Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-07-05
NOBODY BUT JOHN.

cidck Vi tuC suutdHs gdte Iell Oh lDl
ears, and [ looked at Maggy's soiled
untidy dress and tumbled hair.
Maggy started and glanced hastily
from the window; then sat down again
in careless way, remarkingas she did
so:
Its nobody but John"
Nobody but Johnl And who do
you think that John was? Only her
husband.
Nobody but Johnl
A few moments afterwards John
Fairburn came into the room where
we were sitting, and gave me one of
his frank, cordial greetings. l had
known him for many years, long before
his marriage. / noticed that he gave
an annoyed glance at his wife, but did
not speak to her. The meaning of
this annoyance and indifference was
plain to me for John had come from
neat and tidy family. His mothers
housekeeping had always been notable.
She was poor, but as time and water
are to be had for nothing this was
one of her sayings-she always man
aged to have things about her clean
and orderly.
Maggy Lee had a pretty face, bright
eyes, and charming little ways that
were very taking with the young men,
and so she was quite belle before she
got out of her teens. She had knack
of fixing her ribbons, or tying her
scarf, or arranging her hair, shawl, or
dress in way to give grace and charm
to her person. None but her most in
innate friends knew of the untidiness
that prevailed her room and person
when at home and away from common
observation.
Poor John Fairburn was taken in
when he married Maggy Lee. He
thought that he was getting the tidiest,
neatest, sweetest and most orderly girl
in town, but discovered too soon that
he was united to careless slattern.
She would dress for other peoples
eyes, because she had natural love
for admiration; but at home and for
her husband she put on any old dud,
and went looking often like the old
scratch" as the saying is.
On the particular occasion of which
| am speaking-it was after she and
John had been married over a year
her appearance was almost disgusting.
She did not have on even a morning
dress; only a faded and tumbled chintz
sack above soiled skirt-no collar
slippers down at the heels, and dirty
stockings. Her hair looked like a
hurra's nest if any one knows what
that isl don't; but suppose it is the
perfection of disorder. No one could
love such a looking creature. That
was simply impossible.
" Nobody but Johnp / looked at
the bright handsome young man and
wondered. He ate his dinner almost
in silence, and then went to his work.
l had never seen him so moody.
" What scome over John?" | asked,
as he went out.
"Oh, don't know" his wife answer
ed. Something wrong at the shop. l
suppose. He's had trouble with one
of the men. He's foreman, you know.
Are your sure it's only that ?" l
asked looking serious.
THAT, or something about his work.
There's nothing else to worry him"
l was silent for while, debating
with myself whether good or harm
would come of little plain talk with
Johns wife. She was rather quick
tempered, | knew, and easy to take of
fence At last ventured the remark
May be things are not to his taste
at home.
AT home!" Maggy turned on me
with flash of surprise in her face.
" What do you mean p
Men like beauty and neatness in
their wives as we'll as their sweet
hearts," | said.
The crimson mounted to her hair.
At the same moment [ saw her glance
at looking glass that hung opposite
her on the wall. She sat very still, yet
with startled look in her eyes, until
the flush faded and her face became
almost pale.
Maggy," said l, rising and drawing
my arm around her, come up stairs.
l have somethig very serious to say to
you"
We walked from the little dinning-
room and up to her little chamber in
silence. l then said
Maggy, l want to tell you about
dear friend of mine who made ship
wreck of happiness and life. 1t is a
sad story; but | am sure it will inter-
est you deeply. She was my cousin;
and her name was"
Maggy bent forward, listening atten-
lively.
WHAT" she asked, as l hesitated
on the name.
Helen"
mot Helen White, who married
John Harding, and was afterwards de-
serted by her husband ?"
Yes; my poor dear cousin Helen.
1t is of her | am going to tell yGu.
"I never knew why her husband
went off as he did, said Maggy.
Some say he was to blame, and some
put all the fault on her. How was it,"
Both were to blame, but she the
most, l replied John Harding was,
like your husband, one of the neatest
and most orderly of men. Anything
untidy in his home, or in the person OF
his wife, annoyed and aften put him
out of humor; but he did not, as he
should have done, speak plainly to his
wife, and let her see exactly how he
felt. and in what he would like a
change. If he had done so Helen
would have tried-as every good wife
should-to conform erselfmoreto his
tastes and wishes. But he was a 81
lent, moody sort Of man when things
did not go just to suit him, and instead
of speaking out plainly, brooded over
Helen faults and worried himselfintO
| fits of i'll humor. And what's worse than
all. grew at length Indifferent to his
home and wife, and sought pleasanter
surroundings and more attractive COM
pany abroad. :.
Every man thus estranged from his
home is in danger, and Harding was no
exception to the rule Temptation lay
about his feet-and that commonest
temptation of all, the elegantly fitted
up billiard and drinking saloon.
"They had been married about as
long as you and John have been, when
the sad catastrophe of their lives tool
place. | had called to spend day
with Helen, and found her in her usu,
al condition of personal untidiness ant
disorder. When her husband came
home at dinner time, | noticed will
painful concern that he had beer
drinking-not very freely, but jus
enough to show itself in captious il
humor. Helen had not dressed fo
dinner, but presented herself at tn
table without even clean collar, AM
with an old faded shawl drawn abou
her shoulders. She looked anythin
! La