Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-02-21
From Harper's Bazaar.
NABBY'S HUSBAND.
A knock at the squire's door.

An eager come in from the squire,
to whom any outside diversion is an
inestimable boon. he having just reach
ed that uncomfortable stage of mascu-
line convalescene when life becomes a
burden not only to the so-called spa
tent himself, but also to those unlucky
feminine relatives whose duty 1t 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 visibly,
like war horse who scents the battle
afar off Not all the cozy comforts of
his surroundings, the "Sleepy Hollow
ness" of his easy chair, the pleasant
pictures on the wall, the wood fire
which, now that the wintry twilight
was settling down over the bit of gray
sky left visible by the curtains heavy
folds, danced and flashed all over the
room in rosy shadows, could reconcile
the squire to his enforced seclusion.
Secretly he pined for his dingy old den
Of an Office, and chafed at the doctor
restrictions, which as yet forbade all
thoughts of business. But now the
moral police force, represented by his
wife and daughter, being luckily of
duty, there was nothing to prevent his
seeing his probable client.
"Show her up, Mary" said the
squire. cheerfully, Strengthening him.
self, and assuming as much of legal
dignity as dressing gown and slippers
permitted.
Mary disappeared. Presently the
dSor opened again. Why, Nabby, .
said the squire, lis it you? How do
you do?"
eyes, squire, it's me-" said Nabby,
dropping down, with a heavy sigh, into
chair; C and I don't do very we'll"
Nabby was a short, squarely- built
woman of fifty, with considerable grey
in the coarse black hair drawn stiff1y
and uncompromisingly back under a
bonnet five years out of date. She had
sharp black eyes, and a resolute, 60
ahead manner. Evidently a hard.
working 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
threatened to lift her eyebrows up to
her hair.
Nabby had lived with the squire
mother fifteen years-from the time
when Mrs. Hosley took her in, a ten
IL I
old lady sometimes expressed it,
''more plague than profit, until she
grew into the steady and reliable hand
maiden, who, finally, with every ones
good wishes, married young 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 particu-
lar being her "guide, philosopher, and
friend in all the emergencies of
life.
"Why, what's the matter now, Nab
by?' said the squire, good naturedly.
care you sick 2''
Yes, am, said Nabby emphatic
ally, with snap of her black eyes.
g I'm sick to death of Josiah. I can't
stand it any longer, and I've come to
talk to you about gettin' divorce
You see he's been CROWN worse now
for a good while. I've KEEP it to my
self pretty much, because was asham-
ed ont, and then [ KEEP hopin' he'd dc
better I've talked and talked to him,
and said and done everything a woman
could, but it seems that the more !
talked the wores he grew"
The squire looked at Nabby's rather
sharp, hard face, and perhaps was
hardly so surprised as Nabby expected
that Josiah had not been reformed by
the vigorous talking to" he had un-
doubtedly received.
"He grew more shiftless and good,
for-nothin," continued Nabby, "till,
finally, he didn't do much but SET
around the kitchen fire half boozy. Il
there's anything I hate" burst out
Nabby, 'Eit's a man forever settin,
round the house underfoot. And there
1 was takin' in washin', and a-slayin
early and late, to be kinder decent and
forehanded, and him no better'n dead
man on nay hands, so for as helpin' any
was concerned, and 50 L told him, time
and again. He worked just enough to
keep himself in drink. He knew he
could'n get any of my money for that.
@ But [ stood it till about a fortnight
ago. I'd been workin' hard all day
helpin' Miss Barber clean house, and
it seemed as if every bone in my body
ached, I was SO tired. [ come along
home thinkin' how good my cup of tea d
taste, The first thing see when open
ed the kitchen door, was old Hank Sla-
ter settin' there in my rockin' chair
He and Josiah were both drunk as-as
hogs" said Nabby, slandering an in
nocent animal in her haste for asimile.
q They'd tracked the mud all over
my clean floors. The cookin' stove was
jammed full of wood roarin' like all
"=o