Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1868-06-24
JEROME FENWICK,s OU2E.

Don't go out tonight, Jerome-stay
with me. Oh, Jerome! it is SO lonely when
you are away" The little kitchen had been
swept and secured until every board glisten-
ed like polished ivory-the red moreen cur
tains were drawn over the tiny paned window
and the great chestnut logs in the fire. place
were simmering and singing and bursting
into scarlet sheets of fame, with capricious
alterations. A little Christmas cross of
hemlock sprigs ard black ivy yet hung be-
tween the two windows, while Rosa Fen
wick S monthly roses and scented geraniums
tossed their delicate blossoms among the red
peppers and bunches of pennyroyal and cat
nip on the smoke Drowned mantle above the
chimney. Rosa, our heroine, was nothing
more dignified than farmer wife.
jerome Fenwick, a tall, stalwart young
fellow of some seven or eight and twenty,
bit his lip, as Rosa still kept urging:
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 dangling at your apron strings1 L tell
you that | am going down to the Columbian
to look at the papers and talk over the news. "
TO the Columbian echoed Aunt Try
phosa Fenwick, suddenly appearing out OF
a trap door, very much like ghost upon
the stage, only that she bore pan OF CLOS
sy red apples in one hand and brandlshed
formidable knife in tie other.
"Ah-h-h! you re going to the Columbian,
be We, Jerome Fenwick ?''
Yes, | am-and what theng returned
the young man, spice of sullen defiance
l.. IL. = nj
he had assumed towards mis- wife.
And [ $ pose you re coming back stupid
as a fool, like you came last night Or per-
haps you're coming with Peter Stryker at
your head and Sam Gerney at your heels, as
you came last week; pretty dolngs TO: a
feller that hain't been married a year yet.
Dear Jerome" pleaded Rosa, looking
through sparkling tears, please TO not go
out tonight" "
'What,d'ye s'pose you ar coming to,
went on Aunt Tryphosa, ding away at
the apples as spiteful as if s7ery one had
been a modern Marsyas, ana =, specla-
cled Apollo; perhaps you t3se .nrgot now
Pilkingham froze to death, ear age, COM
February, down by the hel ock hoi.er. " n
the snow two feet deep on & = grour!. led
read The papers and talkeI over he uews
He'd been to the Coluu lar. 10 And
mebbe you don remember -ow Josl, Hop
kins went off in the delir .-5 Jrrl ms last
June, all along o that ne plumblan.
He hadn' no pretty your Tlf- 1T home to
cry out her eyes afSer hi u ,-tor-nothing
bones. though, JOSIAH HCp r, hadn't. Oh,
| wish the Maine law W. oreed. Better
stay at home, Jerome ? I wick, arore bad
comes to worse.
Jerome Fenwick' S brew flushed and his
face became crimson.
Il shall do precizoly as | please, Aunt
Tryphosa- Where is NJ hat?'
Tain t for myself ! m speaking. went
on the wrathtul old lady, though you be
nay brother son. it 5 for Rosa Do YOU
s pose she ain got no feelins when you come
home night after night as intoxicated as a
fool? Good land O. Goshen if was Rosa
Id 20 down to the Columbian and drink
along with you. She's got just as good a
right to be fool as you have. How'd you
like that, Jerome Fenwick p
He went out, giving the unconscious door
a bang that made the cat start In her cosy
corner On the red brick hearth, and brought
a fresh torrent of tears to Rosa blue eyes.
oh, Aunt Tryphosa, she sobbed, hiding
her flushed face among the apples IN the
good spInster's lap, what shall we do? He
Is being ruined-and II have no power to
hold him back
''Sarye him right an obstinate fool T.
muttered the irate old lady. Yet, even while
the words were on her lips, the bony fingers
cares,sed Rosa's hair with strangely loving
touch
For your sake, Rosa, I'm vexed for
your sake, my pretty one'
IL | had but known-yet he was so diff
ferent In the days when we used to take
those twilight walks, in the days before we
were married. My husband drunkard