Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1875-06-16

the house and children to care for,
bat l think she would sacrifice her
own comfort for yours. So II you
wish, Herbert, I viii come here
permanently TO keep things in or
der for YOU" ,m tn
Here LIMA was obliged to pause
and strangle laugh at Herbert's
expression of utter horror and dis
may.
"You are very kind" he falter-
ed, the instincts of gentlman bait
Ting with the strong desire to tell
Lima she would certainly drive him
into a lunatic asylum by six months
more of her model housekeeping.
"Not at all. A man who has
made an unfortunate marriage GER
tainly needs all the aid and SYM
pathy his family can give him."
The last straw was laid upon the
cameps back. Herbert spoke hot
1 ly: "You are entirely mistaken,
Lima! / have not made an unfor-
tunate marriage. If ever man
was blessed in a wife, l am that
man."
"You amaze me, Herbert" Lima
cried, in well feigned establishment.
81 do not see why you should be
surprised. Essie is gentle, loving,
orderly, a model mother and per-
feet home angel-God bless her! -
"Herbert is that true?"
Certainly it is true"
81 cannot believe it !" was the
slow response. ..t. .'.
"Cannot believe it! Why" |
"Because"-and Lima dwelt i'm
pressively upon every word-"dur-
ing the nine years of her married
life, though visiting her frequently,
I have never heard you speak one
word of encouragement or praise
of Essie. Inever saw one look of
appreciation or appreciation of any |
effors-she made for your comfort
upon your face. Continual fault
finding, constant blame, have
changed her from happy winsome
girl to pale careworn woman.
Even her last illness was but the
unspoken dispair of heart crush
ed under load of daily censure
and constant striving for the APP
probation never given. And you
tell me now she has never failed in
her duty to you. There is grave
error somewhere, brother"
The sadly earnest tone, the face
of thoughtful gravity, sent every
word home to Herbert Worthing-
tons heart. He spoke no word of
self-defense as Lima slowly left the
room. In the profound silence that
followed, conscience reviewed the
past, and he knew that his sister
had spoken only the truth. The
habit Of fault finding, meeting no
resistance in ESTES gentleness,
had gained in force till all its mon
strosity stood revealed in the ex-
perience of the past month and
Lina's words.
In the days when Essie lay dan
gerously i'll there had been no self
reproach like this in her husbands
sorrow. lie had given his wife a
fair home, an ample income, fire.
quent social pleasure, many costly
gifts, and loved her faithfully
while poisoning her whole life.H
"God help me-" he whispered, "to
conquer this fault. Essie shall
hear no more fault-finding, and if
l see her dropping 1 will send her
to mother and have Lima here to
keep house."
Never had wife and mother
warmer welcome than greeted |
Essie. The children were uncheck- |
ed in the loudest demonstrations
of delight. But Lima had to rush
into the hall to hide her merry eyes
when Herbert, kissing Essie, said
"We must let mother have Lima
now, dear. She has been very
kind and worked hard for my COM
fort but there is no home fairy
like my Essie."
The quick glad look in his wife's
soft eyes told Herbert one step had
been taken in the right direction.
AS the days glided by, and Essie
found appreciation meeting every
effort to add to home comfort, a
word of praise for every little tri-
umph Of cookery or needle work,
her pale face grew bright with rap
piness. Gradually the careworn