The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Two Wives, by T. S. Arthur

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Title: The Two Wives
or, Lost and Won

Author: T. S. Arthur

Posting Date: August 18, 2009 [EBook #4621]
Release Date: November, 2003
First Posted: February 20, 2002

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TWO WIVES ***

Produced by Charles Aldarondo. HTML version by Al Haines.

THE TWO WIVES;

OR, LOST AND WON.

BY

T. S. ARTHUR.

PHILADELPHIA:

1851.

PREFACE.

THE story of the "Two Wives; or, Lost and Won," is intended to show the
power of tender, earnest, self-forgetting love, in winning back from
the path of danger a husband whose steps have strayed, and who has
approached the very brink of ruin; and, by contrast, to exhibit the sad
consequences flowing from a want of these virtues under like
circumstances.

This book is the third in the Series of "ARTHUR'S LIBRARY FOR THE
HOUSEHOLD." The fourth, which is nearly ready, will be called "THE WAYS
OF PROVIDENCE; OR, HE DOETH ALL THINGS WELL."

THE TWO WIVES.

CHAPTER I.

"YOU are not going out, John?" said Mrs. Wilkinson, looking up from the
work she had just taken into her hands. There was a smile on her lips;
but her eyes told, plainly enough, that a cloud was upon her heart.

Mrs. Wilkinson was sitting by a small work-table, in a neatly furnished
room. It was evening, and a shaded lamp burned upon the table. Mr.
Wilkinson, who had been reading, was standing on the floor, having
thrown down his book and risen up hastily, as if a sudden purpose had
been formed in his mind.

"I shall only be gone a little while, dear," returned Mr. Wilkinson, a
slight air of impatience visible beneath his kind voice and manner.

"Don't go, John," said Mrs. Wilkinson, still forcing a smile to her
countenance. "I always feel so lonely when you are away. We only have
our evenings to be together; and I cannot bear then to be robbed of
your company. Don't go out, John; that's a good, dear husband."

And Mrs. Wilkinson, in the earnestness of her desire to keep her
husband at home, laid aside her sewing, and rising, approached and