Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1867-07-26

rough, for he could not endure to have any
one speak disrespectfully of Mrs. Steinway,
however wickedly he himself might muse
concerning her.
"These soldiers wiyesl" continued
that horrid Buffum. Here's to 'em L
wish the war had happened when | was
young"
Although speeches like this made Puliet
blush and shocked painfully what re-
NAMED to him of gentlemanly feeling,
they aided to moralize him. Like a
specked lemon he now rotted all the faster
for rotten companionship, however alien
it might be to his original freshness Oh
moral nature.
Meanwhile Mrs. Steinway had not sus-
picion that she was or could be thus talked
about. 1t is painfully wonderful to observe
how woman can become the subject OF
scandal, or of remarks approaching the
nature of scandal, when her conduct ana
her very thoughts are as spotless OF evil
as is possible to humanity. She was al
most entirely absorbed in writing letters
to her worshiped husband and in educat-
ing her darling boy. Mrs. Pullet had been
mistaken when she told Joseph that the
child would be no sufficing companion for
his mother Mrs. Steinway made her
Jamie a companion; she talked with him
by the hour together; she read story
books and poetry to him; she helped him
in his lessons she joined In his plays.
She was devoted to him, and he to her.
She was frightened if he did not come
home from school at the usual moment
and he would not go to the dlnner-table
until she returned from her afternoon
walk. i s;r0a "a ;5u IA 14fa. -sa tga.4.
Meantime what sort of converse did she
hold with that infatuated, pitiable, guilty,
but as yet seemingly worthy, Joseph Pull
let? He had come to believe at last that
she was interested in him; yes, and to be-
lieve also that she was trying to interest
him in herself. He was completely hum
plugged by that caressing AVAILABILITY of
fine society which infected her whole man.
ner, and made her fascinating to people
whom she did not wish to charm, and
whom she regarded as merely unimport-
ant atoms in the not unpleasant mass OF
humanity. fest. sr 81
al am so glad to see you, Mr.. Pullct,"
she would say, meeting him in the street.
Those were lovely flowers you sent me
yesterday. / am distracted about flow
ers Give my regards to Mrs. Pullet.
rGood-by!"
And all this time she was thinking in an
under current, of her pretty boy, or of
her gallant husband And Pullet, poor
bedeviled creature! said to himself, "What
can man do when woman aoaW throw
herself at his head?" and went off to his
grocery, believing that he could run away
with this lady to some foreign country.
And when he came home his wife chat
tered, ''Have you seen Mrs. Stelnway
Now, Joseph, do be attentive"
Every excitement has its crisis every
wave finds its elimination. 1t came to
pass in the routine of things, and in &C
cordance with the universal laws of nature
that this agitated grocer, this tempest,
tossed head of family, reached the apex
of his insane vertigo. Calling on Mrs.
Steinway one evening" he found her in her
little parlor engaged in packing her books
and engravings. ~ h"5lii4
81 am sorry to tell you'll" she said in
her easy, chatty, ingratiating way. 81
am about to go to Washington. And
l had got so fond of this place 1t is too
bad ,It sa
Mr.. Pullet turned pale; not because the
news really agonized him not because he
felt any remorse in his naughty heart but
because he heard sort of demoniacal
conscience saying, "Now or never" He
had moon-struck idea that he was bound
as a gentleman to do something horrid,
and the task of doing it was so dreadful to
his imagination that he trembled in every
limb .a1'F Fa
"My husbands mother has written
to me to spend the summer with her, "
continued Mrs Stcinway, "and suppose
ought to go for economy's sake. But |
hate Washington, it is so hot and ma
larious. A woman doesn't want to turn
yellow. If were rich wouldn't stir a
step"
Pullet rapidly calculated how much
money he could spare from his own in
come.
"But go I must" she went on az
shall miss our talks about geology, MIR.
Pullet."
sociology" He knew she didn't mean
geology He transmitted the word into an
amatory hint, as Mrs. Bardelps lawyers
transmitted Pickwick's " chopsand tomato
sauce" He was quite certain that this
woman was throwing herself at his head /;
and, remembering old Buffems naughty
encouragement, he attempted to catch the
charming missile.
MIo. pOCulWdJY JOu AOu hhOW INV
this agonizess me-" he commenced in q
shaking voice.
The lady looked up from he packing
labors in wonder, and felt herself
color from her forehead to her shoulders.
and he was about to declare himself
vigorously, when I'M came Mrs Otto
man with an offer to assist in the packing
ooh, thank you," said Mrs. Steinway,
hastily. You can help me very much.
Do please try your hand at getting all
these big engravlngs into the little
trunk. 1t is q dreadful job. II makes
one think of the old lady's wish for a
small house with a great many large rooms
in it."
s Mr.. Pullet felt, with a mixed sense of
relief and disappointment, that this chance
was over. Mrs. Steinway would not even
look at him now, doubtless because Mrs.
Ottoman was present and the latter lady
would not probably depart until far into
the evening, for she also was fond of Swan
merdams
81 will go home and write her letter."
he said to himself. 81 must go on with it
now. | am bound as gentleman"
1t painful to think of this generally wor
thy and intelligent man making q wicked
ninny of himself What did he mean to do?
.Elope with Mrs. Steinway to the Happy
Isle, leaving his grocery to go to the Old
Harry, and Mrs. .Pullet to get divorce?
No, not exactly; in fact, he had no dehn-
tie purpose he was in his own language,
"going it blind" A sad, though uncer-
tain, glimmer is thrown upon his intentions
by the following letter, which Mrs. Stein
WaV received neyt morning:
"MY DEAR LOUISA, May venture to call you
SO? II not then all that may add will be in vain,