The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-12-01

night ago. I'd been workin' hard all
day helpin' Miss Barber clean house,
and it seemed as if every bone in my
body ached, was so tired. | came
along home, thinkin' how good my cup
when | opened the kitchen door, was
old Hank Slater settin' there in my
rockin'- chair. He and Josiah were
both drunk as-as hogs" said Nabby,
slandering an innocent animal in her
| haste for simile.
"They'd tracked the mud all over my
| clean floors. The cookin stove was
damned full of wood like all possessed.
| wonder they hadn't burned the house
up before got there. And they'd got
my best teapot out to heat some water,
and the water ID all billed away, and the
bottom come out. But the worst was
to see my husband a-consortin' with
such scum of the earth Us the miserable
| low-lived Hank Slater. | tell you,
l was mad. just flung that kitchen
door wide open, and seq |.
"Git out of this house. Josiah Gould,
and don't never let me see your face in
side ont again.
as SEE he, meek as Moses, where
shall go to, Nabby?'
'Sez l, don't care where you go to,
so longs you don't come near me. I've
always ben a respectable woman, and |
don't want none of Hank Slater's
friends round my house.
Well?" queried the squire, as Nab.
by's narration came to a pause.
" WE'LL" said Nabby, in rather a
subdued tone, he went off. And
he hain't come back. And | want a
| divorce"
Now, Nabby," demonstrated the
squire, you don't want a divorce.
know you better than that. You are
| not the woman to give Josiah up, and
| let him go to the bad, without q strug-
gle. You feel little vexed with him
now, and | don't blame you. 1t is hard,
very hard. 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
tide worse for you-because you are the
strong one and he the weak one of the
two? That don't strike me as good
Bible doctrine, Nabby. I'VE that are
strong ought to bear the infrmities of
the weak, and not to please ourselves
you know"
Well, ] Dunno" said Nabby, twist
ing the corner of her shawl obviously.
q hadn't thought ont in that light,
must say. It's so aggravatin to have
such man for a husband. Besides,
dunnos he'd come back now if wanted
him to.
Hasn't he been back at all p
"Why, yes, ne did come once for a
pair OF pantaloons. But | didn't take
no notice of him."
Now, Nabby, you may depend upon
it, it wasn't the pantaloons he was after
He wanted to see if you wouldn't re-
lent. If he comes agair, be little
pleasant to him, and I'll warrant he
will stay. Give him another chance,
Nabby. Josiah isn't the worst fellow in
the world, by any means. He has his
redeeming traits, after all. | believe he
will do better, if you will try TO clip
him. You know that Josiah is one
that bears good deal of encourage
ment, Nabhy."
Anyhow, I'm obleeged to you. You
talk so sorter comfortin' 10 ody
You're your mother S own son Just the
same good heart. Would you be able
to eat some Of my cheese, squire p
Try me, and see, Nabby," said the
squire, smilingly, not impervious to
Nabby's compliments. Nabby ma lie
her exit just as Mrs. Hosley rushed in,
full Of wifely Indignation that the
squire had been allowed to see a
client"
Nrbby's home was over at the
Corners three miles from the village.
She walked rapidly along in the fast
thickening darkness, with the steady,
strong gait becoming self-relant
woman that she was. Yet even her I'M
imaginative nature was not proof against
the depressing influence Of the chilly,
raw November evening. The wind
whistled through the bare tree branches,
which creaked and groaned mournfully,
and waved wildly up and down in the
dim light overhead. The wind seemed
to cherish a special spite against Nabby.
1t blew her bonnet off and her hair
into her eyes, struggled madly with her
| for her shawl, took her breath away,
and firmly resisted her every step.
Finally, it began to send spiteful dashes
Of cold rain-drops in her face-rain that
seemed almost to freeze as it fell
Josiah used to come after me with
an umbrella when / was caught out in
the rain," thought Nabby. Gle was
always real kind and good to me, after
all. | dunno's he ever give me cross
word in his life, even when he'd ben
drinlin'."
Here the driving, sleety rain and
piercing wind pounced down upon
Nabby with renewed fierceness, hustling
her madly around in fiendish glee.
An awful night to be homeless,
Nabby," something seemed to say.
i don't care" said Nabby to herself,
beginning to feel cross again and gener-
ally i'll used as she grew wetter and
colder. at serves him right. He's
made his bed, and he can lie in it,"
AT "the Corners" the light streaming
cheerfully out into the night from other
homes made Nabby's little house look