The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1867-01-09
WHOLE No. 534.

ing to the sink, bathed her face thorougl
~. Then she stood few minutes as
a gathering up resolution, calm, beautifi
expression playing about her lips.
The words of her old pastor had com
back to her all at once as she sat the,
D. weeping. The words he had spoken to he
l the evening before her marriage. AN
', little girl, you have made good choic,
Ueorge Graham, your promised husband
e Is good man, of excellent principles an
7; good disposition, and will do his best t
make you happy. But he is not perfec,
NO man is. And you must be patient wit
e his falllngs; always patient. One eros
word leads to another, and that to anotb
l er, until by-and-by there's a quarrel. AM
then good-by to happiness. Don't scold
but coax; don't drive, but lead. And j
Y you ever feel tired with him, think how
much worse it mig ght have been. And al
ways remember that he is no saint, but on
~ a man, mortal and weak. Be it YOU
work, little girl, to make his earthly hon,
a happy one, and lead him onward an,
upward towards that holier one not mad
with hands,
Dead, yet speaketh," she said solemn
~, as that long, earnest talk came back te
her. "And-and I'll do it any way. i
he won't forgive, if he won't agree to be-
gin again and try it over, why-oh! nov
er can go out alone in the world, and sec
him married to another woman. Oh. I'll
never say another word. won't. not one,
II he has every chair piled to the ceiling
with coats and pants, and the floor waist
deep with boots and rubbers. l don't see
what made me speak so cross to him. I'll
get girl tomorrow; somebody that can
COOK better than ], and I'll keep out of the
kitchen and whenever he comes in Ill
take his things myself and take care of
them. What must he have thought of me
to hear me say such dreadful things!''
And filling up the stove with coal, drain
ing the water Oft the vegetables, and leav-
ing the oven door open, she put on her
sacque and bonnet, seized her mutf and
gloves, and locking the door after her went
out.
1t was bitter cold but she did not mind
1T. The wind was driving the sleet right
into her face, but she only drew the veil
closer over her swollen eyes and hurried
on: 1t was slippery as glass, but her
gathered feet ran along as if sharp shod.-
She had but one thought; to see George
again, tell him how sorry she was and
bring him back to dinner.
With shout and hurrah! little fell
low came coasting down one of the cross
streets just ae che set her foot On the curb
stone. The sleigh whirled, zigzaged a mo-
mcnt and then run her down. She
screamed involuntarily, and, as she fell,
put out her hands imploringly. Some one
clasped them, held them tightly brief
spell, and then gently assisted her to her
feet. Some one spoke to her. Some one
said kindly, tenderly, lovingly, "Are
you hurt much, Susie?'' Some one drew
aside her veil Some one looked pityincly
in to her eyes. Who do you think it was?
80 George! I'm so glad you happened
here. was going down to the Office after
you"
"Were you, Susie? And was COM
ming up to the house to see you.''
He looked about him few seconds, and
then ns ,s; sid il m"a"i"1'y "''s' h"sf ara" and
The next minute he was tuckine her lit
tie hand under his elbow and guiding her
back home, walking slowly, cautiously,
and asking her if she were sure she was
not hurt, and adding, "hed send the little
rascal to Jail if she were," to all of which
she said earnestly, "Not any hardly; only
frightened little, he wasn't to blame for
the sled turning; I'm so glad we met"
Inside the front door, before hardly the
lock had sprung, he caught her to his heart
and as he held her in the warm embrace
he kissed her passionately.
"What do you think Of me darling, for
talkinsing so to you? You don't know
how sorry l am.'
"What did you think of me, George, scol.
ding you as did? Ifyou only knew how
| cried afterwards"
but )! plagued you dreadfully, know,
Susie. You're so neat, and I'm such a
careless scamp"
1T was plagued you, George. I've no
business to be so neat as to make myself a
fussy, cross old thing and l won't any
more. won t say word, George, if you
turn the whole house topsy turvy every
time you come in. O, George, to think of
our quarrelling so, before we've been mar
ried year!'
And you, running away to leave me
here alone o, Susie, should have run
after you before morning"
sit was awful the way we talked to each
other. Can you ever forgive me?'
"Yes, indeed forgave YOU ten minutes
after reached the office; though going
down there, Susie, did wish, almost, that
you were little slovenly, instead of such
a tidy bit of a lady"
II don't wonder, George. It's enough
to make man hate the very word neat
ness when his wife is forever scoldinr
about it so. But do you know what I'm
going to do? I'm going to hire girl to
cook, wash, iron and scrub, and Pm going
to meet you at the door every time YOU
come in, and put away all your things for
you, so tkat We'll both be suited. The
house will be in order, and you won't be
bothered helping about it,
The deuce you will, Susie! Pardon,
pet, l didn't mean to say it. Have the
girl always wanted you to; but hang
me if I'm to have such little doll Of
wife to put my things away, and me a
great six-footer. No, no. You may meet
and kiss me, but-just see how nice l can
do it when have mind to - and rails
ing her from his folded arms he deliberate
ly took off his hat and overcoat and hung
them up by plummet and line, and then
kicking off his rubbers set them squarely
under the rack
"Only, Susie, if l once in while for
GET
g I won't scold, George; no, l won't if
! have to bite my lips till they bleed, to
keep the ugly words in.'
"And when see you biting your lips,
Susie, I'll know what's up, and hurry and
put things in their places, and then wipe
the hurt off just So" and he pressed his
bearded chin close to hers, so smooth and
soft, and sweet, and took dozen or SO
warm kisses.
"And now, put away your things, wiley,
and let's have some dinner, for I'm hung
ry as church rat
"I'm afraid it's all dried up by this