Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1871-08-25

is all cold, all selfish and hard hearted,
for she is not. Away down into the
cold, hard exterior of the fashionable
life that she lives, there is warm,
loving heart, hidden, it is true, and far
away from the gaze of others, yet,
nevertheless. it is there, and at times
the loving glances from her eyes tell of
the we'll from which they haYe been
drawn.
The husband nears his home; all is
dark within. He almost wishes he
had gone with Will, but the thought is
cast from him as unmanly and selfish
and he hurries up the walk into the
little sitting-room. His Allie creeps to
meet him with his happy, cooling voice;
he looks around for Matte. All, there
she sits by the fire.
"Good evening, Matte. / saw viii
as [ came home"
"You did and what has he to say for
himself now? Trying to wind you
around his finger, l suppose, and to
plunge us into lower depths of poverty.
| hope, though, that you will know bet
ter than to yield again, when you have
seen where it has brought your wife and
child, if indeed that makes any differ
ence."
"Ohl Matte, dear, don't. If you
only knew. But let us have lights, and
some music to cheer us up"
ayes, we must have lights, [ sup
pose but [ reckon it will soon be SO we
can not afford even that luxury. AS
for music, don't see how you can have
~ ~ fop ~ hit that Sc
way with you men-no feeling or
thought for any one but yourselves"
Matte, excuse me, did not think
of course you do not feel like it. Sup
pose l read a story from this book I
[ have brought home. think it is SO
NICE Husbands and Homes'-just
suits us, doesn't it ?"
"There, please, don't let me hear
another word. should think l had
enough lecturing without that"
Matte, had no such intention; but,
of course, if you don't wish to hear it,
that is enough; )" and laying the book
aside, he seats himself by the window,
as before, sadly thinking, thinking.
"Why mig ghth't l have gone with
Will? All is bright and happy there,
at least for the present. What is the
use to try. | can not make this house
happy for Matte. Perhaps, as Will
says, might win back what [ have lost,
and place Matte in the home she is fit
ted by nature and education to enjoy;
my own bright, peerless Matte. Yes, |
will try. l believe she would rather |
would than to have to stay here. [ had
so much hoped she would like it,
though"
Matte Baker, look do you not see
phantom hands Turing your husband to
destruction? Think of your husbands
danger; reach forth helping hand to
hold him back.
One can not bear everything and be
perfect, though that one De Arthur Ba-
ker.
Three years nave passed. Night has
thrown sable curtain over all the earth.
Arthur Baker is again on his homeward
way. He walks slowly, and one would
hardly know the bent form as belonging
to Arthur Baker. His face is flushed
from excitement, and his eye is bleared
from the influence of wine. He has, in
deed been having a night of it, as any
one can see. He has thought of Matte,
and quickens his steps as he remembers
that in his play tonight he has won
more money for that elegant home that
is to be hers. AS he nears the home ex-
pecting to see all dark and silent, as
usual, he is surprised to see lights NOV
ing from room to room, and to hear
sounds of distress. He is sobered in an
instant, and enters the door to hear that
his little Allie is very sick-perhaps dy-
ing. Matte is bending over the cradle
as he enters, calling upon her boy, with
endearing names, not to leave her. He
joins her, catches the little one to his
heart, and calls him by name. Allie
ma, angels coming" and is gone through
the golden gate. We can almost hear
the angels singing welcome to the little
one in the silence that has fallen upon
the group. With gentle hands they are
led away. Loving, though stranger
hands, clothe the little Allie in pure
ropes, and scatter the flowers he loved
around him. Let us hope that with this
affiiction will also descend blessing,
and that their hearts will be lifted heav-
onward to their little Allie, and from
him to God.
"Mattie," said Arthur in pleading
tone, II will not say do not grieve for
your little one but through your deep
sorrow do you not hear the baby voice
of Allie calling you to come up higher
Yes, let the blessing come with the trial,
for God wills it so. Do not keep the
Angel of sorrow so long guest that the
angel with the blessing will be sent to
al ox,l will hal Loft ha Hopl- -
Two years with their lights and shad-
ows have passed on before. The time
has gone happily, in a measure, to the
Bakers; for they have indeed sorrowed
for their little Allie, yet Arthur has
made many new and sincere resolutions,
and Matte seemed, for a short time, al
most the same loving wife that she used
to be in the first years of their married
life, when fortune smiled. But, alas
for the strength born of mans will.
Just as Arthur was beginning to holdup
his head again, and GO nobiy forward
battling for the right, Matte seemed to
forget the little Allie, and her discon-
tent returned, it seemed, withn force.
Pining for her former home and the old
gayeties, she would forget all but her
self, and look always on the dark side,
for now there was no little Allie to win
her back. She had no eyes for the beau
ties of her little home The vines, roses,
fruits, and flowers were as naught to her,
as long as a few of her former friends
passed her with distant look or cold
recognition her proud heart could not
bear it-she must live in "style," or
she could not be happy.
Arthur missed the prattle OF his little
one sadly, and at times there seemed
nothing worth striving for since " Allie''
was no more then he would think of