The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-02-25
AFTER MARRIAGE.
MIR. GRIFFIN'S VALENTINE,
BY ROSE TERRY COOK

NIX. GRIFFIN'S VALENTINE.
BY ROSE TERRY COOKE.
Mr.. Griffin was an old bachelor and q
stock-broker, a man whose soul was alb
sorbed in money. 1t stood with him for
all other pleasures and objects in life.
Living in New York, he never sought any
amusement but the roar and struggle of
the Stock Exchange. He never stopped
to look at picture, gem, or a blossom
in anybodys window on his way down
town. He was the terror of apple-selling
boys and bouquet girls; not one of them
dared offer him their small wares, nor
did any little boot black venture to pipe
an invitation toward this forbiddlng
specimen, however muddy his thick boots
were. AS for love or love.making, they
were as far from Mr.. Griffin's thoughts
as any other too-expensive luxury. He
lived in the third story of small brick
house, one of block in side street, al
most up to Central Park. He boarded
with widow, meek and shiny woman,
who, nevertheless, had taste for money
as we'll as Mr. Griffin, and contrived to
make him pay good price for board.
But day was at hand when Mrs. Blivins
sIouiO losC AC1 pAOAtoUAC UOdIuSI. MI.
Griffin, although one might not have
supposed it, had mother up in the
country. Probably he would have loved
her if he could have loved anybody. He
went once year to see her and stayed .
full week. His travelling expenses were
not quite as much as his board, so he
perhaps made half dollar by the op-
Grafton, got weeks pure air gratis, and,
al $,I-1 II ~ l., all 1l
in the dull season, he lost no busirs ss.
But one day his mother died. He had
to go home to the funeral, and staying
his week out, ostensibly to settle her at
fairs, he made q great discovery-it
really had cost his mother less to live o
week, servant and all, than it did him.
Melindy Barker was stout, smart
woman of thirty, fresh and pleasant.
looking: She hau lived with old Mrs.
Griffin five years and done all the work,
phrase, lone of the family"
Mr.. Griffin owned tenement house in
the city and just now the fourth story fiat
for it, since it was now July. He walked
up and down the gravel path good
many times, with his hands in his peck
cts, meditating. If he had smoked he
would have fumigated the idea, but he
never smoked-small vices are expensive
At last he invited Melindy to go back to
New York and keep house for him.
There was his furniture, that would sell
for nothing, but was quite good enough
for him and would save buying. Melindy
would have half dollar a week more
wages-for he did not dare to offer her
the pittance that she had hitherto &C.
cepted, though what he did offer bore but
small relation to the city tariff of wages,
but he knew we'll that to ones self was
the intent of all country immigration to
the city. Melindy pondered the request
deeply over her cooking-s.ove and wash
tub. She had longed great while to
"go to New York" She had been under
the grim rule of Mrs. Griffin, in Peters
town, long enough; that struggling coun.
try village offered no prospect to Melin.
dy's ambition or hopes. A vague out
look tlattered her with ideas of shops
visiting, dress, not impossible matri
mony. She decided to 90.
We pass over in wise silence the
scene of struggle, dirt, confusion and
squalOr presented to homesick Melindy
BY the aspect of that fourth-story fiat in
East -- street, but she had good
courage and deal of Faculty" She
insisted on cheap papers, to be selected
by herself, and got them, on condition
OF putting them up herself; she "struck"
for a pail of whitewash and brush as q
permanent institution; she refused to
cook dinner till the plumber had been
sent for to mend leaky water-pipe.
And Mr.. Griffin growled audibly over
the exterminators and polishers and
powders of sundry sorts he was forced
to buy-a. the point of the bayonet, SO
to speak. But the plumber! When MIR.
Griffin, grinding his teeth, stopped to
order that useful and unreliable mans
immediate presence, little did he think
that he had laid the first brick of Melin-
dy's dream-castle, and the cornerstone
of his own disquiet and disturbance. So
fate spins its web out of our own SUBJ
stance, fastens it to our own cornices
and pillars, tangles US in the visible de.
struction, traps US in our tracks, and our
last gasp is: -" If I could only have
known" But we never do know.
Fate also trapped the plumber for
once in his life he kept q promise, rather
wondering at himself while he did so /;
but August was not his busy season.
He was an Englishman by parentage,
though city born, and his keen eye, used
to the slender, useless shapes and pallid
pre,tiness of New York lower class girls,
was at once attracted by Melindy's
buxom figure, her fresh cheeks, her
bright, clear. dark eyes and her prompt
vigorous manners. John Perkins was q
still man; but, like the Dutchman's par
rot, he Thought the MORE" and, while
he went about his work in q silent and
masterful manner that struck Melindy
as the right way, she also perceived that
he was a man Of goodly presence, took
note of his appearance, and was pleased
when he said he should call again and
see how the faucet worked. He did call
again. He offered to show Mellndy the
way 10 the Methodist church nearest hel
masters house. He escorted her to
weekly prayer-meeting after awhile az
regularly as Friday came round. If we
are rather hurrying our relation of 9
matter which seemed to Melindy as grad
ual and as natural as the course of the
seasons, it is to demonstrate that she did
have some small consultations and allevi
atoms in her new life, before we relate
its disaereeablet eatures-for there were
plenty Of these. Mr.. Griffin was scarce
established in his new quarters before he
began to find out-what many other,
have found before him-that housekeep
ing is more expensive for small family
than cheap boarding. Little expenses
crept upon his purse daily that wruni
his small soul bitterly. He could mo-
well afford the time to enter into the de
tails himself; but he felt forced to do it
and after series OF exhaustive calculs
lions and the experiment of two Of the
longest months he had ever passed, b.
established Q schedule OF quantities. asf