Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-04-14
IRASBURGH, VERMONT. FRIDAY,

home to read aloud. But there was III,
perpetual basle and interrupton-ihi
i thing must be done for the baby, or b.
i cried blessed sound to mothers ears, I,
:, prove he was human aud would not de-
part mysteriously) just in the mid,t o.
the most interesting passage, and there
by rufIlsd his papa's temper, which was
: not very sweet at best.
Fred didn't share Kitty's enthusiasm
and raptures b I her baby; she
: couldn't and didn't enter into his, and
There csme up sometimes just shade oi
misunderstanding between them. KITTY
thought cigar smoke hurt baby, and Fred
thought it a bore to be moped all the
evening, and occasionally put on bis hal
sauntered down street, intending only
TO remain until baby was safely en-
sconced for the night in his little crib
then he meant TO return and spend the
evening, and have something like the
|; good old times; but after few trials
the halt hour expanded into an hour and
a half and then some old companions
enIiced him with capital Havana until
the evening was far advanced, and as on
his return he not unfrequently found
Kitty asleep beside baby, looking so
sweet ana lovely, he fancied she did not
miss him, and was better content with
out him, especially as the creaking of
his boots sometimes awakened baby, or
retarded the all absorbing occupation Of
"getting him asleep" Poor Fred felt
himself thrust out Of place, and grew
more restless, aud soon it come about
that nearly all his evenings, under one
fretext and another, were spent away
from home.
When winter and its gayeties returned
as Kitty was never ready to 60 with him
TO party or concert, he went without her !;
at first be was rather cross about it. and
a. last began to find it tolerable, and by
degrees agreeable. This is a true story.
but must be a short one and we have
no time 70 write a homily to young
wives about dividing duties, though We
admit the opportunity.
The sucirey was nvt very large, aud
the advent Of a dashing California widow
! (that is, a lady whose husband was seek.
ing his fortune in the mines of that gold
en- reeion) was hailed as an advent likely
to produce a little sensation in the mouot-
ony of village life. Mrs. Castle was not
a handsome woman; that is, she had no
regularity Of features, nor an alabasier
complexion; but she had light, grace>
ful, airy figure; was gifted, cultivated,
sprigbtly and animated in conversation !;
danced perfectly, and her little twinkling
| feet nearly crazed half dozen bachelors,
and several married men into the bar
gain but then her singing Every
thing shrank into insiguifcanca before
the rich tones of that contralio; and
when the songs were her own-for she
was a poetess besides-ah, who could re>
sist the influence? Not Frederick Man
ming. with his cultivated ear and rare
appreciation Of high art. She sang and
he listened, evening after evening. Xii
ty was at home with her baby-boy, and
could not see him as be hung over the
piano, breathless.
| People began to whisper, and wonder
why Kitty never came to parties with
her husband. "Bahies had been born
and reared before without bani,hing the
/ moih2r from society altogether !" and
some sagely suggested sit would be bet
ter if little Mrs. Manning wouldn't be
quite SO blind, but keep an eye on her
husbands goings on"
Winter wore away, and Kitty still
kept house and took care of her baby,
and loved Fred with every bit of love
she could spare from little Willie. She
did 90 to church half day on Sunday,
but she rarely found opportunity to visit.
Fred was fond of driving fast hor ei.
Kitty was timid, and as he did not care
to take little WilIie-he thought him too
young-she preferred to remain with
her boy.
Mrs. Castle was not at all timid, and
slowed to drive of all thingsl" could
manage a tandem admirably, was a cap
ital whip and horsewoman into the bar
gain, so ii ended in their going out fre'
quently together. Fred's bays were the
envy and admiration Of the town, and
there was no other saddle-horse for a
lady to be had so fine as brown Bess !;
and as Mrs. Castle had still another
weakness for the exercise Of riding---in
fact, the physician bad prescribed riding
especially for her nerves; and, besides,