The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-08-01
Tuesday Morning, August l, 865.
JEROME FENw1oKs CURE.

mel Oh, Jeromel it is SO lonely when yor
are awayi N z
The little kitchen had been swept ant
secured until every board gIistencd like polish
ed ivory--the red moIeen curtains were draw
over the tiny-paned windows, and the great
chestnut logs in the fireplace were singing and
simmering and bursting into scarlet sheets o.
flame, with capriciOuS alterations. There
was no costly fresco on the walls-merely 6
4. cheap paper, where gigantic pink roses burst
into unaccomtable bloom among the green
tendrils OF a stiff pea-vine; but the wooden
clock was framed in the coral berries of the
bitter-sweet, and little Christmas cross OF
hemlock sprigs and black ivy yet hung between
the windows, while Rosa Eenwick's monthly
roses and scented geraniums tossed their deli
cate blossoms among the red peppers ano
punches Of pennyroyal and catnip on the
smoke-browned mantle above the chimney.
For Rosa, our heroine, was nothing more dig
hi6ed than farmers wife. Ay, but farmer {
wife IN th5e0ur Empire State, is, it must be re-
nlelu sefed, queen consort to member of the
pyFMar sovereignty Rosa was as fit to
wear the-royal robes as any princess of the
blood. She was quite tall with pale brown
hair and eyes of the clear vivid blue that puts
you in mind of sunshine after rain, while the
delicate color on her cheek fairly rivaled the
monthly roses above. Her dress was very
plain and simple-a dark brown calico, ruffied
at the wrists, and relieved by narrow linen
collar, with tiny black silk apron tied firmly
around her graceful waist.
Jerome Fenwick, a tall sta1wart young fel-
low of some seven and eight and twenty, bit
his lip as Rosa still kept urging: a
''Stay with me this evening - only this
once"
'Nonsense, Rosa; how ridiculous YOU are
A man can't stay at home forever"
'But you were out last night and the night
before"
"Well, what then? Now my love don't you
see how very absurd it is to expect me to be
always dangling at your apron strings. tell
you Pm only going down to the Columbian,
to look at the papers and talk over the news
''To the Columbianr' p echoed Aunt Tryphosa
Fenwick, suddenly appearing out of the sub
terranean depths of trap-door, very mnch q
la ghost upon the stage, only that she bore a
pan of glossy red apples in one hand, and
brandished formidable knife in the other
"Ah-h-hl You're going to the Columbian, be
ye, jerome Fenwick"
eyes, am-and what then?r returned the
young man, a spice of sullen defiance beginning
to mingle with the playful tone he had assum-
ed towards his wife
Sand s'pose you're coming back stupider
nor a fool as you come last night-or perhaps
you're comm with Peter Stlyker at your head
and sam Carney at your heels, as you came
last week; pretty doin's these, for fellow
that hain't been married year yetF
"Dear Jerome" pleaded Rosa, looking up
through sparkling tears, ~i,tedSed not go out
tonight"
t"Nhat dye spose you're comin' to,p went
on Aunt Tyrphosa, digging away at the apples
as spitefully as ii every one had been mod
ern Karsyas, and she spectacled Apollo
''p'raps you've forgot how Pardon Pilkingham
froze to death a year ago come February,
down by the hemlock holler, with the snow
two. feet deep on the groundI He'd been to
the Columbian tool He'd read the papers and
= talked over the newsi And mebbe you don't
remember Josiah Hopkins went off in d ti,i-
OGs treBie7ls last June, all along o. that same
CoIumbianI He hadn't no pretty young wife
at home to CRY her eyes out arter his good-for-
nothin' bones Josiah Hopkins hadn't! "Ohi'
CALCULATED Aunt Tryphosa, emphatically, q
wish there was Maine law. / just do Bet
ter stay at home, Jerome Fenwick afore bad
comes to worsep
jerome FenwicEs brow flushed angrily.
81 shall do precisely as please, Aunt Try
phosa; where's my hat?D
"'Taint for myself I'm speakin,,r went on
the wrathful old lady, suspending her knife in
mid air, though you be my brothers son. IT.
for Rosal Do you s'pose she hain't got nc
feelings when you come home night after night
as intoxicated as a fool? Good land of Gosh
eni If was Rosa, I'd 60 down to the Colum-
bian too, and drink long with you. She's got
just as good right to be afool as you have! =
How'd you like that Jerome Fenwick ?' =
He went out, giving the unconscious door a
bang that made the cat start in her cosy cor
ner Of the red brick hearth, and brought a
fresh torrent Of tears to Rosa's blue eyes.
"Oh! Aunt Iryphosa," she sobbed, hiding
her flushed face among the apples in the goou
spinsters lap, "what shall we do? He is being
rnined-and III have no power to hold him
back"
"Sarve him rightl An obstinate foolp
muttered the irate old lady. Yet even while
the words were on her lips, the bony fingers
caressed Rosa's hair with a strangely loving
touch. ss
'For your sake, Rosal Pm vexed for you
sake, my pretty one p a.s -
"If had but known-yet he was so differ
ent in the Gays when we used to take thost
twilight walks, the days before we were mar
ried. My husband a drunkardt Oh, Aun
TryphosaI had sooner we were both in oul
graveSF 5-oss 81
"Don't talk so, pet" murmured Aunt Try
phosa, taking off her dim spectacles. "Tht
Lord knows what's best for US all, but
"Hushp calculated Rosa, springing to hel
test, Il hear the gate clickl Aunt Tryphosa
backp F777,1s+.'1 IA.
No; the slight, fair, almost grlish looking
young fellow in the Lieutenants uniform was
not jerome Fenwick-and there was a toucl
OF bitterness even in the welcoming tears
which Rosa poured out on the breast of the
soldler prolher she mad not seen for three lone
years.
"HalloF exclaimed Charley Warner AWhy
/ thought you were SO happy Rosa AM
where's my new brother-in-laww -
"He-he isn't at home" sobbed ont Rosa
"Oh, Charley, / am very, very miserablep,
"Weil this is queer welcomep ouoth tbe
lieutenant, sitting down in front of the blazine
chestnut logs, and drawing Rosa upon h
knee, NOW puss, tell me all about it--ane
somebody hold my hands tight, for feel very
much like giving my unknown brother-in-lav
thrashing before | know anything of th
merits of the case" ~
~Well reckon its about time for me to b
moving" said Jerome. fss i
Now jerome Fenwick was none the wors
for the frequent libations in which he had In
dulged; at least not in hiss own opinion. Fo
he had firmly resolved on entering the gree
baize doors Of the columbian Hotel not t
drink 700 much, and he fancied he had KEEP
the Resolution. Only-to be sure the sande
moor dld surge to and fro a little-and the log
IN the chimney changed places with the doc
u tne most uhaccountable manner, and th
solces Ss arouila I..1 nun sounded now near, nov
aiar a Oh, az II tne speakers were recding int
uhm distance. Yet jerome Fenwick. witt
very wide open eyes, and a turpid amiabilit,
upon his set features, reiterated to bimsei
tnat ne was all right-as right as a triyetp
because, you seer' soliIoonized ,Iaron,,e
aloud, I'm married OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
owe 70 society can't be drunk, becaus
de caught at the arm of his chair as IL seem
Va 10 give sudden lurch ceilingwarrl -