Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-09-19

and dry upon the banks Of prosperity,
with nothing to do but to enjoy herself
And all at once she began to be most
miserable. Mr.. Mac Neil and his re-
markable daughter stepped out of their
nest as the blithest, finest, most sagaci-
Gus of birds, left the worthless tenement
that has served its purpose, and began
forthwith to scratch and peck and
scramble for themselves in the lost ma
tural and praiseworthy way. But poor
Jenny stumbled at every step. and grew
more featherless and forlorn as the
years went by. Pretty she was yet, far
prettier than her daughter, but this did
not seem to win for her the admiration
she most coveted. Poor Jenny would
have gladly taken the pondorous form
and features of Mrs. Delaney We're,
could she have gained thereby that
lady's severely critical taste and talent,
or the long bOny neck Of Miss Perry if
it could still hold those wonderfully
high notes which Mr.. Mac Neil so adj
mired. Do what she would, the old &C
cent that was once so dear to her hus-
bands ears still chung to her.
Don't say we're for here Jenny"
/ eXpOstulated Mr.. Mac Neil; and I'd
rather do without any thing at the table
than the letter h, except when it's one
letter too many"
So Jenny began to speak only from
sheer necessity. She never could please
her husband any more, do what she
would, and didn't care to find favor in
the sight Of others. 1t began to be APP
parent to Jenny that she was a clog and
a burden to her husband and her
daughter-naY, to the whole world in
which they delighted to live-and there
came time when she resolved no long
er to be the stunbling-bIock to their
popularity.
There was a musicale at the house
that night, and all the doors were open.
The halls were filled with flowers, some
of them brought from the florist
in tubs Of wide dimensions; and
Jenny, in plain black silk,
crouched behind one of these
while Mr. MacNeil was bringing his
daughter down the stairs and into the
crowded parlors. Macs nose was high
in the air; he was dressed in the finest
of broadcloth, while the musical prodi-
gy, who was now a well-grown young
woman. swept q long in q rustling white
silk that the dfess-maker wouldn't let
Jenny do even the cOrding for. On
they went, and Jenny'S heart sWelled
big with pride. then sank with mortifi-
cation, for two fine ladies near her,
leaning upon the arms of a good-nat-
ured-l0Oking gentleman, began all at
once to cavil at poor Jenny, who had
never in her whole life said evil of any
body.
"The mamma appears to be invisi-
bic" said one of them. "They say
she is shut up in the coal hole upon
these occasions; and no wonder, when
one thinks Of the plumbers of the poor
creature"
Perhaps she is in the Kitchen" said
the other. i have heard that is where
Mr.. Mac Neil first found her"
Then up spoke the good-natured-
looking gentleman, and said that if she
could make a good ragout there, her
husband ought to rise up and call her
blessed, for it was a finer accomplish
ment than any he could remember;
and one thing was certain, she was a
far prettlCr woman than most of them
there that night.
But Jenny did not hear this; and if
she had, it would not have comforted
her.
A little later on, one of their old
friends, the wife of a journeyman prin-
ter, in the dear old neighborhood of the
torsaken nest, was startled by the appa-
ritIon of a comely face, dear TO the
Olden time of merriment and song, but
now blurred with tears; and the tale
she told Mrs. MShanG anticipated every
word Of
My poor bairnie, " she SAID, "Iknew
how 'twould be when [ saw Macs way
Of going On. His stuck-up airs and his
talk about strophes and symphonies
and Outlandish heathenisms BODIED no
good. But so long as have a roof, you
shall share it,"
But Jenny was independent, and soon
got a situation far above the one IN
which she first saw her husband. As
luck would have it, the old rooms were
just vacated. Mrs. MShane had most
of the old furniture: so before the
month was out Jenny was back in her
nest, but SICK at heart. and sometimes
ready to die.
In the mean while we must run back
a month to the scene of festivity where
we left Mac with his head high in the
air, and the skirts Of the musical prod
ICY trailing full a yard behind her
Neither of them missed Jenny till the
splendid repast was ready, and the
guests were not disconsolate for the So
ciety of their hostess. But now, indeed,
1t was time for Jenny to take her right
II MI,
prayer that she would be as little une-
quail to the occasion as could be expect
ed of her, and Il resolve to caution her
only to speak when necessary, and
certainty in his heart that she would at
least be pleasant to look upon, Mr.. Mac
Neil awaited his wife. needn't say he
waited in vain; and two or three Of the
servants not being able to find her, Mr.
Mac Neil, in high d;spleasure, sent Shiei
oil with an immediate order for her
peremptory appearance before him.
Shiel hunted high and low, and came
back to his partner with wild look Of
alarm in his face, and his now scanty
locks almost on end.
"She's clean gone.-not sign of
herr he said.
Mr.. MacNeil was more mad than
gieved, for he knew she'd come in, he
said, at the fag-end of the feast, and
spoil everything. She's run out
somewhere for something" said poor
Mac, little thinking of the nature of
her errand. He made an apt excuse
10 his daughter, and the supper went
on successfully. Poor Shiel ate never
q mouthful, and his face was as white
and blank as If he had been a ghost;
but nOhOIN minded ShinI In tr1,tb