Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-12-26
WHAT ALLIED HIM.
RY BIRCH ARNOLD.

lie guessed 1t was because he wanted
TO dine down town with the other fell
lows" but he'd promised Hatty he'd be
home early, and he must keep his prom
Use, or "she'd be sure to have the sulks,"
which was his way of expressing the
| silence which Mrs. Burke invariably kept
II her leige lord spent his evenings down
| town.
AS he walked along with his hat pulled
down over his eyes, to avoid the trouble
OF bowling to people he didn't care a
| cent for" he thought himself a most
| miserable man.
Why couldn't fortune have favored
him, he'd like to know, as well as Brown
and Jones, the aforesaid "other fell
| lows?n
They lived in marble fronts, and dined
every day where cutglass and silver
rcignod triumphant lie wasn't quite
| ceJtatR, but he M01tgia he had as good a
supply of brains as Brown and Jones
As for his physical appearance, why bless
you he was sure they couldn't either Of
them hold o rush light TO him.
This last thought seemed 10 enliven
him somewhat, for he lifted his hat to
/ bow very politely to Miss Smpkins,
the s0urest old maid in Christendom, "
nv ilihtbbiN'A pllNl w al u IFtb "LEit ms
hat was fairly on his head again, the
old gloom settled with it, and he rallied
ut fortune as loudly as ever. The whole
burden of his ratings seemed to resolve
itself into this:
Why couldn't he live in u marble
front, and dine of cut glass and silver.
Poverty is such a curse I" But as he
muttered this ;ast half aloud, by some
strange coincidence, there arose before
him vision Of pair of loving blue
eyes, nestled in tempting little face
which was surrounded by a halo Of sunny
brown hair.
Beside this, were two others; one a
miniature OF Ben Burke, The other q 'per-
feet picture Of mamma"
"Blcss them, y he muTmurGd. GLOW
love them; but I'd like 10 take them out
out Of that shabby little hut There's
Browns wife, now" but at thought of
Browns wife he stopped. DID he want
his Hatty to be like her, mere puppet
in the hands Of fashion? GENEROUSLY
dressed, and faring sumptuonsly every
day, but one with whose good name the
poisoned tongues Of scandal were ever
busy.
A woman who loved her money, ana
her pleasure, better than she did her
husband? No. lie didn't exactly want
liatty to be like tut lie rather thought
she would be the same loving little woman
under ali circumstances. At any rate he
would like to try her. Somehow Glove
in IS cottage didn't seem Hs enchanting rs
it did six years before wIe0 he brought
his bride to the cosy little home, be had
so ungratcfuly called shabby hut
The new had worn off, and life was get
ting prosy Hatty's faee wore WrinN les
now, when once 1t wolp smiles, Flour
and butter were now tile topics of CON
ycrsaiiOn, where once blocks, and the fine
arlg, were most to be discussed. The
house wasn't as neat a8 it used to be.
| There Elere finger marks, here and there,
the Impress Of baby hands, and tlatty's
dress wasn't always arranged with SO
| much care. In short, lcforC he had 6r,
rived half way home he had made out
/ list Of grievances, q long as the ancient
moral law, and was fulE convinced that
he, Benjamin Burke, 10 Real Estate
| Agent and Couyeyanc@, was an Hu5c3
| man,
SO drawing his ha. still further over his
/ eyes, he -et himself to work to find a
means Of placing himself upon the pima,
clc Of happiness.
And Providence soon showed him the
way.
! AS he turned the corner Of the street
/ leading to his home, he saw before him d
| man whose pockets we're 50 distondcd
with bundles, and whose arms were so
laden with packages, That Ben. mental
| " styled him " travelling provision
store"
.,,~,.,9l,, 10 1;1 ,,-,...,,i 4, Cr.,,,- ..,,,,