Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1876-07-04
MIscELIAHEoUs.
TEE DISCONTINUED WIFE.

snail 80 crazy FIVE children all clam
orinH nt once, the preserve kettle boiling over,
the pickles fermcntiug, moths in my Sunday
shaw and the dog running away with the
soup bono for dinner"
And Lefty stood in the middle Of the room,
holding her head with both her hands, Us If
she mOmentarily expected to sail up into the
air like balloon.
Lefty was very pretty, after an odd gypsy
type, with great dark eyes, brown and
healthy skin. and hair as black ns crows
wing; and this round of daily cares and duties
to which, as the wife of poor young carpcn
ter, she was condemned, had planted wrinkle
on her vGlvet.smooth forehead.
John WynGard burst ont laughing, and
that, in Mrs. Lettys case, proved the ono hair
that broke tho camels back. She began to
cry.
Now. Lefty, don't bO goose, said he.
soothingly. Why, what do you know about
real troubles ?"
81 don't care sobbod Lefty. "I'm tired
of it all. I'm tired patching old clothes, and
hashing old meats, and boarding old pennies.
I'm tired of"
"Your husband and your children" grave,
lly interrupted Mr. Wyugard "Is that it,
Lettyy
Mrs. WyagaFd pouted and was silent
She ddu't like to own it, but for the moment
she almost felt that she was tired of them.
al might have married rich," she said,
slowly twisting the baby's bib strings around
and around her finger. al might have been
Howard LindsIcy's wife, aud he is . very
wealthy man, they tell me-"
ITS pity you didn't" said John, pro.
vokingly.
Yes, it is pity" said Lefty, stuug be-
yond endurance, as she Gounccd out of the
room.
And then, as she sat down to sow button
on JUhnny's jacket, and braid little Hclcn's
hair, and show Rosie about the arithmetic
suIs, and finally, when the four eldest ones
we're packcd Of to school. to bathe the baby
and rock tito sleep. Lefty Wyngard could not
hel? thinking how much brighter her psth>
way would be if, instead Of saying "no" to
haud>une Howard Lindsey, she had uttered
tho other mouosyllabe. Not but Whist she
Iovcd john better, by far, than Howard-but
this wearing, grinding succession of petty
cares md toll was sapping Gll tho life and
elasticity out Of her.
ShO looked disdlinfully down at tho faded
calico dress she wore, patched and darDed in
more than one place.
"lt had married Howard Lindsey" che
said TO herself, al could have worn silks aud
jewels every dVy, with hired servants TO wait
on me, and elegant carriage to drive out
in whenever l pleased. Oh, dear, what
world of trouble this is"
And as Mrs Wyngard laid hex !ist.e rosy
checked infant down to sleep, she felt as If
her lot had fallen in thOrny places.
Just as sho had taken her place onco again
over tho brass kettle in which sbo was trying
to do uP some rocky pound pears, which
nciEhhor had given her, thcro came a loud
knocking at the door
"Como in" said Le.ty, and tho house,
keeper from IlAdfeld Hall, the big mansion
on the Hill, came mincing across the threshold.
Lefty busted off chair in considerable Of
furry, for llrs. Ellison was grand lady in
her way. who woro black silks and laces. and
had her bonnets directly from = New York
milIinCr every spring and fall.
"Won't you sit down, Mrs. Ellison 2" said
she, cOloriuS 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 dcar-I am IN a great
, hurry" said MIS-. Ellison. 81 have some fnc
laces and muslins, and VAlencieunes handler
kerchicfs hero from my lady at the hall
Tho laundress hasn't come down yet, and she
ain't willing to trust the lady's maid with 'em,
and they must be ready by Oakland so 1
told her knew = person in the village that
/ was mas;er-hond st laces and futing and
such like, and depend on yOu, my dear, to
do em up for me-"
She'll pay you dollar. st least" said
/ Mrs. Ellison. "She amt mono Of the siingy
sort, my lady nin't."
a dollar in Lefty Wyugard's eyes was 20
( inconsidcTablc sum. a dollar would buy tho
( new shoes that Rosie needed SO sldly-or
flannel for the bAby's winter IIeks-or half a
! hundred other necessarieI which Lefty could
think of.
"Yes," said she, "I'lI do it. Ny preserves
/ will soon be finished. Lay the bupdlS on the
( table, please. go the new family have Az
rived Al tho hall At lAst?"
( Mrs Ellison nodded assent. She had lived
as housekssper with the Hsdfslds Of Had
/ field hall, for twenty ysarI, and was SorrJ
enough when the old place wen. ip1o new
hands. But situation was . situRtioo, SO
/ she had stayed on.
"Yes," said she. Mr. and Mrs. Hsua,d
Lindsley."
Lettio gave such start that the preserv.
kettle nearly topplsd over late the FIRE
"Lindsley." cried she, With little hys,
teTieAl laugh what funny nInsm
Handsome, stylish people with more
money, TO all Ippssransss, than they knew
What to do With" vent on ArI. Ellison 81
( just wish yOu could see her dresses aud jewels
Stephanis, the French maid, showed me Uker
she Vas unpackipg 'em, and it's a. good a
play"
I.ettis said nothing, bat stirred busily ava,
At her preserves. while the old houss keeper
IasUUdsred on about the wealth aud grau de II
Of The Hew psassssnrs eE Had6eld ball And
al this might haTe been hers.