Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-09-20
LANCASTER WISCONSIN. THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 20 1871

But he reached there too soon for
MS wife. The whole house was turned
upside down, his own study not ex-
eepted The weather without was as
disagreeable as one could well mag
inc, cold and stormy, misty sleet
pervading the atmosphere. A hate
full draft swept through the whole
dwelling, in which not one hahitable
room was to be found, and wahlborn
paused disheartened upon the thresh-
old, surveying the universal desola-
ton.
why, Henry cried his wife, start
led at the sudden apparition, &
thought you would not be home for
two days, and had promised myself to
have everything in fine order by your
return
Yes, my dear child replied the
husband. with sigh, "and had
promised myself pleasure in getting
back to The comforts of home-but,
Sophie I he exclaimed suddenly in
terrupting himself, you will take your
| death of cold here-it is very damp.
If this business is absolutely necessa-
ry, you should at least net risk your
own safety. Why didn't you stay in
your own room ?
st is being papered. dear said the
young wife. The paper looked SO
badly, and as your birthday comes
next week, and we want to invite our
parents and a few friends, | could not
bear to leave it looking so forlorn.
What are you looking for, Henry p
'Oh! nothing, my child said her
husband, "only book | left here
when went away. / wanted to refer
to it about a case / have on
hand to day Have you seen it !? |
left it just here. 1t was bound in
green, and ra her shabby looking
Yes, Henry, said the wife, color
ing up little, i saw it, and it was so
very shabby | sent it off to the bind
er's -
Heavens 7 cried the young physi,
clan, you sent that book to the bind
ers ? Why, it was full of most impor-
tant notices 2
But, Henry, it looked so shabby, it
was fairly ready to tumble into
pieces was the half,frightened reply.
Then beg of you to send one of
the servants to fetch it home at once,
Just as it u.s. said Wahlborn, exerting
every faculty to retain his composure.
what! take them from their work,
Henry? Won't it be time enough
this evening p
Wahlborn still held his portmanteau
in his left hand, and resolutely swal-
lowing every expression ofimpatience
lest he should excite his wife, and lest
the strange working-women should
notice something amiss, he simply in
quired-Is there any dry place in the
house where | can put my portman-
teau? will go myself to the book
binders. Have you anything for din
ner to-day p
'To be sure, Henry, but only cold
meat. | had not counted upon you
to-day, you know
Wahlborn gave low whistle, and
then smiled little the whole scene
was so comical He then cast hasty
glance around, which only served to
further convince him that there was
no place for him, and then turned
down the steps to repair to hotel
His mind. however, was so much oc-
cupied with various thoughts incident
upon the adventure, that he even for
got to give his wife q kiss, which
caused her to shed just few tears.
First of all he started in quest of
his book, thus rescuing at least por-
ton of his notices then he repaired
to the club where usually he spent
| but an hour at noon to look over the
papers. There was no place for him
at home, and impelled by the desire
to at least find some occupation, he
turned his sattention to learning the
game of billiards, and soon became
deeply interested at discovering the
facility with which he could acquire
skill
For the first time since his marriage
be remained from home until ten
o'clock at night When he did return
he found his wife awaiting his com
ing in tears. She was not feeling very
well, she told him, and would gladly
have gone to bed, hut was too anx-
ious about him to do so. At once he
tried to pacify her, but it was long
before she was thoroughly Gained.
The next day the work IN the house
must be completed, but Sophie was
too unwell to oversee it herself. She
had probably taken some cold, aud
was obliged to keep her bed. To pre-
vent the house from being left too en-
tirely in the mercy of strangers, VAIL
born felt obliged to neglect some visits
he should have made to be at home at
least part of the day. Everything
seemed to go wrong this day; even
the cook was infected by the universal
coufusion-the soup was too salt, the
meat too well done, the coffee not fit
to drink.
SO things went on, until finally
Wahlborn began to accustom himself
TO his fate. One thing, at all events
he had learned, that he could not alter
the case, and nothing was left for him
to do but to keep out of the way as
much as possible. He fell gradually
into the habit of frsquenting the sa-
looms, and came to spend at least an
hour every evening in playing bill.
lizards.
Soon, however, there came a time
when one day Sophie presented her
husband with most charming little
boy. The heart Of the new-made
father was filled with pride and Joy,
and once more he resumed his habit
of spending his leisure hours at home.
Yet it could not continue long thus,
for no sooner was the young mother
about again, than her energetic spirit
was at work with renewed force. Not
only the babe, but the very addition
of the nurse-girl, seemed to add 10
her cares and labor. In fact, this
nurse frirl business was an everlasting