The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1873-05-03

the baby asleep alone in chilly nurse
ry. My son and his wife were out
spending the evening with some friends
Their surprise and pleasure at seeing
me upon their return home appeared
great. Upon cOnversin6 with Maria
the next day, [ found her to be very
Ignorant as regarded baby's require
ments. He does cry SO dreadfuIly, :"
she said. ! stayed there whole
month; perhaps it was too long, but
there always seemed to be something
for me to do. / took charge of the
little creature whenever his mother
wanted to spend an evening in COM
pany, which was not seldom. Many
and many lonely hour did 1 spend in
that dimly-iighted room, listening to
that low breathing, rather than trust
him to the awkwardness of the young
girl who professed to fulfill the duties
OF chlld's nurse. I did great deal
of sewing for Maria, of whom became
fonder than had ever expected to be.
James had relapse of his intermit-
tent fever His wife knew nothing
about sickness I nursed him-I who
had never known fatigue when he had
needed anything in former years,
would surely not fail him now. l sal
up with him night after night, and
showed the cook how to prepare nice
little dishes for him, such as [ knew he
Eked--that is to say | prepared them
while the cook looked on. Whatever
was wanted new, up stairs or down, ]
was the one to plan and to do. At last
L began to think [ ought to return tC
Fanny; and seeing James fairly con.
valescent, l sought the train for nay
journey homewafds. Sitting in the
railroad cef, a party of young people
took places in front of me, laughing
and talking with eager animation,
principally about persons / knew moth
ing of, except by name. Presently one
of them began to talk of my sons wife
II used to see great deal of them
at one sime," she said; "but-"
"But whatS' asked another.
"Ol well, they had mother-in law
raging around lately, SO 1 have kept
away
$50 have l.
Here followed laugh of derision.
a mother in-law !" exclaimed
another "that is hard; do pity them
indeed"
But l hear she is off now"
"Glad to hear it. Have you hearC
tho new opera9''
was the mother-in-l law on whose
account friends kept away. I remem
bered the weary nights in that sicl
room the weary days, when, suffering
from the loss of sleep, | struggled t.
} keep my eyes open, that / might attend
to various little household duties.
arranged rooms, the carefully tended
baby. Which OF all this was the rag
ing round" which excited the risibl,
muscles of those lively young people
| thought of Fanny, her good looks, he
} intelligence, her affectionate nature
and found myself wondering what he
nature was to be. But here we are
) There she was waiting to meet me
dear child but there was some on,
! with her, most insignificant lookin,
individual, with very prominent eve
and large whiskers. Why did my hear
sink with melancholy foreboding2
How glad she was to see me again
She introduced her companion to M
as MIR. Jenkins and whereas l was al
anxiety to be alone with her. Nh
J Jenkins, with great flourish of polite
, ness. walked oil the way home with us
Before | could unite the strings of m,
bonnet he told me that Fanny ha,
promised to marry him ! l was thun
derstruck, having in the annoyance O
his presence forgotten my forboding
of half an hour before. L had rea,
with much attention, in various highl
Landed books, of the great and i'm
, perative duty of bringing up girl t
: be helpmeet for noble man Wa
, this my Fanny's noble man-this dop
per little maniken2 He seemed alma
bic, but so utterly insignificant Ii
, had undressing parents, and weak
plain sisters, all CT whom made pei
petual amusement of the engagement
My parlor was given up to them entire
t ly-that is, to him and his sisters.
. seemed always ode trop" when | enter
ed, Judging by the sudden silence whic
followed the animated talk. Ny comm
l was an interruption. l be6 IN t. sit u
stairs | always walked alone
Having avoided all society and al
acquaintanceship when my childre
| were young, that | might devote m
whole time to them, l found mysel
now friendless and dessolate. Friends
like plants, must be cultivated | foun,
no congeniality in either of the tw
families with which my children wer
l connecting themselves.
After two years they were married
and after a year of boarding aspired t.
the dignity of keeping house Ate
looking at many dwellings, one wa
selected, one which required grea
many repairs, and now my service
were in very great request; | attende,
to all the directions Mr. Jinkins wishe,
given to the workmen; ] stayed in tn
: cold empty rooms all day, when Their
was nothing to sit on but an empt,
candle-box. | did the necessar,
/, quarreling with the plumbers, and bor
the snubbing OF the upholsters; and
put the furniture in the places
thought best by degrees changed it al
to suit his tastes l washed all tn
china and glass and sometimes fan
cied, when l got dirty doing all this
that l was happy. [ had SO long beer
5 accustomed to work for those [ loved
, that it was hard to learn that Their,
might be any reproach connected will
1T. Unjust do Fanny the Justice to sa,
that she was very kind and grateful t.
me.
On the last day, after having som,
cold tea out of pitcher on the corne,
of mantle piece, overheard Mr.. Jen
klns, who had brought friend in tC
| Il L I