The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-06-22
THE FIRST CLOUD.


cit was to meet such difficulties as
this that tontines-'' "Botheri'
wrote the first sitting at my desk,
and said the last aloud impatiently--
well, there, angrily-for Matte had
bounced into the room, run to the back
of my chair, and clapped her hands
over my eyes, eXclaiming:
go Dick, what shame! And you
promised to come up and dressr'
I" do wish you would not be so child
ish:" cried, snatching away her hands.
There's blot you've made on my
manuscript
Don't be so cross, sir" she said,
laughing, as she gave waltz around
the room, making her pretty silk dress
whisk over one of the light chairs,
which she merrily picked up, and then,
coming to my writing-table, she took a
rose out of basket of flowers and be-
gan to arrange it in her hair
81 am not cross said, coldlv,
" but engaged in serious work of a
mercantile and monetary nature. You
seem to think men ought always to be
butterflies"
mo, l don't, Dick, DEAR she cried.
"There, will that do?'
She held her head on one side, for me
to see the creamy rose Nesting in her
crisp, dark hair; but, after a glance at
it, | let my eyes fall upon my desk, and
went on writing my pamphlet l saw
she was looking wistfully at me, but |
paid no heed and she then came and
rested her hands upon my shoulders.
Are you cross with me, Dick?" she
said, softly.
Gross? nor l jerked out, impa-
tiently. "Only | thought had married
a woman, and she has turned out to be
child"
There was silence then for few min
utes, only broken by the scratching of
my pen. The little hands twitched a
little as they lay upon my shoulders,
and very nearly wrote down, instead
of "The calculations arrived at by the
projectors of tontines'' Richard
NARROW, how can you be such a disa-
greeable wretchP" But of course did
not write it-only thought-and then |
felt wonderfully disposed to turn round,
snatch the little graceful figure to my
breast, and kiss away the tears that |
knew were gathering in her eyes.
Somehow or another, though, I did
not do it-only went on glumly writing
for l was cross, worried, and an
noyed. had set myself a task that
necessitated constant application, and
l was not getting on as l could wish; so,
like many more weak minded individ-
uals of the male sex, instead of asking
for the comfort and advice of my wife,
visited my disappointment on the first
weak object at hand, and that object
was the lady in question.
''Please, Dick, dear, don't be angry
with me. can't help feeling very
young and girlish, though | am your
wife. | do try, oh! so hard, to be
womanly; but, Dick dear, I'm only
eighteen and half"
Thirteen and half, l should say"
said scornfully, just as if some sour
spirit were urging me on to say biting,
sarcastic things, that | knew would
pain the poor girl; but, for the life of
me, could not help it.
There was no answer-only little
sigh-and the hands were withdrawn.
L went on writing-rubbish that l
knew l should have to cancel.
"Had you not better get ready,
Dick?' said Matte, softly. " You said
you would come, when went upstairs,
and the Wilson's won't like it if we are
late"
Hang the Wilsonsm l growled.
There was another pause, filled up by
the scratch, scratch of one of the noisi-
est pens ever used, and another little
sigh.
Matte was standing close behind me,
but l did not look round, and at last
she glided gently to a chair and sat
down.
"What are you going to doP" / said,
roughly.
"Only to wait for you, Dick, dear"
she replied.
"You need not wait. Go on. |
sha'n't come. Say have headache
say anything"
"Dick, are you unwellP" she said.
tenderly, as she came behind me once
more and rested her little hands on nv
shoulder.
"Yes-no. Pray, don't bother" Go
on. Perhaps I'll come and fetch you. Z"
There was another pause.
"Diok, dear, I'd rather not 90 with
out you" she said, meekly, at last.
"And I'd rather you'd 90 without
me-" l said, angrily. "The Wilson's
are our best friends, and | won't have
them sighted"