The Two Wives; Or, Lost and Won

ch she had passed, so far restored that her parents ceased to feel that anxiety wit

mory of such a night of trial and alarm as the one through which she had just passed. And yet, with a strong effort, she strove to appear cheerful, and when she spoke to he

l, Wilkinson found it necessary to hurry off to his place of business; so, rising before his wif

s she sat in statue-like stillness, then there was a quick glancing of her eye upwards, while the motion of h

rnoon as well as a morning custom, which had been continued so long that it was now a habit. Yet he was not aware of this fact, and, if

thought as to the good or evil to result from our action. Thus had Wilkinson been acting for months as regards his regular glass of brandy in the mornin

a desire for his accustomed draught of brandy and water; but, at the same instant, there came a remembrance of the painful occurrences of the evening previ

at instantly broke down his forming resolution. This argument was his loss of rest, the consequent debility arising therefrom, an

ausing at the door, entered the drinking-hous

he emerged from the bar-room and took his way to

, the act did not leave him more comfortable in mind. His instinctive conscio

ng, as his thought returned, again and again, to the subject. "I don't believe I'm in a

d with himself, his f

, "to ask about your sick child, but was pre

uch better,

e matter?" i

and was thrown i

d in my life as by the appearance of M

ly and sweetly; and, what is more, the points of two tee

then. But

ety and alarm? The fact is, Harry, I was to blame for having left her a

iend, if I speak what I think, I must say that your inclination to go out in the evening needs correcting. I spend most of my evenings from home, because home is made unpleasant; you leave your wife, because a

musingly. "Perhaps you are. I have

o take a friend's advice, and never go out aft

s in the voice of Ellis as he closed this sentence

y wife's apron-string. Oh,

perament, it is the best place

t, I like good company too well

he good

ariety is the very spi

about the matter. Come! let's go and

instinctive reply of Wilkinson,

e while after, taking a lunch at a public hou

he expression of his wife's face, as she looked at him on his entrance: it was a

t over, first kissing his wife, and then tou

orning," replied Mrs. Wilkinson, turning her face aside,

a sense of his danger, cause him to reflect, and lead to a change of habit. Alas! how like a fairy frost-work fabric melted this hope away, as the strong breath of her husband fell upon her face. She turned away and sighed-si

d wife to call up the smile with which, scarcely a m

her sustaining thought; and she le