Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1867-01-18
LOOKING UNDER THE BED.

/ night. Mrs. Evergreen, my beloved wife, in
dulges, if indulgence it can be called, n this
peculiar practice. do not object TO it the
formancc upon myself, but when, as is some
times the case, she fergets it until she has put
out the light and ensconced herself under the
comforter, then it is hard that /, who am not
troubled with nervous apprehensiveness.
should have to get up in the col d and do it for
ler. have often remarked to Mrs. Ever
green, when | have seen her prying under the
bed that it was silly habit, and that the
sooner she gave it up the better. To this gen
tie admonition my better half invariably re-
joins:
"Ia, Evergreen, what harm does it 10? lis
kind Of satisfaction 10 know that nobody
under there, and then don't think Of such
horrible thing after IN in bed
81 think, my dear, you might just as we'll
pursue your investigation further and look in
TO the bureau drawers and clothes basketw
Evergreen" she will rcjoin "don't mention
the idea, or | shall certainly do SO. Come to
think Of it, man could very easily get into
the clothes basketr'
Certainly he could my dear.quite easily
as Faistaff. You should certainly include the
clothes basket, and, by-thc-by, there's the
chimney; why not look Up that as well p
snow, Evergreen, you're laughing at me
Bnt can't leave off the habit, and 1 never
will. It's a comfort for me to know that
there's nothing wrong about it, and don't tsec
why you should deprive me of it,
! So under the bed goes the candle, and no
signs Of humanity being discovered, Mrs Ey-
ergreen is able to rcpo.e in peace. but as al
ready observed, this precautionary nc, is
sometimes forgotten, and am obliged TO rise,
light. the lamp, and report. I've done it rath
CT more frequently of late than is agreeable,
and have intmacd as much to Mrs. l.. She
says:
Very well, Evergreen, III do il myself.
But this procedure is almost equally as bad,
for she invariably IS the cold in OH me both
in getting out and getting in. Ii it were not
for increasing this mental idosync,acy on The
part Of Mrs. Evergreen, by giving her some
good reason to apprele.d danger should re-
late TO her what am about to lay before the
reader. In this narration, therefore | ask the
public most particularly TO bear in mind that
Mrs. Evergreen is Of sensitive nature. rat!,-
er apprehensive and slightly supersti,ious.
and that what have to say must, under no
circumsi ances, be told again. Ii for two and
twenty years that is the period of eur wcds
ded life, and happy years have they beenl-if,
SAY, have for this long period refrained
from imparting the matter to the beloved
sharer Of my joys and partaker Of my sog-
rows, surely the public which, as we know
always does keep secret will keep mine.
All young men, suppose, have love affairs
before they eventually fix their affections OH
the one WHO is to bless their lot in life !
gret it? far from it. Mrs. Evergreen is 10,
present, and therefore lave no hesitation in
saying that if had my life to live over again
Id like to go through viii the same senti-
mental csrc.i i nee, particularly if it was TO
be succeeded by again leading 10 the hymen-
ial altar the present Mrs Evergreen
Twas not bad looking when l was in ny
twenties. think may go further, and COR
filentially say that Gus Evergreen was
decided favorite among the girls Of Oakyille
and really believe tina, could have hadanv
of them sior the asking As before re-
marked, Mrs. Evergi cen is no, present, and
indulge my thoughts somewhat more freely
than otherwise would be the case. I don't
think that cared particularly for any of the
Oakville girls, however, and l might have
kept my heart whole to this day if it had not
been for the circumstances which am about
to relate.
Fred Evans, who had been my chum at
school, came Q make me visit at Oakyille
for "a day or;two,' as he said when lie came
but he made it a week or two easily enough |
after had taken him about little among |
the young ladies' When that time had cx-
pired Fred said he really must 90. as he didn; |
know what his father would think of his long |
absence; but it ended i'll his relieving their I
anxiety by letter and sending for his trunks, |
knew how the matter was perfectly we'll,
aud that Belle Bronson had bewitched him .
out OF his five senses. Fred used to put it on
to the ''couutry air and the quiet which was
bcnetiting health, &c. but it was no use try>
ing to deceive ME, and told him SO. Then
he owned up frankly, and promised to help
him all could If he required any help in the
prosecution of his suit never thought Belle |
firt, or that she would willingly distress |
any human being; but she had way of look.
into ones eyes as if to captivatc them for her
mere personal amusement.
At any rate she had = larger share Of bcaux
than the other girls, but all their attentions
came to nothing feared it might be so with |
Fred Evans, and warned him accordingly; |
butFrcd said he'd shave her il he tried al |
his life;' that ',without her, life was naught
% MN that "she was the only living being
who had ever awakened real emotion in his |
5rcast,' &c., SC. After that said no more |
but closely observed the lovers, and soon came
70 the conclusion that Fred was BY no means |
disagreeable to her. Things went on in this
way without any definite results until Fred
received sudden summons home on account
OF his mothers illness. When he came h.cl