Year: 1873

A remunerative job for the solemn
visaged undertaken, an effective Grape
around a highly polished hat, and 6
wailing, saffron-tinted, helpless atom Oi
humanity, ''by nurses overlaid," pro
claimed q tale of mortal suffering and 9
holy peace for one more weary soul.
Yoa see my story begins where ro'
nance ends. At the altar, scarce a yeal
before, little lady had given her life
and happiness into the keeping of Nal
colin Elliott, trusting, loving, and con.
fiding, sooner doubling the goodness OF
her Creator than the integrity of hei
handsome husband.


To be sure, people wondered why this
brilliant, ambitious social star should
have turned his digni6ed back on all the
sweet eyes that were won't to seek his
own, and plead for deeper glance
why wealth and position could not lure
him from marrying wall flower.


The climbing rose and the stately
sun-hower could not stoop to a compre.
hension of the modest beauties of the
violet. Its unobtrusive fragrance did
not reach them. Three months of bliss
for my wee woman, and she too ques.
toned, "Why did he marry me ?"


Mine is not the comprehensive mind
that can understand the caprices of our
vacillating male creatures.


The novelty had not worn away for
the little wife, and every morning the
pleasure of helping the dear owner OF
self with his toilet, holding his coat
ready for him, and performing such
trihing services, that satisfied the man,
tickled his vanity, and proclaimed her
worshipping love


. On this particular morning she dis
covered bit of treacherous tailor work
in the lining of his coat, as he was about
to relieve her of it, previous to his de-
parture for his Office.


"Wait, let me mend it, dear"


''Oh, l havn't time this morning. I'll
stop at the tailor's during lunch hour
and get it done"


"Please let me do it for you. I can
not permit stranger to do that which
is such pleasure for me-"


run, then, and bring me my other
coat. have client waiting for me at
10 o'clock sharp, and it is important
tnat should see MIN.


Hastily brushing his bearded face
over her mouth, that was intended for a
kiss and received as such by the adoring
little matron, he rushed from her sight.
Her loving, soul speaking blue eyes
followed his form in spirit for while,
then the treasured coat was carried to
her room and neatly mended. Uncon-
sciously then her wee hands slid first
into one pocket, then another bye and
bye, she smiling at her own curiosity
and the result so far-a match safe with
nothing in it, theatre bill, two soiled
handkerchiefs, innumerable business
cards, a railroad time table, a handful
of tobacco perfuming the whole, and
that was all? No; here in this catfish
mouthed side affair is something.


Dear child wife. why did not some
spirit-hand control your busy fingers ?
Where, oh, where was the spirit of
Thomas Gray, who SO sensibly wrote
"where ignorance is bliss It's folly to be
wise," that he did not make practical
fact of his words and save this innocent
heart the agony of lost confidence in her
loved one?


Alas like so many other bright in
tellects, is he, too, roosting in some
mediums wooden table


She finds some matches and letter.
Pink tinted paper; its original perfume
is lost in the sulphur of its present as
sociatiOns.


A lady's chirography, dated the day
before. She reads:


My PRINCE OF MEN: The most e1-
cellent baldpated owner of my charming
self has at last condescended to pass me
over to the fond embrace of my five
hundred friends. Welcome home has
lost its fervency. One greeting was
wanting, one pair of hands are fondling
other cheeks, one pair of eyes are look
ing into other responsive ones-and l.
[ am forgotten the gulf is greater now
that separates us and You have done it.
Six months of torture in foreign coun-
try, for me the only light breaking my
perpetual misery was perusing your
dear false letters, that said not one word
to prepare me- for the shock, the dread
full news of your marriage-married
My ambitious, glorious eagle, mated
with the sparrow? l could laugh to
ridicule at the incongruity of your
choice. certainly wish you happiness,
l imagine 1 see you little while hence:
Malcolm, dear, do put away that stu
pid book /; Malcolm, dear, is the baby
wet? ETC., ETC."


ooh, God wish my loving heart
could grapple with your misery, when
you realize the chains that hold you to
the simple woman who would faint to
look at Byron" and cross herself
should she chance to touch Festus, who
would drown Dryden in holy water,
think Voltaire was song, and Tom
Paine rag picker. Well, console your
self, she will bear you a nice family of
children, "who will rise up and call her
blessed" and you-where will you find
the cooling waters for fevered mistake :?


And Life can offer me nothing now !;
since becoming the property of my good
natured owner, my only happiness has
been in intercourse with you, my grand,
noble love. Too late we met; but as
we gaze at the stars and receive pleasure
therefrom, so did my soul delight in
your presence and none the less did
you love me. Our tastes were alike,
anu DelleVe Iue uOt tOO Ndlu WHICH, say
my intellect was sufficiently lofty to
appreciate and inspire yours.


One more conversation / beg you to
grant me. Once more I wish to look
into your heart through your dear eyes;
and then farewell. l shall drive by your
Office tomorrow at ten clock. Come
with me if you still love me. l..


Like turned to marble sat his heart
sore wife.


cat ten o'clock p she whispered.
cat ten o'clock And he has an impor-
tant appointment. And this is my pure
honorable husband. Too true, l can
offer him nothing but my unbounded
love. I am only sparrow. but the
dear God in heaven will have pity on
even me-"


No tear dimmed her eye. Only wild,
hunted look told of the suffering within.


Dear, noble woman; she met her hus-
band with no reproaches. She placed
her arms about him, and searched his
eyes as if to read his soul, and simply
said:


ssMalcolm toll mo hushauJ do Won