Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-10-30
THE WIFE'S DREAM.

A cosy, prettily-furnished sitting
room, singing birds in gilded cages, a
plump Angora cat on the velvet rug be-
fore the fire, wise-looking pug stretch
ed lazily on the flowing skirts OF pref
ty woman's pretty dress. Truly, a sweet
domestic picture. But stop! Surely
that is frown between those prettily
arched brows, and the full swell of the
under lip is very like pout. And, as
l live, there are two great tears on the
long black lashes And now she breaks
out into torrent of petulent, impatient
words:
"The same tiresome things day after
day-frst breakfast, then kiss Charlie
goodbye, then directions to cook for
the o'clock dinner, and after that
needle-work-how | hate it or calls,
made or received, in which one is treat
ed to full account of Mrs. Blanks ex-
ravagance, of Miss Honiton's firta-
tons. of that horrid Col. st. Cyr, so
awfully fast, my dear, and so distress
ingly good-looking.' low tired / am
of it all! And there is Charlie. Who
would have believed he could change
SO in so short time? He no longer
cares for ball, theatre or opera, but
dOns dressing-gown, smOking-cap and
slippers directly he has swallowed his
dinner, lights that horrid meerschaum
and passes the evening behind news
paper enYelOped in smoke clouds. 0
dear | wish [ had not been in quite
such hurry to get married. 0 go
away, Bijou," and with her slippered
foot she thrusts the teasing pug from
her.
A rap at the door, and to her sharp
"Come i'll" q servant appears, bearing
card. Madame looks; fushes, says
81 will be down directly" and flies to
her Gressing-room, brushes her flushed
cheeks with the cooling powder puff,
pats the brown waves of her hair with
two pretty dimpled hands, chances at
herself IN the glass, smiles and descends
to the drawing-room.
A tall, gentlemanly-loo man rises
and comes forward as she enters.
"Mrs. Thornton"
That is all he says, but the tone and
the manner are most impressive, and
thrills through the heart of the wife SIS
Charles words and tones used to be-
fore he took to neglecting her for dress
ing gowns, sleepy hollows and meer-
schaums.
Well, they talk of the weather, the
last new opera, etc. etc, commonplace
subjects enough, but why should his
eyes cause hers to waver and droop,
glad to shelter themselves behind the
white lids? Why, at parting, is the lit
tie white hand so hastily Withdrawn
from the warm, close pressure of his?
Why, after he has gone, does she gaze
Sc tenderly at the hand she had so hast
lily Withdrawn, raise it almost to her
bps, and then suddenly let it drop to
her side? | can tell you that. She
loves her husband with her whole warm.
passionate heart. And for year and
more she been living on husks. He
considers his whole duty done when the
table is beautifully supplied, his wife
well-dressed and he does not Waver in
his allegiance to her. Possession has
dimmed the bright lustre of his love,
and SO the wife's heart is hungry for it,
and this old admirer, whom size gladly
threw over for Charlie, is welcome to-
lay, for the sake of the ripple he makes
this dead-sea monotony down which
she is slowly drifting. And his eyes
cause hers to droop, and his hand pres
sure causes her heart to throb, because
there is love In the eyes and tenderness
IN the hand pressure.
She does not care one iota for this
Say Remington. Still, she has hun
gered SO long that this crust is not SO
unpalatable to her as it would once have
been. Therel sir, or madame, you've
the explanation. As for you, Mr.. Jones
or Robinson, Is there so much differ
ence between your conduct and this
Charles Thornton, of whom | write,
that you can afford to pass the lesson by
as not applicable to you? If so, Mrs.
Jones or Robinson is to be congratulate
ed. She is happy woman, and God
bless you, sir. say |, and | wish there
were more like you.
Now l am not going to make of this
handsome Ray Remington fend in
carnate. No, he was simply what would
be termed a genuinely good fellow.
Which means that he was witty, gene
rous, a warm friend, nobody's enemy,
and a little, just little, weak and inn
pulsive-enough so to follow I'D his
own desires and inclinations, reckoning
little of the cost or consequence to HIM
self or others.
lie had been very much in love with
pretty Mrs, Thotnton before she became
Mrs. Thornton-when she was pretty
Lou Iremalne, and had asked her to
change her name for that of Reming-
ton. But pretty Miss Tremaine was
very much in love with some one else,
and few months thereafter made her
self and that other supremacy happy By
going through a certain Gel emory in
Grace church, Respondent in white sat
in and Brussels lace. And Ray Rem
ington, with dull, gnawing pain at his
heart, acted as groomsman, and there
was not tremor in his voice, though
the brave face was quite colorless when
he congratulated the bride and groom
and wished them bon voyage.
He had met Mrs. Thornton several
times since her return from her tour,
but never alone, as to-day, and he
found it dangerously sweet to sit there
gazing into the lovely eyes and at the
dear, tender little mouth of his early
owe.
But let us return to Mrs. Thornton.
She stands there, in the center of that
pretty room, with white, white face,
and wild. frightened look in the sweet
blue eyes, then bursts into passionate
flood of tears, throws herself on the
nearest chair, drops her face in her
hands, and her hands on the table be-
fore her. Five-ten-fifteen minutes
pass. The sobs grow fainter and faint