Locomotive Firemens Magazine V 05 (1881)

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0 •UI8V3MIW 'UP (JU0JNV1S QNVW 3 HI 30 AHVd8n 0 THE H ,5fU. Locomotive Firemen's x MONTHLY MAGAZINE. Vol. 3. JANUARY, 1881. No. 1 THE FATAL QUARREL. “But I say you shall not !” “And I say I will !” The speakers were husband and wife, The former leaning on the mantle-piece, and frowned angrily, looking down at the latter as he spoke. The wife, still sitting by the tea ta- ble, for the meal had just been finished, did not glance up as she answered, but went on talking to her lap dog in terms of fond endear- ment, and feeding it with sugar. Yes; they were husband and wife. Several years before, Carrie Dayton, Just eighteen, freshly freed from the trammels of boarding- school, had launched forth into society, with a head full of romantic ideas of love and mar- riage. To her he seemed almost a god — so far superior to all others, that very speedily she found herself thinking more of him than of any other admirer, and listening with beat- ing pulse to his manly tones. He was verging towards his thirtieth year, and was already somewhat world worn for, being wealthy, he had not been confined tea the dull romance of a business life, but had ^ roamed the world at large, traveling in all lands, tasting every cup of pleasure ; but he was still very handsome, and his manners in society were perfect. Men had envied him— women had loved him— and this man had grown weary of it all. But under me proud, cold smile was hidden a warm hem*t, somewhat crusted over with selfishness, nt is true, but it was there. And when he njfet Caroline Dayton, he felt that he had encountered his late. To him there was something irresistable in her bright freshness and beauty, and in the winning gaiety of her artless manners. Then the polished marble of her fair skin ; the golden curls that fell around her shoulders; the bright blue eyes, full of light— these all possessed rare attrac- tions for this man, whose heart had been so long untouched. Day after day had found him at her side, putting forth every effort to make himself agreeable. So, after a few months, tjiajcwera married, and went forth to tread life’s jour- ney together. They traveled for a while ; and the young bride, delighted with the new scenes opened up before her, was hardly con- scious of the fact that his will, not her wish, guided and controlled all their movements. It was very sweet to obey one whom she loved so fondly. At last they settled in a home of their own, replete with every comfort and lux- ury—and life began in earnest. Now comes the crisis. From early child- hood, Harry Aylmer had shown himself pos- sessed with an iroH will, stern and unyield- ing. Carrie, too, had a will of her own. For tljg fl»st few months of their marriage it was ver$r plesant for her— and gracefully she yield- ed ; but at lenght the reins were drawn too tight, the intense selfishness of the husband became apparent even to Carrie and there begai^to grow up a spirit of rebellion on her part, a desire to judge for herself sometimes, and act accordingly. Matters grew from bad to worse. This op- position of wills occurring only at long in- tervals at first, became frequent at last ; both it in cooler moments yet neither confessing it to the other; he thinking she ought to trust his judgment entirely ; she carrying over in her heart a sense of injustice done her. Those pleasant little courtesies, which serve to keep love burning brightly on the domestic altar, were by degrees utterly neglected, and the lamp of love grew dim. After the lapse of some three years, a beau- tiful babe lay on the mother’s bosom, a bright wee flower, with its amber rings of hair, its unto white skin, and heavenly blueeyes— a ve- ry miniature of the mother who bore it. Re- conciliation ensued, not spoken, but tacitly agreed upon. Husband and wife seemed drawn together by the little golden link, and Digitized by Google