Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-02-21

Anybody can be somebody in this
country, If they are only determined.
But that was exactly the trouble with
josiah he never was determined about
anything. He fell into the habit of
drinking because he lacked sufficient
strength of will to avoid it. Then
Nabby's sharp words, and his own mis-
erable sense Of meanness and self-con-
tempt, of utter encouragement and des-
pair, drove him lower and lower, and he
sank down supinely into the slough of
despond without effort or hope.
By q beautiful dispensation of Provi-
dence, whenever a poor, shifless, good
for-nothing man is sent into our world,
some active, go-ahead little woman is
invariably fastened to him to tow him
along through, and keep his head above
water. It's for the best, of course.
What would become of the poor fellow
without her? At the same time she
sometimes finds it little hard.
Nabby was ambitious and proud
spirited, willing to work, to save, to do
her part-anxious to get on in the
world and stand well among her neigh
bors. The fact gradually realized that
in her husband she had no help, no
support, only a drag and burden, and
finally disgrace, had been a disap-
pointment, emblttering her whole ma
respected, that even the boys around
town called 81 Could" was dreadful
to Nabby. Perhaps it was hardly
strange that she grew hard and bitter.
Meantime Nabby had succeeded in
starting the fire, and, having changed
her dress, satdown to dry her feet while
the tea-kettle boiled. But even the
ruddy light and warmth with which the
kitchen now glowed could not fend eff
the dreariness of the night. The rain
tapped with ghostly 'fnger-tip upon
the window pane" and the wind howl
ed and walled around the house like
the spirits of the lost pleading to be
taken back into human life and warmth
Such wind stirs even in the happiest
hearts a vague sense of loss, of change,
of all that goes to make up the unsat-
isfactoriness of life. Dead sorrows
creep forth from their graves on such
nights and stalk up and down the echo
ing chambers of the heart.
Nabby could not help wondering
where Josiah was tonight. It was so
lonely sitting there with no one to
speak to, listening to the mourning wind,
the creaking of the blinds, the loud
ticking of the clock.
"And Thanksgivin' a-comin',"
thought Nabby. GA pretty Thanks
givin' [ shall have I"
The wind walled and walled, and Nabby
thought. The very thought of having
4" freed her mind'' to the squire had re
lieved her long pent-up Indignation,
and now she felt more sad than angry.
Up before her seemed to rise a picture
of her life; the youthful dreams and
hopes, the changes and disappoint-
ments, the love turned into wrangling.
She even thought Of Josiah with pity.
For the first time she Eput herself in
his place" and realized how almost i'm
possible it was for one of his weak
nature to resist, unaided, the temptation
which would cost stronger will no
effort
"Tm afraid I've been little too
sharp with JOSIAH" thought She
" I've sorter took it for granted [ was a
saint and he was a sinner, and scolded
him right along down hill A nice
saint I am As proud and high strung
as Lucifer himself! Oh, dear !" sighed
Nabby pretty mess I've made of
living If we could go back and begin
over again, seems to me things would
go better"
Just then there was a faint noise,
like the clicking of door latch Nab
by started and looked around. All was
still again--no age was visible. Yet
Nabby could not rid herself of the i'm
preston that some one was near her,
that odd sense we have of another's in
near US though not pres
sent.
-SThere's some one hangin' round
here, [ know" said she to herself.
Nabby was one who always met
things half way. Accordingly she
walked to the outside door, and, open
ing it quickly, peered out into the
darkness. There stood Josiah, wet,
sheepish, sorry. Once he had started
to go IN, but his courage failing, he lin
gered in dubious hesitation on the
doorstep.
"Why don't you come in, Josiah2"
said Nabby.
q [ didn't know you'd want me, Nab
by" replied Josiah, with all the meek
ness becoming a returning prodigal
g Want you ? Of course [ do, said
Nabby, heartily. Come right in. I'm
going to have griddie-c cakes for supper,
and you must tend 'em, while [ set the
table" Griddle- cakes were one of
Joslah's favorite weaknesses, and Nab
by knew it. ....
Josiah came in. IF he ever gets into
heaven, probably his sensations
will not be one whit more delightful
that they were now, as from the bleak
ness and gloom of the night, the for
lornness of his wretched wandering, he
came into the cozy brightness of the
kitchen, and felt that he was home once
more. How good the tea smelled =
The fire roared and snapped, the tea
kettle boiled and bubbled it's lids up
and down, and from the griddle the
sayory odOr of the cakes assembled like
homely incense. Josiah's face, shining
with mingled heat and happiness as she
turned the griddle-cakes, was some
thing worth seeing.
Nabby stepped briskly around get
OhAASo oNDBSA 4OttNt1' lU ~ EJlc1to-
ant to see the table set for two again,
to have some 10 praise and appreciate
her cooking. The November wind
might howl it's worst now It's hold on
Nabby was gone. In place of all the
bitter sadness that had hung heavily
around her heart, was a warm feeling of
happiness, comfort and hope.
All the explal alton they had was
this: Josiah drew forth from under
his shabby coat an exceedingly awk-
ward and knobby bundle.
" I've bought something for you,
Nabby," said he.
The something undone proved to
be very handsome Britannia teapot.
That teapot must have known that it
was a piece-offering, with such prefer
natural brightness did it shine and
glisten. Something in Nabby's eyes
shone and glistened too, although She
winked hard, and scorned the weakness
of pocket handkerchief.
EETbonIz Won JoSiab y cba-caid &C T+