The Two Wives; Or, Lost and Won

d her-heard nothing-felt nothing. Not even the breathings of her sleeping infant reached her ear; nor was she conscious of the pressure of its body against her own

eath; and soon after a tear trembled out to the light from behind the barriers that sought to retain them. A d

yet how have I striven to make it attractive! How much have I denied myself! and how much y

almost as motionless as if in sleep. Then, as some thought grew active towards a purpose in h

for a moment was the thought of her husb

shall I make his home s

r thoughts bent themselves eagerly for some answer upon wh

red from lassitude and a sense of exhaustion; and, after dinner, a slight headache was added; this increased hourly, and by four o'clock was almost blinding in its violence. Still, sh

raction to his home!" she murmure

in the vain effort to still, by pressure, the throbbing ar

e kitchen to prepare some delicacy for the evening meal of which she knew her husband was f

nd of her husband's footsteps in the passage below. Time glided by, yet she waited and listened in vain; and to the pleasant thoughts of the influence her love was to throw aro

light began to fall, bringing with it shadows a

et her eagerly listening ear failed to note the well-known sound of her hus

n keep him s

swer. Alas! how to the very winds were flung the pleasant hopes she had c

es she had so thoughtfully and lovingly prepared for her husband remained untasted, and had now become cold and unpalatable-were, in fact, forgotten. Food sh

amber; or wandered, like a perturbed spirit, from room to room; and, sometimes in mere exhaustion, w

seen and comprehended all she suffered and all she feared, it must have won him back from his selfish folly. And how many wives have suffered all this, and more! How many still suffer! Errant husband, pause, look upon the p

he appearance of the edges of two teeth through her red and swollen gum

. One o'clock found her in a state of agonized alarm, standing at the open street-door, and hearkeni

n the door-steps; a key was in the lock-a moment more, and the door opened and shut, and a familiar tread that made her heart leap echoed along the passage. Her first impulse was to fly to meet the comer, but a hand seemed to hold her back; and so, half reclining, she awaited, wit

ration on his face, Wilkinson stood before his wife. With a grie

recover herself; and, as she uttered the words, she threw he

o disengage her arms,

rd. Speak to me coldly, harshly, angrily, if you will. That I deser

r to me than life!" was whispered in r

f up against what, in his pride, he felt to be a weakness, but failed, and lea