Beulah - Page 310/348

Four years had passed since Eugene Graham returned to his home,

after his severe illness, and now, as he sits alone in his library,

with a bundle of legal documents before him, it is not difficult to

perceive that his promise has been held sacred. Through the

suggestion of Mr. Lindsay, and the persuasions of Beulah, he had

closely applied himself to the study of law immediately after his

recovery. Hopeless of happiness in his home, ambition became the

ruling passion, and scourged him on to unceasing exertion. The

aspirations of his boyhood revived; the memory of his humiliating

course goaded him to cover the past with the garlands of fame; and

consciousness of unusual talents assured him of final success.

Mr. Graham no longer opposed the design as formerly, but facilitated its

execution to the utmost of his ability. Under these circumstances,

it was not surprising that earnest application soon procured his

admission to the bar. His efforts were redoubled, and, ere long, his

eloquence obtained for him a connection with one of the most

prominent members of the profession. The world wondered at this

complete revolution; many doubted its continuance; but, step by

step, he climbed the ladder to eminence, and merited the applause

which the public lavished upon him. Success only inflamed his

ambition, and it became evident he aimed at political renown.

Nature had fitted him for the political arena, had endowed him with

oratorical powers of no ordinary stamp; and, though long dormant,

they were not impaired by his inertia. It was fortunate for him that

an exciting Presidential canvass afforded numerous opportunities for

the development of these, and at its close he found himself

possessed of an enviable reputation. To a certain extent, his wife

was elated with his success; she was proud of his acknowledged

talent; but her selfish nature was utterly incapable of the

tenderness and sincere affection he demanded. Their alienation was

complete. No bickerings disturbed the serene atmosphere of their

home, because mutual indifference precluded the necessity. Mrs.

Graham gave parties and attended them; rode, danced, spent her

summers at fashionable watering-places and her winters in a round of

folly and dissipation, while her husband pursued his profession,

careless of her movements and rarely in her company. In the lady's

conduct the circle in which she moved saw nothing reprehensible. She

dressed superbly, gave elegant entertainments, and was, par

excellence, the leader of bon-ton. True, she was quite as much of a

belle as any young lady in the city, and received the attentions and

flattery of gentlemen as unreservedly, nay, delightedly, as though

she had no neglected husband and child at home who had claims upon

her; put this sort of conjugal indifference was in vogue, and, as

she frowned down, or smiled up, some family laboriously toiling to

reach her circle, her "clique" blindly followed her example and

humored her whims. As regarded her deportment toward her husband,

one alteration was perceptible; she respected--almost feared him;

shrank from his presence, and generally contrived to fill the house

with company when she was, for short intervals, at home. He ceased

to upbraid, or even remonstrate; his days were spent in the

courtroom or his office, and his evenings in his library. She

dressed as extravagantly as she chose; he made no comments, paid her

accounts, and grew more taciturn and abstracted day by day.