The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-04-10
MY SONS WIFE.

for he never came home at that hour.
Steady he, like his father before him,
who, good man, was at his work with
sunrise, and never left it till sundown.
Hannah gave such jump that she
overset the cup of beaten eggs she had
in her hand, and burnt my knuckle
against the oven-door as 1 turned.
"Wh brings YOU home, Damp asked
l. "You're we'll, hopeW
"Never better, mother" says he.
"WhatW says l.
"pve begged a holiday" says he.
''To idle in?" asked 1, little cross.
He laughed little silly laugh. like a
shamed child, and blushed red, and says
he:
"No, mother, to be married in"
1 Thought it apure joke.
Snow who will you haveW says l.
"Pve chosen her." says he.
And his face looked. earnest. Hannah
sat down fiat on the floor.
"He means it,mother," says she. "Sure
as live he means it,"
"Pve meant it good while, ,"says Dan
and there wasn't another word spoken
for ten minutes.
"Who is sheW saysI.
"A girl-y-young lady," says he.
"How? Is she at servicew
CAT SERVICE" cries Dan, "with her
lily white hands and lady-like lookl No,
mother, she's--"
He stopped again and swallowed the
word.
"What?" said I, in Kind of shrek.
| "Well, she's an actress"
| wonder did not die. l gave groan
and Hannah ran for the camphor.
"You've killed your mother, Dan,"
says she. "She'l never get over it? I
don't think l shall myself. An Ac-
| ~ RotyU trria Of nd ha phn.
came near sutfocating, but I found
breath at last.
"Dan," says 1, "was It for this l
whipped you till you knew the Shorter
Catechism by hearth Was it for this
Pve prayed for you and took you. to
meeting and kept you like wax? Train
up q child in the way he should co. Is
out of the Bible, but it hasn't proved
true this time. l must have gone wrong
somehow. l remember l let you read
the Shepherd of Salisbury Plain SUM-
day, and let you of OF the tenth chapter
| of Genesis when you said you couldn't
learn it. / don't know what else Pve
done that you should come to marrying
all actress"
But Dan was in earnest, and Hannah
and L finally left because we wouldn't
| live in the house with an actress. BY
and by got sick and Dun came for me
and took me home, but l wouldn't have
ANYTHING to do with his wife though she
was neat and pretty and no mistake.
When l got well was going away again,
but before the time came great sugar
cask had rolled down hatchWay upon
Dan, and there he lay, between life and
death, with this wife of his bending over
him like crushed lily. ON, she was
pretty-like doll-flesh and blood was
never SO like wax. Don't think l liked
her better for that.
So, now, all my anger was gone to-
ward Dan, and l. must nurse him, instead
of going out again; and my money was
gone, and there was very little in Dams
purse. She knew nothing of economy,
that actress wife OF his, and what we
could do but 60 together to the poor
house l couldn't tell. was tit for no
| hard work yet.
She came to me one day, with her bon
net on, and says she:.
| "Will you watch Dan awhilei Pm 60
ing OUT"
for my son; l always have"
She gave Inc look, but never word,
and went
A fter that saw her studying hard on
bits OF paper, like girl at her lesson,
hate her for it, and wouldn't keep u
cup OF tea warm for her, even. Iguessed
she was going Back on her old ways,and
one night she told me SO.
"Please leave the door unlatched," J"
she said, "'m going to play tonight,
and don't tell Dan, mother"
she'd never called me mother before.
looked at her.
"Is this a time to playw says I, "your
husband at DEATHS doorW
"No," said she and broke down like a
child. "No, but Pve done it before
when Pve suffered as much; and he
must have medicines and food, and
,, there's the rent"
"You mean to work for that?" says 1
"What elsep asked she, and she
went.
1t was like one going into pit of fire
for somehow l began to think there wa
bit OF good in her.
At midnight she came home, and ha(
} cup OF coffee for her. Itwas weak OF M
; to pity her. l thought no doubt she en-
3 ioyed herself, and l did. And sh
3 thanked me, too, and took my plac
a with Dan until daylight came. II
thought she'd been asleep, and she neve
n told him.
i From that night it began-my liking y
Il.
# Hard at work over words longer tina
n those in the catechism. l saw her slav
l. inr over dresses which she altered
j. save expense. l saw her go out 'to RI
o kearsal," she called it, ram or shine.
f. saw her come home from the play, look
8 ing like a ghost when she had washe
e the rouge away. l heard her prayin
e for Dan better prayers than could ha,
j. made myself. / know, actress or no
g. that she was working herself to deaf
IL and l grew tender Of her. Would ye
,t believe, I used to 60 after her. l, Ba
o. tist from the time felt concerned, an
,r then / wasn't sixteen, to that day, VIII
III i was sixty, 1 going to playhouse
d, fetch home an actress.
ID One day 1T was raining and the ca
OF penter asked me to step inside and
OF fore 1 knew it was in the theater al
seeing the acting.
10 Christine opened door and came OF
ts on the stage. She was saying somethil
rn as if she meant it, and the words we
,d good, and she as sweet and beautiful
~ ~ ANYTHING ever saw, in her pretty wni
ae dress, and forgot the whole, but W
m mnt in fiutter between laughing and cryil
~ before it was over. And heard such
-. stamping like thunder.