Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-04-18

season one can see that. And my
friends tell me that Mr. Dalrymple is so
kind and good and clever, and so much
respected in the nighborhood l am
sure you cannot fail to be happy with
him, though just at first the farm may
seem a little lonely ane strange"
The reply to these well meant remarks
was unexpected, for the bride burst into
a violent fit of crying, which no sooth
ing on the part of her dismayed guest
availed to check
iii tell you about it, she sobbed at
last, .quieting a little. and won to con-
fidence, as it were, by the tears in Fell
cia's own eyes. Il haven't had any
one to tell before, and Pm so unhappy.
| didn't think ever / should feel so
when | got married. They all said I
should be a fool if didn't take Mr.
Dalrymple, because he was so we'll off,
and he wanted me so much; even Miss
Parker said she couldn't countenance
no such thing as my sayin' no, and
I'd never have such another chance the
longest day [ lived. Then I'd never
had no one to do for me before, and he
gave me such lot of things, and [ did
ladies do, and sol did And then,
somehow, when it was all over and [
had to 60 off with him, it come to me
all of a sudden what I'd done, and how
my whole life was a-going to be just the
same thing always, and he was al
ways a-going to be there, and | know
the girls laughed at us behind our
backs, and Louisa Brooks called him
Spindle-toes,' and yet I'd got to stay by
him and never go anywhere else, or
be anything else. And it all come over
me, and it was awful! | hadn't realized
it before" And she looked with pite-
Gus eyes into Miss Mallow's face, who
stroked her hand gently, but wisely
made no answer.
81 suppose folks do call this a
pleasant place." she went on, after a
little pause, but it don't look pleasant
to me. Iain't used to country, or to
being alone all day. There was two
hundred Of us at the asylum, and at Miss
Parker's we was close to the town, and
could see folks a-passing and hear wag-
ons. It's so still here | can hear myself
think almost, and the wind makes noises
in the chimney, and [ lie awake at night
and listen. It's like a voice, and it says,
Alone! alone! alonep and groans, and
frightens me awfully.'.
" I don't think it says that" exclaimed
Miss Mallows, with sudden inspiration.
70 It says, "A home! home! home"
That's what wind always seems to say to
me in homely old chimneys like these"
Then she thought to herself, Shall [? or
shan't l? [ hate preaching, and [ hate
meddling; but there's chance to do a
bit Of good, maybe, and-yes I'll risk
it.
Nov listen to me, DEAR" shew
on, aloud, softening her voice as if to
child. "This is what | think about
your position. 1t seems to me that you
are just at the point when you must de-
eide for yourself wether you'll be hap
Ply woman or an unhappy one for the
rest Of your life"
"How? What do you mean?"
"Why, you were a lonely girl, you
know, with no real home of your own,
and here good man has come along
and taken you into his. He loves you
dearly now, and you have a great deal
Of influence over him, and can do pretty
much as you like no1O; but how long will
that last if you 60 on crying and being
unhappy and showing how little you
care for him?'
Il don't know" Whispered the bride
family.
"Then you are married, you know.
YOuhave promise, and must keep
it, even if it makes you sorry Promi-
ses are solemn things But [ think you
can keep it and be happy too. And it
strikes me you have chance to do a
most beautiful thing"
"What is thatY wonderingly.
" To make up to q good man lUbo L0ues
y0utor q hard, hard thing an his life. Think
how dreadful it must always have been
for your husband, with his clever mind
and fine face, to feel himself in one re-
spect inferior to the stupidest laborer
who works in his fields. 1t must have
hurt him cruelty and if he were not a
sweet hearted person by nature, it must
have made him hard and sour Now,
for the first time, something delightful
has come into his life He has married
you, and 1t seems to me such chance
as few women have to be able to be SO
much to any one as you can be to him.
And-dOn't think want to preach; but
God always blesses those who try to do
right, and if you make your husband
happy, think He will bless you and
make you happy too"
Her eyes ran over as she ended her
little speech.
"Feicia!" sounded from below
" Felicia, we ought to be going"
nj
pie, sitting up in bed. "Thank you ever
so much. You've done me heap of
good. I'll never forget you-never
Oh-what's your name?"
Felicia-Felicia Mallows. Good
bye, dear and don't forget that the wind
in the chimney never says Alone
when two people who care for each
other are together" Then they said
goodbye. 81 shall come again if can
before [ leave" declared Miss Mallows.
OLD Sally, coming up to hasten her
movements, was astonished to see the
two exchange a kiss.
why, whatever she done to the Gre
tur" she muttered, as the pony-wagon
rolled away. "She looks twice as alive
as she did before they came"
We drop a tiny seed into the ground,
or we watch winged messenger detach
itself from the parent plant and float
away on its separate errand, and we are
scarcely conscious that with the act a
new sequence of energies and possibil-
tiles began, and the world is the richer
for a fresh point of growth. Felicia
Mallows had no chance for another visit
to the Dalrymple farm that autumn,
and it was two years before she saw it
again, during which time the image of
the oddly circLImStanced little bride