Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-06-19
Mr.. Simpkins's Wife.
4 story ~ Tsa~ - the Average Of Them

tss~ry ~ Trar - the Average Of Them.
"Hnbby dear" observed Mrs. Simpkius.
mildly. one morning after breakfast.
Mr. Simpkins Immediately put down his
newspaper and rammed both hands deter
minedly into his trousers pockets. Twenty
Years experience OF married life had made
him willy. aud he knew that this bland form
OF address presaged a persuasive attack un
his pocket-book. When Mrs. Simpkins
wanted money she addressed him a. Hub
by dear" In their ordinary domestic inter
course. he was plain "Mr. $" or "Slmp-
kins
Hubby. darling" said Mrs. Simpkins.
II really must have new bonnet this
spring I'm quite ashamed to go into the
street"
Mr.. SImpkinS groaned.
f"I saw one at a Broadway stor. yester-
day." continued Mrs. : /; "a beautiful
thing. 80 stylish and so cheap--only four
teen dollars
That's always the tune" blurted forth
Mr.. Sinptins. Here's corruption in every
department Of the government; silver
| worth only ninety eight cents on the dol
| lar; and but whats the use in talking
economy to Nomenr'
Mrs. Simpktns arose. and passing over
to her husband. sat down 10 his lap. and
put her arms around his neck. She was no
| longer young. Her cheek had lost some
thing OF It's youthful bloom, and her figure
| It's girlishness. but there was In the action
that which recalled TO Mr.. Smpklns the
days OF long ago. when he was proud 70
hold her thus. and when he would cheer
| fully have paid for hundred bonnets a
year. II she had asked for them.
MY dear he said, rclen,lng little.
! a., yrh Ani1.ra ,.tf
buyl"
Yes" she said simply, 1T will buy that,
! bonnet"
Mr. Simpkins sighed, and his pocket.
book came slowly forth from his pocket,
There" he said. handing her the money. 1.
! Il can't SC. the sense In woman's having
- many bnnnets. There's whole barrel
I ill 10 in the attic nov"
Mr. -lmpkin. arose with a gesture Of I'm
/ patience. and jammng on his hat, stalk ed
down town Ia his business. lie stopped
on the way and bought tgelve-ioilar box
/ of cigars. and lurched iha, noon at a fash
. ionabe restaurant al an expense of two
/ dollars and half; but. ihsa. these things
4 we're necessities. and Mr.. ~impkins lid not
/ have a barrclful OF old cigars In the attic
Whether il was the remembrance Of his
wife. little act oi girlishncs. that morning
D or WNfaAfE W. Hffit tlIE'i ANb \
slight feeling OF rsmorse for his ungrac-
iou-nr.s. MIR. slmpkins took his way home
up broadway that night. with warmer feel
lug, toward womsnkind than he had known
4 for long time. Ia some way every wom-
an he met appeared aIracitve-a p.ycho!-
. ogtcal ph.untueuou which other men be-
sides Mr.. SimpAtu- have Observed in their
4 oyn experience. In fact there was scarce
y aw.man who passed him that afternoon
whom Mr. S.mpkins did not notice. iu re-
.pcct either 10 ryrs, hair teeth, or dress
II declare" he .ah - himself II had
30 idea there Nerr 80 many pretty women
10 New York
bat when Mr, Smpkins reached Truih
street. there dc.crndci from Twenty
ihrd street stage vision OF >GCh perfect
irmaI. lovriIucs. a- made the heari Of Mr
~iiupkin. fairly leap into his throat clad
10 what seemed 70 him the most elegant
AID bcwitchins of summe- costumes. and
wearing the most piqlant OF hats li-l BE-
Z Meath the chin with bow Of cherry .color~d
! ribbons, the lon. ends OF which foatcd
sauctls over her shoulder, this CELESTIAL
I being irippcd across the street TO stewart.
I raising her snowy skirts as she went, aud
7 displaying eB pIssTHi au ankle suiiiciertly
4 bew.tchlng to capsr Hiram Powers 10 di.-
\ par TO smash 10 lufiuitcsnal atoms all the
4 craven images he had ever attempted To
/ mAAe. Mr.. simpkins stopped sho-t. aud
/ gaEed after her. lie vas no longer Young
man. but the tires OF youth sttll smoldrryd
4 within his breast, and seemed nov 10 burn
w!th an srdor as fierce a. that OF twenty
4 years ago.
by Jupiter! !" he exclaimed, could any
/ thing be more ioyely:'
/ Without a mons nt's hesitation he crossed
4 kA aay md rcd r. In
\ Al that moment he would have given the
I price OF nfy bonnets for another single
/ glimpse OF that one with cherry ribbons
4 But his search was In vain. The lady mai
4 disappeared. Up stairs and down. In The
/ elevator. around the fotunda, through b
every department, went Mr.. Simpkins, 80
I many times, that the cler>s began 10 eye
him with curiosity not unmlxed with ,us-
plcion. At last. 10 despair. Mr.. Simpkins
gave up the search, aud sadly wended his
/ way homeward.
1T was a dream" he said ~ himself,
/ softly. 'An iufsIuating. beautiful dream.
might have known il could not last"
At the supper table that night Mr. Simp-
kns was unusually grave and Reserved.
Brwilderng Aid button boots stared at him
from the .ugar-bo~l. cherry-colored bon
net ribbons floated in his tea. the very nap
Ains resolved themselves Into white petit
/ coat. vita the snowiest of fills.
My dear" said Mrs. ), What make
you 50 melancholy 2"
"Eh:' said Mr. Simpkins. starting from
his rtYery. ''Oh, nothing Doocld tired
Hard day a. the office"
Poor old hubby" said Mrs. ), soo;h-
lngly. IL got that bonnet to-day
dear"
Mr Slmpkins grunted.
Would you like to see III! Quired his
wife, doubtiuliy.
At any other time Mr. Simpkins might
have said Yes" but now. with the recoi-
lection OF those cherry ribbons uppermos,
10 his mind, the inspection Of any other
bonnet would have been torture.
NO" he replied, shortly. Il don't know
you il viii sult me-
Mrs. Simpkins was silent.
IN 20 TO Grace church next sunday
| she thought, "and have my revenge
Mr.. Simpkins that night dreamed that c
was in heaven, aud was being driven about
the streets OF the New Jerusalem 10 q
Twenty third street stage by a swift
winged angel, robed In a cherry cJlored
silk.
He went to his place OF business mex,
| day. still In thoughtful and reflective
| MOOD why the recoliectton OF that OeAu-
tific vision should remain with him SO
persistently he did not know. II gszed up
at him from the pages OF Eis ledger, and
fosted before him In the smoke from his
cigar. When at last he left the Office and
started home again 1t accompanied him up
Broadway. He had turned into Union
| Square aud nearly reached University
place when he suddenly came to halt. BY
all the gods OF Greece 1t was she.
She stood with her back toward him.
waiting for Broadway car. Those Hebe-
like sheulders-the cherry ribbons. lie
could not be mistaken. Mr.. Simpkins
stood still dozen yards behind. The cal
came and stopped. The lady picked heI
way daintily toward 1t over the muddy
crossing. Again the snowy ruffies and
that enhancing. voluptuous, infatuatins
ankle! Mr.. Simpkins followed, and tool
his stand on the front platform, crowded al
1t was. He could not see into the car but
by nearly dislocating his neck and severa
times losing his footing. he managed tC
observe every passenger as ne or she go
on or Oh. On went the car, past Seven
teenth street, past Twenty-third, past Thir
tieth street. 1t seemed to Mr.. Simpkini