Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1876-09-28
THE DISCONTINUED WIFE.

u. i
shall go crazy! Five children clamor-
ing at once, the preserve kettle boiling
over, the pickles lermenting, and the
dog running away with the soup-bone
for dinner"
And Lefty stood in the middle of the
room, holding her head with her hands.
as il she momentarily expected it to
sail up into the air like balloon.
Lefty was very pretty, after an odd
gypsy type, with great dark eyes, a
brown and healthy skin, and hair as dark
as crows wing, and this round of dali
ly cares and duties TO which, as the
wife of poor young carpenter, she
was condemned, had planted a wrinkle
on her velvet-smooth forehead.
John Wyngard burst out laughing, and
that, IN Mrs. Letty's case, proved the
one hair that broke the camels back.
She began to cry.
Now, Lefty, don't be goose" said
he, smoothingly. "Why, what do you
know about real trouble -
al don't care" sobbed Lefty. "Pm
sick of it all. 'I'm tired of patching
old clothes and hashing old meats and
boarding pennies. I'm tired Of
"Your husband and your children"
graveIy interrupted Mr.. Wyngard. "Is
that it, Letty;''
Mrs. Wyngard pouted and was silent.
She didn't like to own it, but for the
moment she almost felt that she was
tired Of them.
81 might have married rich," she
said, slowly twisting the baby's big
strings around and around her finger.
81 might have been Howard Lindslcv's
wife, and he is a very wealthy man they
tell me-"
Its a pity you didn't" said John
provokingly.
Eyes, it is a pity" said Lefty, stung
beyond endurance as she founced out
Of the room.
And then, as she sat down 10 sew a
button on Johnny's jacket, and braid
little Hclen's hair and show Rosie about
the arithmetic sums, and finally when
the iour eldest ones were packed off 10
school, To bathc the baby and rock it to
sleep, Lefty Wyngard could not help
thinking how much brighter her path
way would be. if instead of saving no
to handsome Howard Lindsey, she had
uttered the other monosyllable. Not
but what she loved John better, by far,
than How ard-but this wearing. grind
ing succession of petty cares and toll
was sapping all the elasticity out of
her.
She looked disdainfuily down at the
faded calico dress she wore patched
and darned in more than one place.
'lf had married Howard Lindsley."
she sand To herself, Il could have worn
silks and jewels every day with hired
servants 10 wait on me, and an elegant
carriage to drive out in whenever |
pleased. Oh, dear, what world of
trouble this is"
And as Mrs. Wyngard laid her little
rosy checked infant down to sleep she
felt a ii her lot had fallen in very
thorny places.
Just as she had taken her place once
again over the brass kettle in which she
was trying TO do up some rocky pound
pears, which neighbor had given her,
there came loud knocking at the
door.
Come in" said Lefty, and the
housekeeper, from Hadield Hail. the
big mansion on the hill, came mincing
across the threshold.
Lefty busted off chair, in consider
able OF furry. for Mrs. Ellison was a
grand lady in her way, who wore black
silk and laces. and had her bonncts
direct from New York milliner every
spring and fall.
Won't you sit down, Mrs. Ellison ,"
said she, coloring to the roots of her
pretty hair and secretly hoping that
Mrs. Ellison did not observe the patch
on her calico dress.
Thank you, my dear-I am in a
great hurry" said Mrs. Ellison. IL
have some fine laces. and muslins. and
Valencienncs iMndkcrchiefs here from
my lady in the Hall. The laundress
hasn't ecsne down yet, and she ain t
willing to trust the lady's maid with
'em, and they must be ready by dark
and 81 | told her knew a person in
the village that was q master hand at
laccs and aating and such like, and
depend on you, my dear, to do EN- up
for me-"
She'll pay YOU dollar at least, ~
said Mrs. Ellison. "She amt none of
the stingy sort, my lady amt
A dollar in Lefty Wyngard's eve was
no inconsiderable sum. A dollar would
buy the new shoes that Rosie needed so