The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1877-04-05

| "aduWIISuts party tH0 otuek ui8nt,
whom her husband, who she seldom
enough has . chance to take into So
cisty with her, said such silly things
and stared around with such An odd
look in his eye that she made some
excuse to take him home. And Nell
lie Wainwright-she was my particu-
lar friend before she was married, yeu
know-was here few days ago, and I
was telling her how happy | was.
when suddenly she threw both arms
around my neck and burst out crying,
and told me that she hoped that my
husband would never drink after i
was married. She insists upon it that
her husband Is the best man that ever
lived, and that if she only mentions
any thing she would like she has it ut
once II money can buy it. and yet she
is unhappy. She says there's always
load on her heart, and though she
feels real wicked about It, she can't
get rid Of It."
Fred Macdonald was unable for
some moments to reply to this speech;
he arose from his chair, and walked
slowly up and down the room, with
his hands behind him, and with the
countenancs natural to . man who
has heard something Of which he had
previously possessed no idea. Esther
looked at him, first furtivsly, then
she sprang to his side and leaned up.
on his shoulder. saying:
'Dsar Fred, know you could not be
that way, but then all these women
were sure they knew just the same
about their lovers, before they were
married."
"Well, Ettie.' said Fred. passing
an arm about the young lady, II real
ly don't know what's to be done about
it, II drinking moderately Is the cause
OF all these things; I'm oound to be
somebody; I'm in the set Of men that
make money; they like me, and un-
derstand them. But they all take
something, and you don't know how
they look at man who refuses to
drink with them; all Of them think
he don't amount to much, and some
them actually feel insulted. What Is
q fellow to do ?"
''Go into some other set, suppose, J"
said Esther, very soberly.
"You don't know what you're say
ing, my dear girl" said Fred. "What
else Is there for a man to do in dead
and-alive place like Barton? You
don't want to be the wife of four
hundred dollar clerk, and live in part
OF common house, do you 2"
"Yes," said Ester showing her low
er q rapturous face whose attractive
ness was not marred by suspicion of
shyness. II do, If Fred Macdonald
is to be my husband.
"Then II either Of US should have =
long illness, or If I should lose my
position, we would have to depend on
your parents and mine" said Fred.
Let us wait. then" said Esther,
until you can have saved something,
before we are married"
And be like Charley Msrrick and
Kate Armstrong, who've been sngag-
ed for ten years, and are growing cid
and doleful about it,"
"TH never grow old and doleful
while waiting for my lover to sue
cssd !" said Esther, in = tone which
might have carried conviction with It
had Fred been entirely in . listening
hulnor. But as Fred imagined him.
self in the position Of the many unsuc-
cessful young mon In Barton, and of
the anxious-lookiag husbands who
had once been as spirited as himself,
he fell into frame of mind which WAS
any thing but receptive. In his day
dreams marriage had seemed made up
of many things besides the perpetual
ccmpanionship Of Esther: 1t had
among its very desirable components
handsome, well-furnished house,
carriage of the most approved pattern.
All elegant wardrobe for Esther and
one Of faultless style for himself, =
prominent pew in church, and,
not least Of all, sideb0ard which
should be better stocked than that Of
any Of his friends. To Danish these
from his mind for = moment and i'm
imagine himself living in two or three
rooms, cheapening meat at the butch
sr's, never driving out but when he
could borrow somebody's horse and
sntiquated buggy, wearing suit of
clothes for two or three years in sue
cession, while Esther should spend
hours in making over and over the
dresses Of her unmarried days-all this
made him almost deaf to Esther's
loyal words, and nearly obliyious to
the fact that the wisest and sweetest
girl in Barton was resting within his
arm. Suddenly he aroused himself
from his revsry, and exclaimed in =
tone which Esther did not ut nrst
recognize as his own:
"Ettie, your ideas are honest and
lofty, but you must admit that know
best about matters Of business. l
can't deliberately throw away every
thing l have done, and form entirely
different business connections. I've
always regretted my promise to stop
drinking after eur marriage, but I've
trusted that you. with your unusual
sense, would see the propriety Of ab-
solving me from it."
Esther shIank away from Fred, and
hid her face in her hands, whispering
hoarsely,
~ can't, can't, and / never will"
Fred's face, while Esther was speak
ing, was anything but comely t. look
upon, but his intended reply was pre-
vented by violent knock at the door.
Esther hurrisdly dried her eyes, and
prepared to vanish, IL necessary, while
Fred regained in haste his ordinary
csuntenance; then, as the servant
opened the door, the lovers heard
voice, saying:
rs Fred Macdonald here? He
must come down to George Doughty's