LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1464, 25 October 1878, Page 3

LITERATURE.

A BRAVE WIFE

["Argosy. "J

A keautiiul evening in New Eogland. The season early in Miy ; time, iu the years gone by. Without the walls of a populous town stood a pretty house surrounded by its garden of flowers. The kitchens were built beyond it. stables beyond them, barns in the rear. A flourishing little place evidently. In one of the upper rooms stood its mistress, Delia Walden : a young and pretty woman, who had been putting her two children to bed, and stayed to fold their clothes neatly afterwards, and to make the room tidy. A vexed expression sat on her usually smooth and pleasant face. It was caused by her two ' helps' having both gone out that evening, leaving her to do the work.

Turning down, her light silk dress, the skirt of which had been pinned up around her while she washed the children, and taking a last fond look at the little sleepers, Mrs Walden ran down stairs. The front door stood open to the garden, and she went straight out at it. A lovely, balmy May evening. The moon had not yet risen, but some of the larger stars were beginning to peep out of the clear firmament; the late light still lingered in the western horizon. Advancing to the gate at the end of the path that divided tin green lawn, Mrs Walden gazed down the road. ' Looking out for thy husband, Delia ?' The words came from Kachel Dawes, a motherly who lived next door, and was taking the evening air up and down the road in her large white sun-bonnet. ' Yes,' said Delia. 'He seems rather late to-night.'

' Not more so than usual, is ho ?' ' Well, he has been late several times lately. I have been cros3 with him about it.'

Mrs Dawes put her motherly hand upon the young arm, which lay on the top of the low gate. 'Don't thee do that,'she said emphatically. ' Nobody knows how men are tried in business but themselves. Robert Walden is a good man and a good husband. Did I see those two young girls o' thine go off all smart just now, Delia ?' ' Yes, tire otne animals l' impatiently assented Mrs Walden, sore with her grievance. 'Tney have both gone to a party at Patty's sisWs, at Nevro ; a "hop," if you'll believe me ; it's what they called it.' •Well, there's no help for these things,' said the placid Quakeress. •None. Had I refused, they would most likely have gone in spite of me, and never come back. They are not bad servants, and I must make the best of it. I told hose she was not obliged to go, though Patty did — leaving mo alone all night.' ' All night, does thee say ?' 1 They don't come back till morning. The danco is to last till breakfast time.'

Saying good-night to her friend, Mra Walden went indoors, aud struck a match to light the candles that stood on the manttd piece in the parlor. There she saw her husband, stretched on the sofa.

1 Bobert,' she exclaimed, ' I did not know you were here.' She supposed he was tired : it was so unusual to see him, a strong man, lying down. ' 1 came in some time ago. You were putting the children t> bed.' ' Ves ! those two line girls of ours are gone off to Nevro ! aud won't be home till goodness knows what hour to-morrow morning. In time to get their breakfasts, they said. I shall like to see them. Mr Walden made no comnvnt.

' I'm sure we seem to need four helps instead of two,'went on Mrs Walden, partly to herself, partly to her husband. ' Our visitors did not leave till this afternoon; aud, what with <ne thing and another, I am completely exhausted. They did go then, thank fortune! —ihough I believe they'd have stayed till to-morrow at half a word.' 'lt was you who ited them.' 'I know 1 did. She is my cou c in ; and one mu3t keep up family t'.es. But I did not know she'd bring all her three children, or stay five days instead o f three. It's just like J oanna to do so ! You have no idea, Bobert, what my respimsib lities are—keeping those two incapable girls tj their work, aud looking after my ehddren, and entertaining as well. Your business troubles can be nothing to it.' 'Nothing at all,' quietly assented Mr Walden.

'And the Clappeton3 come to us to morrow to spend the night,' ran on Mrs Walden. ' And only fancy tho pickle I should be in if Patty and Rose did not come back! And next Monday there'll be a heavy wash on ; and Tuesday is Mrs Plymouth's dance ; and on Wednesday we begin cleaning ; and—oh, 1 don't recollect the half, I wish 1 could run away into the heart of the Vermont woods, and stay there for a year !' 'Don't say that!' he cried, in a strange tone of pain. 'But I do say it; I often wish it,' she returned, laughing. 'l'm sure it would be a delightful change—the getting away from the toils and womes of civilised life And now, Bobert, you would like your tea' —as they called supper. ' I'll go and see about it,'

' Not for me,' he answered. ' I cannot eat or drink.'

She looked round at him, moving one of the candles. His face was one living anguish. ' What 18 it, Robert ?' she asked, timidly. ' Have I offended you ? There was no harm, was there, in my jokingly wishing myself in the heart of Vermont?'

'Delia,' he groanel, 'you don't know what you are saying. There was something in the tone in which these words were uttered that electrified Mrs Walden. She started to her feet

' What is the matter, Robert? You frighten me ! Are you ill?' ' Worse than that,' oame the reply, in a voice so unnatural that Mrs Walden began to tremble violently. • Worse than that!' she echoed, kneeling down by the sofa. ' Robert, you must tell me what you mean.' ' I have kept it from you as long as I could—till I can keep it no longer,' he sobbed, and really the catching of his breath sounded like sobs. 'Tell me! tell me !' ' I expect to be in gaol to-morrow. lam not sure I shall not bo taken to-night.' ' What do you mean ? What have you done?' asked his wife, making a great effort to drive back the faintness that was coming over her.

4 Done ?' The syllable was not a question or an exclamation, but the intonation, which cannot be conveyed on paper, carried to the wife's mind an emphabis of reproach, selfaccusation, and despair. 'We have both been foolish, Delia.' ' In what way V 'Lived beyemd our means.' 'lt is foy debt, then, that you fear to be taken i Only for debt! What a relief!' And she spoke quite happily in the release from fear. ' 1 thought it was something dreadful.' 'And what is that but dreadful?' he asked, reproachfully. 'lt involves disgrace ' ' How has it come about ':' ' The chief fault lies not with me, Ltelia, but with my late partner, Hart, lie ' ' I to'd you not to taio in that Hart, liobert,' ske vehemently interrupted. 'I toll you I didr,ot like him.' ' WeJ*l, he has, mined mo. Entered into speculation of which I had no knowledge ; aid, when bo cculd no longer stave off discovery, craftily decided to distol e tho partnership, which he could do by the original agreement, did it, and set sail for Kurope, leaving me to battle with the trouble. I have been fighting it fiercely for weeks past, unsuccessfully; and now the storm ia&s broker,.'

' Shall you have to. \pap the blame V ' Assuredly :, and the disgrace, and the and the consequences. Tomoriow will: no doubt see mo in gaol, Delia—unless I escape it.'

' How escape it?' 'By running away. Those very Vermont

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woods you spoke of have already suggested themselves as my refnge.' ' Which would be the worse disgrace,' she asked, after a pause : ' the gaol, or the running a«ray ?' 'The gaol—in my orinion. Everything I possess my creditors will seize upon —but if they seize upon mo also it is hard to say how long they will keep me incarcerated, or how complete my social ruin will be. For the sake of our children, for my own liberty, I think I shall go. Away there, with good luck, I may in time pay everyone.' ' I will go with you, Robert.' 'No.' ' But I will. Vermont woods, indeed I that is not a bad thought ! but let us talk it over calmly. Stay behind I shall not. We will go into the Vermont woods and begin life anew. lam equally to blame with you if we have lived extravagantly; I have been a thoughtless, careless woman," 'We have spent a good deal, Delia, and that's the truth. For that cause alone I shall get no mercy.' JVrs Walden sighed. ' This sudden blow makes me see life, myself, everything, so differently ! lam ready to go with you anywhere, and give up all to tne creditors ; but there would be no benefit to any one in your going to gaol. The disgrace and punishment are sufficient without that. Let me think, Robert.' ' Think of what ?'

'Of the best means of getting away. We must go this night—l see that. The maids are not here; the moon will be bright; Robert, we will start in an hour.' ' My dear, have you lost your senses ?'

' Why no, I hope not. I shall need them all to arrange what there is to do.'

' And what of the children ?'

' Take them, ' shortly answered Mrs Walden, in too decisive a tone to be contradicted. ' Has anyone known of your difficulties, Robert ?' 'Only Elijah Dawes. To tell you the truth, Delia, it was he —good, upright Quaker though he is—who first counselled me to ru a away. He thinks it the least evil of the two, and the surest one to satisfy the creditors in the end. You had better stay behind wife ; the Haweses will take care of you nntil I can send ' ' Not for a day,' Bhe interrupted. * And there's no time to lose. Let mo see—we shall want tin pla'nest and strongest of our clothes, and a bag of provisions,—and—l suppose you will have to take the two horses, Robert V

To be continued.