The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-03-10


the jar Of batter--I was tired OF buckwheat
cakes any way-and said maybe her husband |
would finish II up. And | went along with
her and carried plate Of butter and the
Heath wont think Of butter said. "'men
are so forgetfui' And Mrs. Heath put them
In the cupboard carefully and said how good
was and how Jack did love buaswheat cakes,
things, and somehow It didn't seem wicked to
me for her to lie. wonder II her hair and
eyes had anything to do with It,.
| saw Jack Heath come up the hall at dusk,
and pray God may never see that look on
any mans face again. just q dull, beaten
look as Ii thick walls were closing on him, and
it grew worse as he neared the door. But his
wife came out, all trimming over with gaiety
and whispered to him, and pretty soon there
was rattle of dishes and / could smell the
over their supper After that continued to
send little odds and ends, for it really was
quite u convenience to me. It's always hard
to cook little enough for one person, you
know
II was the very next day Mrs Heath went
out early. and in the afternoon she danced
across the hall and called me into her room
The bed was unmade, and every chair and
box, even to Jacks work table was covered
with tinerl of some description; and there
she stood in the midst of it, dmplng all over
with pretty happiness. holding the daintiest
lnorsel OF an opera-hat, that shook and gilt
tered with silver wheat
II made 1t all myself !" she said excitedly,
the pattern was in show window and you
wouldn't know them apart We're going to
the theatre tonight with a box and carriage
and everything, only think And see Miss
penoyer how I've trimmed my pear-coored
SILK skirt with tho OverdrcsS and basque, as
well as you could do 1t yourself, and Ill throw
my cloak around me so and nobody will
dream The waist is different Isn't it all
spendidr'
If.I,1 lad
fluffy hair till it really seemed part of her
all sparkle and motion and nothingness and
wrapped herself in an embroidered opera
cloak that looked like thick cream.
You heard me crying last night she, went
every night Jack was coaxing me to sell
my topaz set. He wanted something, |
don't know what. Something dreadfully ex
pensve and necessary, and all that. for his
new machine over there, nodding toward the
work table and starting all the little bits of
tinsel on her head again, land hold out till
he spoke Of the opera, and said we'd take part
OF the money for that, and then coufh hardly
sleep for thinking of 1t. Only think Miss
hard, isn't it 7"
1t was hard | had notion to tell her it
was the hardest thing ! ever saw, and yet
she stood there looking at me SO pitifully,
with her great brown eyes wet, that really
began to think somebody was a brute.
clothes, wouldn't you, Mrs Health" / said
Just to see II she eyer did think about her soul
though. really, didn't believe she had any
anything 10 the world" she answered
watching her face in the glass.
"Oh. yes, of course, for Jacks sake
N9 Only 20 'e 5aeRa s wfanE poor silly little
creaturel ] wondered IL, after all, God would
care half as much as Jack would if she did go
wrong. ] wonder If he has Judgment day
for the butterflies and the humming- birds
about Africans having no souls. | should like
to hear what the Lord has to say on that sub
ject Ii this bit Of pink and white wax should
chance to stand up at the great day alongside
That poor soul works herself rheumatic day
In and day out to get that rascally husband
Of hers out of jail.
Mrs, Heath iiuttered into my room that
night to look In the pier glass and stood
turning herself around slowly like a revolv-
ing millinery sign, She did look marvellous
pretty. and Jack stood in the door drawing Sn
his gloves and smiling at her, though it may
have been The something dreadfully expensive
and necessary for his new machine that made
him smile. don't know. [ never could
quite despise Jack Heath Tor his foolisbness
about making his wavy-baired wife hGppy. |
80 many. men have made SO much better
women miserable. When the carriage came
I'd
and they went laughing and chatting down
the stairs as II life was one long holiday.
They must have gone on playing rich and
poor this way for nearly six months when |
one evening heard Mrs. Heath frettng and
complaining more than usual. and the ext |
while ! was at breakfast. When ] opened |
there she stood, with her silky hair falling |
over her shoulders, and such q white. scared |
face Shat gave a little scream. She laSghed |
n I,,f mar Ian
Jack Is gone, Miss Penoyer,' said She and |
her face settling hard and gray. as il she
were potrifying. He pinned this paper, with |
his models and things and went away While !
was asleep. He's left me. and that means |
everything You know ! had nothing but |
Jack
II the man had been dead / might hnoc said
commonplace enough to be proper
Az It was, was choked with bitterness. |
had no trouble despising Jack Heath now that
he had done what often thought he should.
But then must speak. Having something
fcrent things So | said the Very worst thing,
of course just the most womanish. cunwo-
manly thing possible.
where will you go now, Mrs. Heath ?" |
could have bitten my tongue to have it back
again.
She gave another hard, unsmiling little
laugh:
Right straight to the devil" pushing back
her damp hair with both her LITTLE cold hands.
Jack knew that wheS he went away; he
knows how helpless | aTi,-knew it when he
married me. | would have staid withohim
5hough and gone without things. He knew
hat, too, even if did fret sometimes. God
Knows wanted to be good: but he's gone,
Miss Penoyer, and It's all over. It's Just as II
he world, and Godoand heaven AMP every
hing had dropped into the sea-
Maybe after all, the woman had n soul q
vas not exactly like butterfly overtaken by
he frost. Even if her suffering didn't bring
nut anything very great and good, there
must have been something to suffer. i didn't
now what she meant by all her wild talk
ust then Our lives had not been lived in
he same air. which was no credit
0 me or blame to her. She swept
'ast me on the lower landing that afternoon
railing her silken skirts and shaking out the
ace about her wrists. Il must find some