A Struggle for a Ring — page 125: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A HUSBAND'S CAUTION. | I21 his hands had touched it, therefore it must be precious. _Then she opened it. Ah, well, it was only the old, old story—the wasted love of woman and the indifference of man. The words struck her with mortal pain, yet how carelessly he had written them. ‘‘Do not call me husband!” They were like a death-warrant to her; to him they meant nothing Save c2ution. Alice laid her head on the long-expected letter, and wept some of the bitterest tears that she ever shed. ° ‘* Never call him husband !—he has forgotten me!” she cried. ‘‘ Even the little liking he had for me is gone. It would be better if I were dead and out of his way.” She was roused from her sorrow when Hettie returned ; that plump, sensible young person looked with contempt on all tears. ‘‘Are you crying for joy or for sorrow this time?” she asked. ‘‘QOh, Alice, you had better have remained single; you have done nothing but cry since you were married.” She was speaking half in jest, half in earnest. ‘¢T shall call your husband Blue Beard, Alice,” she said. ‘‘T am quite sure that all Blue Beard’s wives put together have not cried as much as you have done. You are different to me, Alice; I would not shed one tear for any man living.” ‘¢That is a proud boast, Hettie.” ‘‘Andatrue one. You are foolish, Alice. Here you have plenty of money, plenty of fine dresses, and every- thing that your heart can desire, yet you spend the greater part of your time shut up here crying. When is Blue Beard coming back ?” Ale Hettie,” said her sister. Eomicboo (E(0) mn a