Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-10-10

1
Then James sought and obtained
a very good position in town dis
tant about one hundred miles. At
first the news was very satisfactory.
"Charming little house, the perfec-
tion of servants" and then later ''the
loveliest little baby" my grandson.
Then, some months later, things
were not so bright. The baby had
had the Group, my son himself a
touch of the intermittent fever, SER
wants were great plaques, house
keepers a dreadful trouble. Dis
turbed beyond measure, at the reit-
Grafton of these lamentations, l de-
cided to 60 and see for myself how
they were circumstanced, and be ct
what assistance / might for short
time. I'LL
So one winter morning, leaving
Fanny with an Intimate friend, and
intrusting the house and all it con-
tanned to one servant, / left home
alone. Arriving after dark at my
destination. l found the two young
er servants enjoying comfortable
meal in the kitchen, and the baby
asleep alone in the chilly nursery.
Ny son and his wife were out spend
ingethe evening with some friends.
Their surprise and pleasure upon
seeing me on their retnrn home was
very great. Upon conyerslng with
Maria next day, found her to be
very ignorant as regarded baby's
requirements. Gle does cry so
dreadfdlly," she said. I stayed
there a whole month. Perhaps it
was too long; but there always seem
ed to be something for me to do. l
took charge of the little creature
whenever it's mother wanted to
spend an evening in company,
which was not seldom. Many and
many lonely hour l spent in that
dimly lighted room, rather> than
trust him to the awkwardness Of the
young girl who professed to fulfil
the duties of the child's nurse. l
did great deal of sewing for Ma
ria, Of whom l became tonder than
l ever expected to be-.
James had a relapse of his inter
mittent fever. His wife knew moth.
ing about sickness. l nursed him
Il who had never known fatigue
when he needed anything in former
years, would surely not fail him
now. l sat up with him night after
night, and showed the cook how to
prepare nice little dishes for him,
such as l knew he liked-that is to
say prepared them, while the cook
looked on. Whatever was needed
now, up stairs or down, l was the
one to plan and do it. At last l be
gan to think of returning to Fanny;
and seeing James fairly GONZALES
cent, l soughphe train for my jour
Eey homeward. Sitting in the rail-
road car, a party of young people
had places in front Of me, laughing
and talking with eager animation,
principally about persons / knew
nothing OF, except by name. Pres
emily one of them began to speak of
my sons wife.
81 used to see n great deal OF
them at one time," she said,"but-"
ooh! well, you know how they
have a mother-ln-law raging round
lately; SO l have kept away"
$50 have l."
Here followed laugh of dcris-
ion.
"a mother-in-laww exclaimed an
other; "that's hard; do pity them,
indeed"
"But l understand she is off now,
luckily"
"Glad to hear it. Have yon heard
the new opera?"
l was the mother-in-law on whose
account friends staid away. l re-
member the weary nights in the
sick room; the weary days when,
suffering from the loss of sleep, l
struggled to keep my eyes open that
l might attend to the various little
household duties. l remembered
the nice little dishes, the nicely ar
ranged rooms, the carefully tended
baby. Which of all this was the
"raging around" which excited the
risible muscles of these young peo-
pie? I thought of Fanny, Of her
good looks, her intelligence, her af-
tectionate nature, and found myself
wondering what her nature was to
be. But here we are. There she
was waiting to meet me, dear child;
but there was somebody with her,
most insignificant looking indi-
vidual with prominent eyes and
large whiskers. Why did my heart
sink with a melancholy forcboding?
How glad she was to see me
again! She introduced her COM
panion TO me as Mr.. Jenkins; and,
whereas I was all anxiety to be
alone with her, Mr.. jenkins, with
great flourish of politeness, walked
all the way home with us. Before
l could unite the strings of my
bonnet he had told me that Fanny
had promised to marry him! Twas
thunderstruck, having in the annoy
ancc of his presence forgotten my
forebodings Of half an hour before.
l had read with much attention in
various highly lauded books, of the
great and imperative duty of bring
ing up a girl to be a helpmeet for
noble man. Was this my Fanny's
noble man, this dapper little manni-
kin? He seemed amiable, but so
utterly insignificant. He had unin-
teresting parents, and weak, plain
sisters, all of whom made per-
petual amusement Of the engage
mcnt. My parlor was given up to
thcm-that is, to him and his sis
ters. I seemed always de trop when
l entered, judging by the silence
which followed the animated talk.
My coming an interruption. l be-
gan to sit up stairs. I always
walked alone.
Having avoided all society and all
acquaintanceship when my children
were young, that l might devote
my whole time to them, ! found no
congeniality in either of the two
with which my family
were connecting themselves.