.
To crafty some small pique she
cherished against Edgar, she had
forced herself upon his wife's ac-
quaintance, and endeavored to cast
the glamor Of unexceptionability
over the forthcoming entertainment
by inviting thither as many spotless
and irreproachable ladies as circum-
stances had made her acquainted
with. So she called on Mrs. Alb
benseth during Edgar's absence,
and Eta, who had seen but little So
ciety of late, accepted for herself
and husband, too. On that after
noon, when Edgar came home to
dinner, she had told him about it
for the first time, and hence spicy
quarrel, which had terminated as in
dicated in the opening words of this
little historiette.


But, right or not right, Eta was
determined to fight the battle out to
the last; and having made up her
mind to go to Mrs. Leroy's, she had
no idea of giving away. The eve
ming came; Edgar had not returned;
the carriage was at the door; Eta
was dressed; the baby was in charge
of good, faithful girl; and Eta
resolved that she would drive to the
house of an elderly friend, who was
one of Edgar's particular aversions,
and whom she would get to chaper-
one her.


She did SO, and the evening passed
quickly at Mrs. Leroy's, although
there were looks and tones there
that Eta had scarcely expected to
see and hear. When she returned
home she left as though she had
not come forth as pure as she en-
tered.


Next morning she awoke later
than usual, and when she went down
stairs to breakfast was surprised to
find that Edgar had gone, without
having left either note or message.