The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-09-28
The Discontented Wife !!

20
"Dear me-" said Lefty Wyngard. 81
shall go crazy! Five children all
clamoring at once, the preserve kettle
boiling over, the pickles fermenting,
moths in my Sunday shawl, and the
dog running away with the soup bone
for dinner" Vi
And Lefty stood in the middle of
the room holding her head with both
hands, as if she momentaTily expect
ed 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
black as crows wing and this round
of daily cares and duties, to which, as
the wife of poor young carpenter,
she was condemned, had planted a
wrinkle ON her velvet smooth fore
head. 4 -
John Wyngard burst out laughing,
and that, in Mrs. Letty's case, prov
ed the one hair that broke the camel's
back. She began to cry
Now, Lefty, don't be goose" said
he soothingly. "Why, what do you
know about real trouble ?"a
81 don't care" sobbed Lefty. "Tm
tired of it all. Pm tired patching old
clothes, and hashing old meats, and
boarding old pennies. I'm tired Of.
"Your husband and your chiIdren's
gravely interrupted Mr.. Wyngard. "Is
that it, Letty?" --sa
Mrs. Wyngsrd pouted and was si-
lent. She didn't like to own it, but
for thyt moment she almost felt as if
she was tired of them "a
81 might have married rich" she
said, siowlylltyfsting lthe baby's bib
strings around her finger. might
have been Howard Lindsay's wife,
and he is a very wealthy man, they
tell me-
sits pity you didn't,y said John.
provoking!y. II.
"Yes, il IS a pity, said Letiy, stnng
beyond endurance, as she Gomrced out
OF the room.
. Aad then. as she sat down to sew a
button on .Johnny's jacket, and braid
i,tlc Helen's hair, and show Rosie
about the arithmetic SUMS. and finally,
when The fonr oldest ones were pack
ed Otto school, to bsthe'the baby and
rock it TO sleep, Lefty Wyngard conld
not help thinking how much brighter
her pathway would be if instead Of
saying ..hoD to handsome Howard
she had uttered the other
Not but what she
loved John better, by far, than How
the wearing, grinding sue
cession of petty cares end toll was
sapping all the life and elasticity out
of her.
She looked disdainfully down at the
faded calico dress that she wore.
patched and darned in more than one
place.
"If had married Howard Linds-
Iey," she said to. herself, 81 could have
worn silks and jewels every day, with
lired servants to wait on me, and an
elegant carriage to drive out in when
ever 1 pleased. oh, dear, what a
world of trouble this is! -
And as Mrs. Wyngard laid her little |
.osy checked infant down to sleep,
he felt as if her lot. had fallen in
horny places. .f.3I
just as she had taken her'place once
more at the brass kettle in which she
vas trying 10 do up some rocky pound !
pears, which a neighbor had given
Ter, there came a loud knocking at the
Ioor.
"Come in." said Lefty, and the
from Hadfield Hall, the
Jig mansion on the hill, came mincing
cross the threshold.
Lefty busted of a chair incopsider-
BILE of furry, Cor Mrs. Ellison wac
grand lady in her way. who wore I
lack six and iaGes, sad. bad her bon
et directly from a New York milii-
or every springland fall. .,4ui
""Won'tyap sit down, Mrs, Hlison?1
aid she, coloring 10 thc roots. OF her
retty hair, and secretly hoping shat
Irs. Ehisordid net observe the patch
II her calico dress. ~..-A
-31aiahk you, my dear II am in al
real bnsry, ,''e'sid Mrsy Ellison. /
ave some fse lace muslins, and
'alenciennes handkerehieishete from
y lady. at the Han.) The laundress
asm't come down yet, and She ain't I.
Tilling 10 trust the lady's maid with
m, and they mhst be really by dark .
and so'itolfi iser I9knewl Dperson
! the village that was master haiSaI(
Iaces and nu;ipg aud such like, and
depcnGi onIyou, myGcar. .'fol 40 'cm
% for nits. F(F