Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1868-02-08

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amy circumstances, and also declared
that her complaint was of a character
very much aggravated by severe ex-
ercise.
For few days Raymond remembered
the doctors counsel, and as he had re-
spect for the physician, be obeyed him
as nearly as his constitutional failings
permitted. but soon the wife was again
obliged to chop wood and feed cattle,
and taking severe cold, she faded as
would fade the Summer rose in a frigid
climate.
When Raymond Warren's house was
desolate and his freside cherries, he
saw what had been his great error dur
ing the two years of his married life,
and he mourned his wife deeply, it
must be said in his favor. both as a
helpmate and companion. He rented
his farm and managed to exist easily
for one year; but he was a domestic
man, be was not satisfied with child
less widower's solitary lot, and he began
to look about him for a second help
mate and companion. In a few months
be took to his home woman, who be
confidently felt would ell the place left
vacant by his first wife. Sadly was
Raymond disappointed.
A few weeks elapsed and he fell into
his old habits, with complete abandon
Leaving his own work in a neglected
state, he worked diligently one day to
assist neighbor in getting wood 10 his
house, and he returned to his home,
late at night, hungry and fatigued, ex-
pecting that his wife would have ready
for + is refreshment an inviting supper.
In this hope he had refused to take
supper with the neighbor whom he had
assisted. Poor fellow the kitchen
where was to have been his excellent
supper, attended by smiling wife, was
cold and unoccupied. No frugal board
was there, and Mrs. Warren was in
bed.
Raymond was much astonished, but
be was too good natured to complain,
and silently he ventured to explore the
cupboard for crust on which to satisfy
the gnawing of his appetite. Not a
crumb was there Tt was evident that
his wife had designed that he should
go to bed supperless, and supperless to
led he did go, grieving seriously over
his hard lot He had never before been
so badly treated, and he thought it in
deed distressing, bat yet his disappoint-
ment was not enough to revolutionizc
his constitutional good nature, and with
cut mutter be fell sound asleep.
Raymond did not hear the chanticleer
salute the morning, as it dawned after
the night Of his grieyous disappoint-
ment. It was Spring-time, and the
birds sang under his window, but he
heard them not; yet he heard his wife,
who had risen before the sun, call
him
"Mr. Warren, here I've been up for
an hour in the cold The woods all
burned It's time | had some cut. If
you want any breakfast, you had better
get up.
Was Raymond dreaming? Was this
voice of reproach that came to him in
his sleep, with the recollection of the
wife that had gone before him to the
spirit land Not so-it was a voice from
the wife who dwelt with him in this
sphere of existence, that came to remind
him of duties not discharged, upon
which depended the satisfaction of those
desires which had intruded visions of
feasts upon his hours of rest. All this
he felt, still he did net offer to leave his
couch.
"Raymond Warren" again said the
voice, "you left me yesterday without
wood, to help a neighbor get wood for
his wife, and you went to bed last night
without your supper. You il not get
bite to eat in this house till you bring
the wood to cook it with"
Chores plenty Of chips" said Ray
mond, in pall;ation, rising on his elbow
as he spoke
.'Get up, then, and bring them into
the house" said the resolute wife. You
want to make slave Of me. I'll attend
to my duties; but if you don't do your
chores, the cattle may starve, and you'll
never get bite to eat in this house
unless you take it uncooked, if you
don't cut wood yourself or get somebody
to do it for you
Raymond started bolt upright, and
it was not many minutes before he was
at the wood pile. Diligently did he
work until he had cut an armful, which,
like dutiful husband. for the first
time in his life, he carried into the
kitchen.
His wife made no allusion to what
had passed between them, and Ray
mond, although burning with curiosity
to know where she had learned what
she had revealed to him, dared not
commence conversation in relation to
it. The train of ills it might revive
was fearful to the easy mans mind
His breakfast was over; forgetful of its
lesson, careless Raymond wandered
from home, his necessary labors in the
farm yard unattended to and bis wood
pile unvisited. He returned home at
noon, strong in the faith that he should
sit down to good dinner, because he
was one of those men who think that a
wife should always give her husband
good dinner, whether she had anything
to cook or not. Mrs Warren had