The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-12-16
NOBODY'S HUSBAND.

NOBODY'S HUSBAND.
A knock at the squire's door.
An eager "come in'' from the squire,
to whom any outside diversion is an in
estimable boon, he having reached that
uncomfortable stage of masculine conva-
lescence when life becomes burden, not
only to the so-called "patient'' himself,
but also to those unlucky feminine rela-
tives, whose duty it IS to oficiate as his
administering angels
Mary, the servant, came in.
aPlease, Mr.. Hosley. there's g woman
down stairs, who says she must see you.
She's been here before since you was
sick, and now she won't take no tor an
answer
"Show her up, Mary" said the squire,
cheertully, Strengthening himself, and as
suming as much of legal dignity as
dressing gown and slippers permitted.
Mary disappeared. Presently the door
opened again. "Why, Nabby," said the
squire, "is it you2 How do you doa''
eyes, squire, it's me-" said Nabby.
dropping down, with heavy sigh. into
chair, land I don't do very we'll"
Nabby was short, squarely built
woman OF fifty, with considerable gray
in the coarse, black hair, drawn stifiy
and uncompromisingiy back under a
bonnet about fifty years out of date. She
had sharp, black eyes, and resolute,
go-ahead manner. Evidently hard
working woman; yet in looking at her
you could not help the conviction that
something more than hard work had
plowed the wrinkles which ran across
her forehead and threatened to lift her
eyebrows up to her hair. Nabby had
lived with the squire's mother fifteen
years-from the time Mrs. Hosley took
her in, a ten ear-old orphan, who was,
as the good lady sometimes expressed it,
"more plague than profit" until she had
grown into the steady and reliable hand
maiden, who finally, with every ones
good wishes, married young JOSIAH
Gould, and set up in the world tor her.
self. Old Mrs. Hosley had long since
gone to her reward, but the family still
kept up friendly interest in Nabby arc
her fortunes, the squire in particular be-
ing for her, ''guide, philosopher anc
friend" in all the emergencies Of life.
"Why, what's the matter now, Nab
by?' said the squire, good naturally
care you sick?"
eyes, I am" said Nabby, emphatically
with snap of her black eyes. 'I'm sicE
to death of Josiah. I can't stand it any
longer, and I've come to talk with yol
about gittin' divorce. You see he'
been growing worse and worse now TO-
a good while. I've kept it to mysel
pretty much, because was ashamed O
it, and then kept hopin' he'd do better
I've talked and talked to him, and sal,
and done everything woman could, bu
it seemed as if the more I talked tn
worse he grew"
The squire looked at Nabby's rathe
sharp, hard face, and perhaps was hardl
so surprised as Nabby expected, tha
Josiah had not been reformed by tn
vigorous ''talking to- he had undoubted
~ received.
"He grew more and more shiftless an
good for nothing continued NabbJ
s'hll finally he didn't do much but sc
around the kitchen fire, half beozy. ]
there's anything I hate.' burst out Nat
by, ''it's man forever settln' round til
house under foot. Aud there I was
takin' in washin' and slavin' early an
late, TO be kinder decent and forehandei
and him no better'n dead man on m
hands, so far as helpin' any was concern
ed. And so told him, again and agail
He worked Jest about enough te kee
himself in drink, He knew he couldn
git any of my money for that. But
stood it all till about fortnight ag
I'd been workin' hard all day, helpi
Kiss Barber clean house, and it SCENE
as If every bone in my body ached, 1 vi
so tired. I came along home, thinkir
how good my cup of tea would tast
The first thing saw, when opened Il
kitchen door, was old Hank Slater, setti
there in my rockin' chair. He and JOSH.
were both drunk as-hogs, said Nabb
slandering an innocent animal in b
haste for smile.
ssThey'd tracked the mud all over n
clean floor. The cooking stove was Graz
med full of wood. and roaring like
possessed. I wonder they hadn't burn,
the house up before I got there. Al
they'd got my best teapot out to he
some water, and the water'd all boil
away and the bottom come out. But
worst was to see my husband consorti
with such scum of the earth as that m
cradle, low-ived Hank Slater. te
you, squire, was mad. LUST flung tt
kitchen door wide open, and SEE /:
"Get out of this house, Josiah Goul
and don't never let me see your face
side ont again.