Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-09-09
DAFFODIL'S HUSBAND.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.
Saturday Night.

Saturday Night.
The sun had dropped behind the tall
towers of st. Georges twin-steepled
church, the soft June twilight was set
Ting, like an impalpapable veil of
liquid amethyst, over all the little
apartments, and Daffodil Grey stood at
the window, carelssly toying with the
geranium-leaves, that gave out a sweet,
pungent fragrance to the touch of her
fingers, and MISUNDERSTANDING
1t was just six months, this day,
since she was married-six months
since she had left the old farm in Ches-
ter county, and come to the great city
to live.
You'll be desperately homesick y
Aunt Jocasta had said with a solemn
shake of the head.
Not with John = she had esponded,
radiantly.
Just fancy" groaned Aunt Jocasta,
exchanging all these fields and hills
fora cityfdt"
Every one lives in flats nowadays"
Daffodil had retorted; ''and John says
shall find things very convenient"
'humph y said Aunt Jocasta; II
never was in love myself, butt been
told that people who are, would believe
anything. | suppose John is law and
gospel to you nowr'
"Of course, said DaffodiI, laughing.
So she had married the young hero
of her hopes and dreams, and gone to
the great, crowded city to live. Ard
the flat had been Arcadia to her-tnat
is Just ut first, when the honeymoon
was in its first glow, and all the world
was TRANSPORTED with the light that
shines through the halo of wedding
ring.
But, of late, Mrs. Dafodil had not
been quite so happy. She had been
crying, one night, when John came
home unexpectedly. and there was no
time to dash away the tears.
My darling" he had cried aghast,
what is the trouble ?"
Nothing, John-nothing" she had
answered "Only-only it is so long
since | placed my feet on a sod ofgreen
grass. And | was thinking that the old
orchard would be in blossom, Just at this
time; and the meadow under the sassa-
fras tree would be all blue with early
violetS."
"Daffodil, are you homesick?"
NO, JOhn-indeed, nor she cried.
Get on your things" said Grey.
"Well go and walk in the park, and
listen to the robin at the bird fancier's,
and try to imagine ourselves back IN
the rural districts again"
But Daffodil, trying to smile as she
tied her pink bonnet-strings, did not
tell him of the long visit she had from
old Mrs. Nudge, who declared that
''she had alys loved John Grey as if
he had been her own son. and had
proceeded to edify his bride with a cir
cumstantial account of all the mis-
chief he had gotten into, all the love
tangles in which he had been involved,
all the Heterogeneous into which
he had been drawn, until poor Daffodil
felt as if her John Grey and this gay
lothario must be two quite different
beings.
And we are all supposed my DEAR"
said Mrs. Nudge, comfortably taking
snuff, that he was to marry Olive bod
worth, the actress, when he up and
brought you home. Dear dear! what
firts men are! Amt they now my
dear?"
'I-suppose So" said poor DaffodiI,
intent upon the stitches of her strip of
embroidery.
L hope you'll come and see me
often," said Mrs. Nudge, setting down
her tea-cup and taking up her big red
shawl.
Il shall be very happy" said Daffo-
dill
And We'll have ever so many nice
confidential chats. " said Mrs. Nudge.
YES" said Dafodil, family.
And after Mrs. Nudge had gone away,
poor Daffodil sat and wondered what
made her SO wretched. She could hear
some one moving about overhead.
Some one had told her that young
artist had just rented the top floor of
the Fontaine Flats.
She wondered vaguely what he was