The Republican journal., 1877-04-19

|
oil-skin coat. His mouth was mutfled in
it, and the pelting rain drowned every
other sound, but it seemed as though he
spoke to her.
''To-morroW, ut noon, she answered ;
II shall be alone"
"NoW, little woman " Dantord hustled
up, Juggling the Valise and Tapping UNI
brella. Usually she would have helped
| him with one of them, but now she hung
heavily on his arm, tagging behind.
''Tired out, Betty? ?" Then, glancing
down into her face, ''Nou've been having
one Of those old headaches. Did You see
DR.. Thaycr, us told You ?"
''No, no. Dr. Thayer can not help me.
Besides, have no headache Come
there is Nelly at the window"
There We're fires in every room OF the
| little house. the square windows glOwed
through the tracerN of vines, and the wet
trunks OF the trees reflected the lights
through the rain.
See how pretty it is she said. stop
ping at the gate II told Charley to make
an Illumination We won't think Of eN-
penSt Just for this night"
THAT WAS right Dantord pushed on
hurriedly. He felt u choking at his throat.
They had worked 50 long for this home.
and here it was ut last -hoDtc
.ttterWar,l, when he tried to remember
| the occurrences of the evening, knowing
that life or death depended on his ac-
cur;lcy, he could recall little that WAS pc
| culiar in his Wte's conduct. She and the
children had dragged him all over the
house in ii fever of delight and triumph.
| There was not Il closet or Granny left I'M
| explored. Charley acted as Snowman
| baby clung to her mother as usual, old
| black Sally went before with the candle.
the proudeSt of all. His wife said little
as was her habit, except when alone with
him. He remembered how some boys
came to the door to make plans for to-
morrow's holiday with Charley, and how
anNiouSly she asked who and what they
were. "WhN, it WAS only the other
day" she said, with Il quiver in her voice,
that Charley was a baby in my arms,
and now he has his friends his plans.
He is going from us out into the world.
And | have no hold ON him / have no
hold on him :"
"Nonsensc Lizzy,H Mr.. Danlord re
piled. "Nevcr was 4 woman with as
llllCl lllllttHtt tA I'll lltl tlIlltltll ,tS YOU.
Wen not let him leave Philadelphia until
he's a man. The boys safe enough when
he can come home at night to such a
mother as you.'
He remembered that she suddenly
quailed at this. and WAS SILENT in a way
which seemed strange to him at the time.
When the boy came back, Dantord was
sitting by the fire. his wife on Il low stool
beside him, her head on his knee. She
had some childish, unidentified ways,
which somehow made the boy and his
father look on her as 4 chum and a Jolly
good fellow
Father, said Charley, With the self
assertion OF thirteen, II think after this |
shall 90 to meet YOU at the depot. 1t Is
hardly proper for mother to be out alone
after dark.
NO harm Will come IL me. my son,
she said, smiling.
II don't want her to act as if She We're
Il poor woman, Sir, with nobody to look
after her he cried. hotN. "La,lits in
tine houses don't 60 about alone. and
mother is
''Mothel has her fine house too, and We
two stout fellows will take cane Of her, -
laughed Dantord. BUT his Witc'H head Hay
still upon his knee and she lil not laugh
nor looh up.
When the children We're asleep he rr-
lnemhered that she began Il strange talk,
which he tried to check once on twice, OF
how her brothers tWho were kentuckians)
had both ganbIed their property away
Ifs in the blood" She said. If Char
ley should show amy sign Of it. youth
watch him, Richard, and be patient With
HIM 4 father ought to be as patient ;ts
God With his child"
Now Danlord WAS apt to be irritable
with the lad. and his mother always had
stood between them. Before he could an
sWer, however. she Went ON, II know
You'll bear With Nelly's faults: you ul-
derstand women SO we'll, Richard NO
body could have borne with my folly ~
YOU did when we were frs, married.. .
Are You 50 wise ROW, then -
She laughed suddenly, and drawing
down his head, kissed him swiftly on both
eyes, SO as to shut them. She had always
odd, unexpected ways Of caressng him.
which used to make the ovcrWorkcd little
man feel himself fresh and young again.
"What do You talk in this way for to-
night Betty p Let us he happy coming
home the first night. There's no need to
look into the future to find misery"
no, there is no need. Maybe the
misery will never come. God has always
been so good to u.s." The little joke
seemed to have brought her by sudden
reaction into her happy self again
When she had gone to her room with
Nelly, Dantord opened his desk to put
away the papers in his vaise He found
it in thorough order, all business docu-
ments belonging to household affairs
sorted and ticketed.
''Thc milk bill paid, and Mott. Betty
has worked hard while was gone" Mrs.
Dantord had some way of adding to their
income-leathcr work or banner paint
ING, we forget which. Beside these bills
which she had paid there We're two OF
three rolls of small notes, labeled, 'For
| CharIey's clothes for the winter" "For
Nelly's"
Dantord laughed. His wife was usually
the most unsystematic woman alive. But
he went to his room in high good humor.
She was standing by the crib, opening
the little white petticoats which Nelly
had taken off, and hanging them up to
air.
"Iou have provided for the children all
WINTER he cried holding out the rolls of
notes.
She turned quickly. ''Oh, they will not
need it. | shall be here to earn plenty
more for them, and for you-l shall he
here, Richard" She took up the sleeping
child and walked about with it, strainng
it to her breast. Dantord took it from
her gently, and laid it down. 'How
white and fat her feet are' he said,
quietly. "Cover them up warm, mother.
Now come and sit down. You've been
working too hard, my poor girl"
Nature had made Danford in mind and
body OF coarser cOmmOner stuff than his
wife. But he was a saner person than
she, which explained all his power ovel
her.
Danford took Charley with him into
town the next day, They We're to come
4I,, IDat