Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-02-04

q - vpwas always Aisns:
XUHH..',,'
1T Ire some people who arc al.
usg ai1Ags onS Of this class wss Mrs.
q 4iAfPntt. According TO her
- eoooRnt che Was, without doubt,
~ sk the most unfortunate females
th0epsr lived. She wss never known
~ 0h6rsslf well. Whom she didn't
A6a6Sk - headache, she had the back
ach& Or some other kind of ache, and,
q - remarked to . neighbor, she had
not|1een the time for seventeen years
thsk shshadn't been troubled with some
ac11 6ri other. She used to be taken
dom very suddenly, and on the most
unexpected occasions. Whenever her
husband refused her request for money,
OF in any other way interfered with her
vishes, the was sure to be in critical
saASdon before twenty-four hours had
elapsed. At such times she would send
for her husband, and inform him in
the most solemn manner that she was
about to leave the world, and cnjoincd
upon him, il he had q second wife, to
treat her with more kindness and con-
alteration /; and, above all. never to
eeola her for complaining when she was
really sick.
Her husband finally got used to
hr complaints, and refused to take any
.sliee Of them Itrarely happened that
u1ay passed without Mr.. Pratt's being
ixctrMHa how delicate his wife's health
NJ. Aad on one occasion when he
~ - that more than half her all
nepn. Nere imaginary, she assured him
tai y would think differently some
tin, for she could not live long, as she
kad 1one. She told him she could bear
il : lltsle better if he had any sympathy
fer M; "but that" said she, 81 new
e sxpsct from you"
Oie day, early in September, Mr..
Pr,(t was engaged in digging potatoes
il S6eld about quarter of mile dis
Ut from the house, when he was start
hSy the sudden arrival of his oldest
~ PAINTING and breathless.
sslvhat's the matter ?" asked Mr..
Ut. in . voice of mingled surprise
- apprehension.
-Sskother ..''-ejaculated the boy, but
0kg out of breath, that was all he
90 say for the time being.
j Susrecting that was coming, Mr..
Tfatt. somewhat relieved from his anx-
ny, went on composedly with his work.
s'She says >he's goin' to die :" ejac-
llsted the boy, in a fresh burst, ''and
wants you to come home and receive
lse hist words"
q ..Let me see," said Mr.. P, who did
not appear so much overcome by this
Intelligence as might have been expect
"a, ''this is the third time within q
month that yeur mother has been dy-
IL She's kind of hystericky. I guess
sh5ll get over it,"
: due time Mr.. Pratt reached the
bedside of his wife.
''I'm glad you've come, Mr.. Pratt"
said she, in feeble voice; IL don't
expect I've got mcre'n an hour to live.
Yoahaven't treated me so well as you
might, Pratt, but I trust forgive you,
- . Christian should"
"Oh, guess you amt so bad as all
that, Sophronia," said her husband
you've got the blues, that's all. You'll
BE- up bright as ever Tomorrow morn
ing"
"You're very unfeeling, Pratt" said
his wife, ''to address such remarks to
. woman with one foot in the grave,
and the other just slipping over the
edge. However, forgive you, as
said before. And now l want to have
. little serious conversation with you
concerning our children, who will SO
soon be left motherless. l want them
to stay with you for the present. When
they become older it will be soon
enough for them to 50 from home. But
now they need mothers care, aud it
is chiefly on their account that am
sorry to leave you. OF course after a
suitable time has elapsed, you will mar
~ again, aud cannot die happy with
out knowing who is to have the care Of
my children in future"
Pooh Sophronia, you're making
much ado about nothing. I dare say
you'll live dozen years yet"
"Ah, Pratt, you've told me so be-
fore, but you Will soon feel very differ
entity about it. | have thought of all
my female acquaintance, but there is
only ono that l think would suit you,
and that is Helen Parker, the Majors
nicce."
"Well," said Mr.. Pratt, changing
his plan, "Helen IS fine girl, and 1
think very highly of her. Besides, to
tell the truth, ! foresaw that you would
not be with us long, so l spoke to IIel-
en- about taking your place, provided it
Wss necessary"
'sAhd what did she say 2" asked Mrs.
r, who seemed to have regained some
Of her strength, as she half raised her
self in bed.
s.sOh, she said she would be very hap
~ 70 do so, if there was an opportuni.
IT," said MIR. p, turning away, with a
smile Don't you think Pm fortunate,
Sophronia ?"
ssSortunate :" exclaimed Mrs p, as
forgetful of her sickness, she jumped
up and paced the room $50 The troll
lop is anxious for my death, is she p
She may have to wait longer than she
expects. I'll live to spite her-I will 70
oiEhe next morning Mrs P. goi up
and prepared breakfast as usual, That