The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-12-10
THE WIFE CURER.
BY B. p. SHILLABER.

met my friend Burner IN the street few
days since. | hadn't seen him for some
time, and he looked sunburnt and rough, as
it be had been exposed to the country sun.
He informed me that he had been to visit
Tim Somers, mutual friend of ours, who
had moved away from town two years be-
fore. After inquiries concerning his visit
and his enjoyment during the warm months,
conversation reverted to our old friend.
I" never was more surprised in my life"
said Burner, /" than was to see him in the
depot at Ramshead. had quite forgotten
that he was located there.''
informed him that had also forgotten
it, though believed his wife's relatives
were living there.
"His wife's-yes, yes,' continued Bur
ner, " singular woman that; did you know
her %
eyes," replied; she's a little, bust.
ling, tnlkative thing, full of fun and chat,
and making her house merry by the music
of her veice. Nice little woman.'
Burner looked at me a moment, and burst
into u laugh, to my great wonderment. |
requested him, in u tone of chagrn, to in
form me what the deuce he was laughing at.
Talkativel" !" said he, when he could
checkrein his catchinatory colt " found
her anything but that, tell you. never
knew the lady when she lived in town, but a
more taciturn body never saw when |
found her,
"Indeed!" | remarked "then there
must have been change truly"
&" met Somers at the depot" continued
Burner, {: and he was very glad to see me,
inquiring after his old friends. and YOU
among the rest. Through all his JOY how
ever, saw that there was n vein of sad
ness and when alluded to his family he
appeared embarrassed, and disposed ~
change the subject. | had no oh" ct in
view in visiting Ramshead, other than the
change of scene, and did not intend to re-
main there but dav or two; but meeting
Somers led me to think that it would not be
bad thing to tarry there awhile, serIng
that there was a beautiful poud Of water
in the vicinity, as had seen from the cars
as came along, and a deep wood denotjng
game. Somers used to be good on those
things, you know. | hntcd at our former
sporting practices, and mentioned my half
resolution to stay; but instead of manrfrSt-
irg any interest in the subject, he sighed
, deeply and replied -
Burner, | h"vn't taken Il pole in my
hand nor put gun to my shoulder for five
long years, and never shall again.
looked at him with astonishment, but
knew that he was sincere. | thought that |
saw tear in his intelligent eye, and my
heart drew stronger towards him than ever.
| then quite resolved to stay, and ordered
the porter Of the hotel to carry nv baggage
my vaise and gun-ur to the house,
which was close by. Ny rod cane carried
in my hand. Taking Somers on my arm,
We followed the porter, and few minutes
later found US seated in my room with Il lit
tie RUNNER caret ncgus between us-an ex-
celent lubricator for dusty day.
! "Well, how are you prospecting, Som
ers :" | replied, wishing to penetrate. if
pussble, the mystery that enshrondsd him,
deeming that it might be some business dii
! fcultv in which he was involved.
"Doing capi,pIIy," he replied; " "havn't
lost dollar since 1 came here. People
have nicknamcd ne Lucky Tom.' How
wrongly people judge in mco> uFin; men, =
"What do you mean by that - SAID l.,
as saw the cloud creep over his face, as
YOU hav g. while standing On the m0urtans.
seen shadow fitting across thn rDe"d"".
meaD," said he, "that in meh h~nrine
! US they take bat one feature into the ar-
count, and upon that base hypothesis Of
happiness, or luck, the case may be-
care you not happy asked in a tone
calculated to win his conidrnce.
/ 81 am far from it, he replied; "Ind"el
a more miscl able man is not to be found in
these parts.'
! "In what regard?"
! "My wife is iulnb," he almost sobG'!.
= in answer to my question.
:. Dumb - | repeated, and thinking 10
rally him. said in a joculnr mrnn"r. " we'll,
that is very singular thing 10 be Sai for :
| know many husbands who wunid be too
happy to have such Il calamity hnVprn IL
/ thrm. Burns says, An aud wife's tongues
a frcckleSs matter and there's no cont"n-
ton in a house where perpetual silence Is
the bond Of unity -
I | saw that be was hurt, and FASTENED to
remedy the evil had done. Taking him kv
the hand, said:
Tim. assure wonid not-would not
wound your feelings willingly. am no less
your friend than | ever was, and no less
worthy your cotGdruce. Now wish You
| to tell me the cause of your trouble, that
may share it with YOU. or possibly alleviate
it,"
! He hesitated few moments, and then
said. with considerable emotion:
Well, Burner, old friendship is stirring
within me, and | shall do at its prompting
that which thought nothing could wrlng
| from me. You remember how happy | was.
There was not a man 10 the world who had
more friends, true friends, than had. My
home was a happy one-my wife pleasant,
nv children handsome and intelligent. You
never saw my wife, Burner?
Nv in fhp connection. sounded
like an imprecaton upon his wife, and the
| Burner a wrathful expletive-" burn her.
! Somers continued:
"When we moved up here things went
on in pretty much the same pleasant way
until there came lady here, between whom
and me there had been little gossip IN old
DAYS. Our acquaintance was renewed, and
| visited her several times made no con-
cealmcnt of my intimacy with her, and in
vited my wife to accompany me, but she de-
clined, She wished no acqualntances,
she said. There was frequent visitor to
my house, relative of my wife's-who
poisoned her ears with suspicious that it
was not right between May Brenon and my
self. She repeated the old gossip with ud-
ditions, spoke of my visits to Miss Brenon,
and hnted at criminality, as that nasty
| IHiHucu CltSS "h'3 h"'AhSo 'A'''''
virtues of their own, and depraved fancies,
conjure up impure conceits regarding their
neig ighbors, imputing asclviousness and
wrong, where the strictest purity might not
see occasion to blush. Twas returning home
one summer evening, on foot, having spent
the dav in business at a town a few miles
from this, when by a strange chance, a
short distance from town | met Miss Bren-
on. 1t was pure accident that brought us
together, and she turned back with me, TAX
ing my arm. We walked slowly, as the
weather was warm, and stopped few mo-
ments on the rustic bridge yonder to look
down into the stream and say few pleas
ant ords about old times. | saw some one
pass by US as we stood there, but was lndif-
ferent as to whom it might be, and bidding
my companion good-by, | went home as
happy as lord, in anticipation of meeting
the ones loved so well. met with Geld
reception. My bane was sitting with my
wife in el. and read judgment on the
face that had too many times lately turned
nkndly towards me.