Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-08-29
II BREAKDOWN.

He ought to have married II woman
If mind old Mrs. Alwyn used to say,
in speaking of her son and his wife.
There is nothing in poor Martha, it
seems to me. Why he picked her out
can't tell. I'm sure she don't even
appreciate his sermons"
The people would sigh and shake
their heads, for Chaucer Alwyn wrote
such p~oetical sermons that the women
who did not appreciate them must be
dull indeed. And somehow they like
to think that this little woman, with the
red cheeks and the talent for buildings,
who kept herself and her house so tidy,
and who had dawned upon them, to
their surprise, when they expected a
bachelor pastor, was not the wife that
that gentleman should have taken to
himself.
As for old Mrs. Alwyn, she believed
that old earth bore the weight of no
greater genius than her son, and that he
might have set it ablaze with his per-
formances had he chosen the proper
helpmeet. TO her, also, Martha had
come as a great surprise. She had no
thought that her son would marry until
she chose Il wife for him.
And Miss Simpson, the maiden lady
who wrote poetry, was once heard to
say, as she came out of church:
And to think that q man who can
preach such a sermon should have a
wife totally without brains
He seems very well contented with
her though" replied the friend to whom
she spoke.
THAT man." replied Miss Simpson,
has a heavenly nature. He'd hide
his feelings if they killed him"
But why did he choose her if he
wasn't suited?' persisted the friend.
oh, she came around him when he
was a mere boy" replied Miss Simpson.
They went to school together as chill
dren, I've heard, and they were married
the day before he was ordained; he did
not know what he needed in a wife
them and Miss Simpson rolled her
eyes in a way which implied that he
knew now, and that II certain lady
would precisely have suited him.
They had been married three years
and there had been no children, but
now Mrs. Alwyn was devoting her at
tentlon to certain little bits Of embroid-
cry that looked very like portions of a
dolls wardrobe. A cradle with pink
drapery had been installed in a corner
ot the spare bedroom.
Young Mrs. Alwyn would very soon
have a new object with which to occu-
Ply that inferior mind of hers.
But why did she shut herself up so
much? Why did she lock the door of
mat best bed room, and refuse to allow
even her mother-in-law to cross the
threshold before she had hidden some
thlng away? What secrets could she
nave? All that dainty needle work was
done under the eye and advice of the
more experienced matron. What was
she about?
Oh Mrs. Alwyn asked herself this
question a thousand times, and could
not answer it.
mat 1t was something she thought
very important seemed certain from
me flushed and anxious face with which
'%e little woman came from her hiding
pace after n retirement Of several
hours. What could it be? Nothing
-, any moment, Of course" said the
Syiiier lady to herself. But why should
S'aTtha make a secret of anything she
mas on hand
meanwhile Martha, anxious and pale,
,o'led over the secret task she had set
herself at, and only paused occasional
= 70 !lIt her weary hand to her brow
ana sigh FORTH
On, dear mel Oh, dear met What
VIII poor Chaucer do if | can't manage
get drought with it?"
whether she completed her task o,
Ivy or what II was, need not trouble Us
now Matters of more moment must
me poor young mother grew very i'll.
S''e a a fever, and even wandered in
.''' inind for Il while; and when she
,g".y began to grow we'll her child was
we months old.
nFs. AlHyn, coming early upon a
'''1lh morning to the room Of her
'1-A'er-ln-law, found Chaucer III the
I'm and pausing behind the door,
,cIneard a chance word that made
.1 stay there for awhile. Ewes daugh-
cannot help their curiosity.