Middletown transcript., 1869-05-01
Popular Tales.
The Best Wife in the World.
BY AMY RANDOLPH.

"The best little wife in the world !" said
Herbert Ainscourt.
"Of course-I dare say!'' responded
Mr.. Portcross. "But what's your exact
idea of the best wife in the world? Jones
says he's got the. best wife in the wor Id
because she keeps his stockings darned,
takes him to church three times of Sun
day, and never lets him have an opinion of
his own. jenkins says he's got the same
identical article, but jenkins wife keeps
all the money, draws his salary for him,
and makes him live in the back kitchen,
because the parlor is too good for the fam
lily to use"
ooh! but Daisy isn't bit ogreish- "a
little submissive, soft-voiced thing til pt
hasn't an idea except which is reflected
from me. | tell you what, old fellow, I'm
the master of my own house; | come when
please. Daisy never ventures on word
of reproach."
Then you ought to be ashamed Of
yourself, larking around at the clubs as
you do, dissipated bachelor fashion"
"Ashamed What of?''
"Why, | suppose you owe some duties
to your wife"
"Wherc's the harm? My wife doesu It
care"
Probably you think SO because she is
quiet and submissive but if she were to
Object"
"Ohject. I'd like to hear her try it ;"
"Now. look here. Ainscourt; your wife
may be model wife, but you certainly a Re
not a model husband. People are begin
ming to talk about the way you neglect
that pretty little blue-eyed girl"
"Tll thank people to mind their ow n
business. Neglect her, indeed Why man,
| love her as love my own soul"
"Then why don't you treat her as if
you did p
"Oh! come, Portcross; that questiq On
just shows what regular old bachelor
you are. 1t won't do to make too much
of your wife unless you want to spoil her I"
Mr.. Portcross shook his head.
"That sounds selfish, don't like the
ring of the metal"
And he went away, leaving Mr.. Aims
court to finish his game of billiards at his
leisure
"What regular old fuss-budget Port
cross is" laughed the latter. " Always
poking his nose into somebody else's busi-
ness. There's one comfort-I never pay
any attention to what he says"
Meanwhile Mrs. Ainscourt was waiting
alone in her drawing room, her two little
white hands tightly locked in one another,
and her fair head slightly drooping-a del
icate little APPLE blossom of woman, with
blue wistful eyes and curly faxen hair,
looking more like grown up child than a
wife of twenty-one summers.
80 dearp' sighed Daisy, ''it is so dull
here. l wish Herbert would come home.
He never spends any time with me now-a-
days, and / practice all his favorite songs,
and read the newspapers. so 1 can talk
about the things he is interested in, and
try so hard to be entertaining. Its ve1 y
strange"
And then her oval face frightened into
a sudden brilliance, and the sparkles stole
into her eyes for the wife's quick ear had
detected her husbands footsteps on the
stairs. The next moment he came in.
"Well, pet, how are you p with play
full pinch of the cheek. ''There are some
bon bOns for you. Where are my light
gloves?"
80, Herbert! you are not going away
again?'
81 must, Daisy. There are lot Of
fellows going to drive up to High Bridge
and I'm one of the party. You can GO
over to my mothers to dinner, or send
for one Of Your friends, or something.
There, good bye, puss; I'm in deuce of
q hurry"