Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-11-18
NABBY'S HUSBAND.
A knock at the squire's door.

having Just reached that uncomfortable stage of
masculine convalescence when life becomes a
burden not only to the sO-called 'patient" him
self but also TO those unlucky feminine relatives
whose duty il Is to oficiate as his "ministering
angels"
Mary, the servant came in.
Please, Mr.. HOsley, there's woman down
stairs who says she must see you. She's been
here before since You were sick, and now she
won't take no for an answer"
Show her right up, Mary" said the squire,
alertly, frightening up yisibly, like the war
horse who scents the battle afar of. Not all the
coy comfort of his surroundings, the Sleepy
HOllOwness" of his easy-cbair, the pleasant pic
lures on the wall, the wood fire which, now that
the wintry twilight settling down over the
bit of gray sky LEFT visible by the curtains
heavy folds, danced and flashed all oves the
room in rosy shadows could reconcile the squire
10 his enforced seclusOn. Secretly he pinned for
his dingy old den of an Office, and chafed at the
doctors restrictions, which yet forbade all
thought of business. But now the moral ponce
force, represented by his wife and daughter, be-
ing luckily off duty, there nothing to prevent
his seeing this probable client.
Show her up. Mary, said the squire, cheer
fully, strengthening himself, and assuming as
much of legal dignity as dressing gown and slip
pers permitted.
Mary disappeared. Presently the door opened
again. "why, Nabby," said the squire, ais it
you? How do you do?F
Yes squire it's me ;" said Nabby, dropping
down with heavy sigh into chair; 'andI don't
Nabby was a short, squarely built woman of
fifty, with considerable gray In the coarse,
back under bonnet about five years out of
date. She had sharp black eyes, and resolute,
go-ahead manner. Evidently a Woodworking
woman; yet in looking at her you could not
help the conviction that something more than
hard work had plOwed the deep wrinkles which
ran across and across her forehead, and threat
ened TO lift her eyebrows to her hair.
Nabby had lived with the sluire's mother fif-
teen years-from the time when Mrs. HOsley
t SSx sn neT M ,SH %i9 was as
plague than profit" until she grew into the
steady and reliable handmaiden, who finally,
Josiah Gould, and set up in the world for her
self. Old Mrs Hosley had long since gone to
her reward. but the family still kept up a
friendly interest in Nabby and her fortunes, the
squire in particular being her "guide, philoso-
pher, and friend" in all the emergencies OF life.
Why, what's the matter now. Nabby?" said
the squire, good naturedy. 81 Are you sick?''
Eyes, am" said Nabby, emphatically, with
snap of her black eyes, :" I'm sick To death of
Josiah can't stan it any longer, and I've
come to talk with you about gittin' divorce.
You see he's ben a-growin' worse and worse now
for good while. Eve KEEP 1t to myself pretty
KEEP hopin' he'd do better. I'VE talked and
talked to him, and said and done everything a
woman could, but it seemed as if the more 1
The squire looked at Nabby's rather sharp,
hard face, and perhaps was hardly so surprised
az Nabby expected that Josiah had not been re-
formed by the vigorous talking TO" he had IN
dOuhtedly received.
"He grew more and more shifless and good
EOr-nOJnln, continued NaODy, ''tlll, nIally,
he didn't do much but set round the kitchen
IRE, half booty. II there's any thing l hate"
burst out Nabby, sits a man forever settin'
round the house underfoot. And there was a.
takin' in wsshin,' and a-slayin' early and late,
TO be kinder decent and forehanded, and him no
better n dead man on my hands, 50 far as
time and again. He worked just about enough
10 keep himself in drink. He knew he couldn't
git any OF my money for that.
80 But stood il all till about fortnight ago.
I'D been wOrkin' hard all day helpin' Miss Bar
Der clean house, and il seemed as if every bone
IN my body ached, was 50 tired. came along
home, thinkin' how good nv cup of tea d taste.
The first thing see, when opened the kitchen
door, was old Hank Slater settin' there in my
rcckin'-chair He and Josiah were both drunk
as-as hogs" said Nabby, slandering an inno-
cent animal in her haste for a smile.
They d tracked the mud all over nv clean
floors. The coOkin'-stOve was jsmmed full of
wood, roarin' like all possessed. / wonder they
hadn't burned the house up before got there.
And they'd got my best tea-potout TO heat some
water, and the water d all billed away, and the
bottom come out. But the worst was to see my
husband a-cOnsOrtin' with such scum of the
earth as that miserable, lowlived Hank Slater.
tell You, squire, was mad just flung the
kitchen door wide open, and SEE
a. Git out of this house, Josiah Gould, and
don't never let me see your face inside ont
again.
"sez lie, meek as Moses, Z" Where shall go
Sec I."I don't care where YOU go TO, so
longs you don't come near me. I've always ben
respectable woman, and don't want none of
"Well?r aueried the squire as Nabby's mar
ration came to a pause
"well," said Nsbby, in rather a subdued
tone, ''he went OF. And he han't come back.
And 1 want divorce"
Now, Nabby," demonstrated the squire,
'.you don't want divorce know you better
than that. You are not the woman to give Jo-
si2h up, and let him go To the bad, without a
struggle YOu feel a little vexed with him now,
But YOU know YOU took him "for better or
worse" Do you think, yourself, it is quite
right to break your contract because it proves
the worse for you-beeause You are the strong
one and he the weak one Ofthe two? That don't
strike me as good Bible doctrine, Nabby. "We
that are strong ought TO bear the intrmities of
know"
''wen, dunno" said Nabby, twisting the
corner Of her shawl dUbiously. 81 hadn't
thought on in that light. must say. It's so
aggTayatn' to have such man for husband.
Besides, dunno's he'd come back now if l
wanted him to-
- Hasn't he been back at all?"
"Why, yes. he did come once, for pair of
pantalOOns. But l didn't take no notice OF
him."
=. Now, Nabby You may depend upon it, it
wasn't the PautalOOns he was after. He wanted
10 see If you wouldn't relent. IL he comes
again, be little pleasant 10 him, and IL war
rant lie viii STAY. Give him another chance,
Nabby. Josiah isn't the worst fellow in the
world. by anv means. He has his redeeming
traits. after all. believe ne will do better, ii
you viii Try TO help him. You know Josiah is
one that bears a good deal Of encouragement,
"Wen, squire, III think ii over. Anyhow,
I'm Obleeged To YOU You talk 50 sOrter COM
fortin' 10 a body. You're YOUR mothers own
son; just the same good heart. Would you be
able 10 eat some OF my cheese, squirrel"
% Try me, and see, Nabby" said the squire,
smilingly, not imPeTvious to Nabby's cOmpIi-
ments. Nab5y made her exit Just Mrs. Hos
lev rushed in. fall Ofwifely indignation that the
squire had been allowed 20 see a ''elient."
Nabbys home was over at ''the Corners"
three miles from the village. She walked rap
Idly along in the tast-thickenlng darkness, with
the steady, strong gait becoming the self-reiant
woman that she was. Yet even her unimayi gina
tive nature Was not proof against the depre sing
influence OF the chilly, raw November evening.
The wind whistled through the bare tree
branches, which ereaked and grLared mourn
fully, and waved wildly mp and down in the dim
light overhead. The wind seemed to cherish a
sPecia! spite against Nabby- 1t blew her bonnet
OF and her hair into her eyes, struggled madiy
with her for her shawl, took her breath away,
and firmly resisted her every step. Finally, IL
began 10 send spiteful dsshes OF cold rain drops
in her face-rain that seemed almost to freeze ss
il fell.
"Josiah used 70 come after me with an um-