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Show AM INCIDENT OF MY WEDDING WED-DING TOUR. My wedding lour was a trip to Niagara, How I onjnyed the eceuery ulong the railway! My husband left our cur to spend ball an hour, as lie said, among the smokers. Ho had scarcely gone out when a lady, who hud been occupying a seat on the other side, ran and came toward me. I had particularly noticed her neat attire and youthful appearance, wondering to see her traveling alone. She wo-e a plain grny poplin dress, trimmed with black braid, and a limit; and straw bonnet, with wide ribbon striugs, and pink rosobude inside. in-side. Her gray barege vuil was mi (my uauK. She came toward mo lKituliiigly, rested her little gloved hand on the bacK of the seat, and looked in my lace with an earnest, appealing expression, ex-pression, which interested me at uncc. "May I sit by your dido a few-minutes?" few-minutes?" she asked, timidly, and in a very low tone. "Certainly," I replied, making room for her by taking up a Look 1 that lay on the scat. After a moment's mo-ment's silence she said: "indeed, I ought to ask your for-giveneaa for-giveneaa for coming to you; but I have been looking at every lady in the car, and I find no one to whom I dare speak but yours- If. You look as if you would listen to me." I turned and looked her full in the face, moved by the unmistakablu tone of deep ieeiing. She wis evidently ery young, and extretiv ly preposcs-sing preposcs-sing in appearance. Her features wera regular and delicately moulded, her complexion was fair and pale; her low loreliead w.is banded with masses of soft brown hair; her eves were large, and dark gray, shaded "by very lony lashes. Jt was the eyes that most tit tracted me. There was a tender shyness in their depths, and I aw that they were suffused with moisture. My sympathy was stirred as I ashed her what I could do for her. She hesitated, und I could aeo that she trembled. "I shall be glad to assist you." And I made a movement Ajif todraw out my purse. She started, nnd colored painfully, as she prevented me. "Nut lhat, madam," bhe exclaimed; "I do not want that kind of help; but do want advice. Oh, madam, I am m great very great distress!" "You have loat a friend?" 1 psked, tears welling into my own eyes as I thought of euch an a Miction of my own. "No, ma'am; that i, if you mean by death," she faltered, with a kind of gasping sob, as if her heart wt-re aching with gritf. I may have lost my best friend; at least oh, forgive me! How I wish I could be certain what to do." fcho covered her face and burnt into passionate tears. 1 eoolhed her gently, and, after a bhoit time, she was able to tell her story. rlio was a young wife, and hud been married a little le;-s than a year. Her husband lived in Krcheplt r and Wiis ft lumber merchant. She had lelt him a tew weeks before to pay a visit to her mother, who lived on' a farm Uwide the Hudson river, not far from Albany. "Ob, madam, I was so happy there! I cannot tell you how hapy! ft was my first vi.Ml; and to be at home once more with my dear mother and sisters and my brothers on the farm! And ull so lovely tit thi.i pleasant pleas-ant season of the year. Was I wrung to be ho hatipy ."' "Wrong? Surely not," I replied. "I wrote," sho continued, "to tell my husband what a delightful visit I wan enjoying at homo, i wrote many times and gut no answer. At least lie sent me this." Sho drew out a folded paper from her Btchel, and bunded it to me, bidding me read it. As I did so she turned away so that her face was concealed. con-cealed. Jlut I knew hIip was weeping. It was a short letter, but written iti coi reel language, showing llio hand of a man of education. But every lino was barbed with rt lined cruelty. He exproFurd satisfaction in bearing Lhat Emily so he called her was no very happy as aho described herself; it was certainlv n.ihmil (hut thr. uhnnLI ' enjoy tho society of her ncarct-t kindred; and he could not blamo her, nor regrtt it. On the contrary, be was glad of it; and ho proposed to her to extend indefinitely the visit she was enjoying so much, fmlord, he really thought it would bo by ftr the best thing tor her to remain with her mother and family and not to return to him at all. Ho would send her money whenever sho wanted it. In urging her to stay with her relations, he seemed to have nnulo up his mind to insist upon a separation. The poor, young wifo looked eagerly in my face as I handed her back the letter. "What do you think of it?" elto asked, in a quivering voice. "It is not a kind b-tter," I begun. "Oh, but my husband always was kind to mc always," sho exclaimed, quickly. "And be loved you?" "Ho seemed to lovo mo. Why elao did he want me to marry him?" alio asked, innocently, "And you loved you love him?" Sho chtRped her hands, and her eyes filled again. No need of an answer in words. "What ought I to do?" nearehing my face with anxious " scrutiny, "What is tho best thing to do alter roc.riving such a letter'" "What did your own heart fir4 prompt you to do?" ' "Togo to my husband at once," was her omphalic reply. "So I camo away directly. I did not wait, an hour to think of it, though lltey all said I should not como." "You did right!" I exclaimed. "Just right." "Did J7 Oh, I am so glad ynu think so!" And in her girliHh im-pulBU im-pulBU she seized my hand and pressed it closely in holh hers. "But they all reproached inn for coining uflcr a man who hail shown hn did not care for me, and wanted to bo rid of me; and after I came into Ihu train 1 bo-gun bo-gun to think perhaps lliey wero right, and my hunliand did not want me, and that after ho had written todnsiro inn to stay away from him, ho might think mo forward and indelicato in coming back directly. I o you think, madam, f can bo supposed too for-l for-l ward in doing Ho?" "Too forward?'-' I echoed. "My dear child" i felt myself quite the matron "it is not a lover you are going toreehim; it U your husband! Who has a better right to go to him, or to be with him?" "So I thought so I thinkl" the young creature Baid, her face sufiused with a blush I thought intiniUly be-1 coming. "But" I "But what, child? Surely thero can 1 be no objection " She looked down, and her face was pale again. At length sheoaid, witbarcttun of ti-uid hesitation: "My husband is very mueh my superior. He has had a splendid education; ed-ucation; has been through college, and has mingled in excellent society in tho large cities. 1 never could converse with him on many subjects, for I have had only plain schooling, and I never was mueh in society. He may have found out that L could not make him happy, and he may really wish to cast me oft." "It is not possible," cried I, catching catch-ing her hand, -mid controlling with difficulty the impulse I felt to clasp her in my arms. "It cannot be that any man who is not a downright fool would wish to lose such a sweet little wife, who loves him as you do? No, no, dear! If your husband is a mat of culture, he will prize you all th( more, knowing how rare bo eh wonier are. And, besides, you can educate yourself to his level." "Can I?" she asked, her eyes dilat ing. "Certainly. I havo often heard o women acquiring a noble cducatioi t alter marriage. But you must appl, yourself and study study hard." "I will! Oh, I will!" she exclaimed , , ...... JUL. ..I L- I madam. I will study with all nm might. Be sure of that." "And you must seek guiJanec and aHfi.it nnce," I went on, solemnly, "from one who never fails to listen to prayer. Are you in the habit of prayer?" Sue stooped her face, and I saw tears glistening on her crimson cheeks. "1 have not prayed as I might," sho answered, "but I will I will from this time forward." "Then you may be sure of success," I said, encouragingly. Some minutes passed, while the train stopped atascaiion. After it had started again, she said: "I thank you, madam, so much. But for what you have said to me I think I should have g tt oil here, and taken tho return (rain In my mother's. I i'elt so afraid my husband hus-band would not welcome mc." "Me lives you said " "In Iloclufler. I am doubtful now what to do when I get there. 1 have an aunt living in the city. Shall I go lo her house and rest, and stop all night, or send word to my husband hus-band and wiit lor his answer? What would you advi;e me?" She was trembling, and her rapid chance of color showing that sho was sullering from suppreiwi d excitement. I considered a moment and then counselled her to ttop first at the huiiiC of her aunt, and when she felt rested and able, to go to her husband before sending him any word. She decided on tnis, I asked her name, and wrote it down, handing her my own card. I begged her to write to me, fueling I anxious lo know the result. dark, and I made my hiidbanJ assist the young strangt r to alight. On the third day afterward I received a letter from her. Sho had stopped at her aunt's, and it was her intention to remain till the next day. But her impatience would not let her stop. Sue walked to her butband's place of buiims. Ho bad an utlice in the lumber yard, and was sattd at his desk, writing, when the slight figure of his wire appeared in the doorway. As he turntd to see who it was, she tpning forward, lluiig her arms around his neck, nnd uxeUimtd, sob bing: "Oh, (ieorge! Are you not yld to see me? How could ou tbiuk I could stay away from you .'" That was all the reproach she gave him, and it sufficed. The husband was all penitence in a moment for hi s absurd jealousy and his cruel letter. The young wife's letter to me ex-prc.-s(d so much gratitude that 1 verily believe hp thought I was the author ot her li.ipp:ie 1 imagined afterward the consequence conse-quence if fchr had fallen into the hands of a t-trong-nitnib d woman, or a proud one, would have deemed it due lo liie dignity of her sex to to ob, y thr) unkind maiuialo she had received, anil h ave a husband so tin-leelinK. tin-leelinK. The wife'e It .vine heart pointed out the best wny; and 1 a'w:ts took some credit to u.y.-elf for the word spokeu in season. |
