Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1852-12-11

and went down to old Bridget to give some very
particular directions about the dinner. | did this
with martyrlike spirit. meant to try my best to
make him sorry for his injustice. l resolved to re-
proach him with first rate dinner, good as his
mother could cook. To whet the edge of my deli
cate reproach made with my own hands, most
excellent cup of coffee.
"One o'clock came at last, though thought it
never would the door opened, and | heard his
quick step in the hall Of all things in this world,
he was whistling He came to the table with
bright face, from which every trace of the morn
ings cloud had disappeared, and as he sat down he
looked around with pleasant expression.
Why, Annette said he, what nice din
ner'
81 am glad you are pleased, said in sub
dued tone.
! &" Capital said he, the best roast we have
had this season.
''He was so much taken up with my delicate re-
proofs as not to notice that l was out of spirits
| was half pleased and half provoked but kept
rather still, making little conversation excepting in
reply to him.
! ''After desert handed him his cup of coffee
He was astonished. why, Annette said he, I
do believe you went to work oday to see what you
could do.
"He had hit the truth, though without the least
suspicion of the cause. Ny first impulse was to
be honest and out with it by replying, is it as good
as your mother makes ?'' This would have given
him the key to the whole story-he would have
ferreted it all out and we should have settled it
there but l felt ashamed to. I slipped my cof
fee in silence. The golden moments passed, and
my good angel took its fight-pride had the day.
l even began to be vexed at his enjoying a good
dinner so much, and SO easily forgetting what had
,caused me much suffering. He very busy
on that day, and did not stay with me long as
usual to chat, but went off whstling even more.
cheerily than when he came.
Il wentupinto the nursery and sat down to think
it over. Baby was asleep the rain was patter
ing against the windows, the wind was rising and
to me the world looked dreary enough. I had tir
ed myself all out getting up such dinner, and
now the excitement was over, and | felt the re-ac
ton, began to ASK myself what / had got for it.
Just nothing at ALL My husband either did not
or would not see that there any thing to he
reconciled about. | blamed him for his insensi-
biity. 'Once,' thought l. 'he would have noticed
any change in my voice or any shadow which
came over my spirits now, can really be cross
to him and be does not mind Il Il 81
81 had doeful afternoon Of #. was restless
enough trying first employ naen1 Then anatlas
err, but finding nothing which would suit vent
down to tea, farther, if anything, from Che right
point than had been at noon. i sat down defect
ed and silent. My husband tried once or twice to
engage me in conversation, without success.
} ''sAnnette, saidNhe at length in kind tone,
do you not feel well to-day 2
. Not very said l, with a.sigh.
4" what is the matter :? - s4s-@S
g MY head aches the baby kept me awake
almost all night
e ''This was the truth, but only in part and
e felt guilty as l said it, Then he begged me tc
90 and lie down ON the sofa in the parlor and
D said he would read to me any thing which would
e like to hear.
# II felt that this was kind in him. 1t was like
old times /; the new times you see, had been but
e day, but to me it seemed very long yet it was
q not what wanted. | wished to have the trouble
: cleared away, not brdged over and determined
. to hold out until it should come to this, and he
O should see and feel that | could not be made hap
d DIV after a cross word, without a scene Of mutua
o contrtion and forgiveness SO L would not stay
and be read to- but told him I must go to bed
left him in his easy chair, with his study lamp
@ and book and bright fire, in regular old bachelor
o style, and went off into the nursery, and then tt
g bed, and cried myself to sleep. You laugh, Kate
:. as if YOU thought was a fool. think SO my
self, now"
r. elbow did it all end, Annette"
n 81 held out week, becoming every day mort
= sad and sulky, l may as well call it, When
a was left alone, used to take my baby up ant
l. cry over him, as if my husband was dead, ant
Z the child was all had left in the world. Dea
e me how unhappy was, and every day addet
|, to it, | would find something in his conduct tt
( pain me every time we met. Either he was to-
II attentive, or not attentive enough talked to-
If much or too little.
'He bore with my i'll humor most patiently
f. thinking l was i'll. One day he came home, ant
sr told me he had obtained weeks leave of alb
sence. and had engaged conveyance, and mus
l. fix up myself and baby, and be ready to start Of
in an hour. He was going to take me home
to nv mothers. we may as well have journe
ID as paw doctors bills, Annette, said he, and a
if to having you dropping about in this style an
e. longer, [ am not going to. We will send of oil
re Bridget, lock up our house, run away from a
care, and have some fun.
ry .'He looked up SO kindly, could have falle
O. upon his neck and wept my heart out, to think ho
n ugly had been but there was no time then
- talk it over. hurried away to pack, but before
ny half through with the packing, resolved thi
ed would tell him the whole story, from beglnnln
lis to end The moment came to this determIn;
nv ton, the load was gone my heart seemed as lig
"a as feather the expression of my countenane
to changed, and the tones of my voice were ligI
he and cheerful | was conscious of it, and he nj
ticed it as soon as I joined him at the aPpointe
We hour.
H. o.Why, Annette said he, getting ready h
| cured YOU. We mayas well stay at home now. :
in "That will do Kate. The rest of the story W
is sound sentimental to a third party"
m. ..No, no. Annette, that would be leaving
J ) the very cream of it. Tell me how you SETTLE