Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-01-02

But, Mabel, l haven't dress pre-
pared-or anything. gave up going
a week age, you see, when baby was
threatened with the Group"
"Pshawl You shall wear one of
mine; one of the most bewitching, be-
wildering of dresses, bought from my
last allowance from Uncle Curtis. Only
to see it will throw you into ecstasies
Worth never composed anything more
lovely. | want to see it on you. Come,
| come; call your maid. am all impa-
tience. Wen shame our bad husband
into good behavior; see il we don't No
irresolution, pretty sister Of mine. I'll
stay at home and count your pictures
and vases and pretty things, and cata-
logue them, so as TO make mamma hap
py with a letter tomorrow. Order
John or Jack or Bill, or whoever your
coachman is, TO get the carriage-if
that's impossible, send for hack"
In less than an hour Mabel led her
sister to the great French mirror, and
laughingly introduced her to the love-
liest and best dressed woman she had
almost ever seen.
Alice trembled q little when she
found herself actually on her way to
Mrs. MOuntjoy's, but her sisters ur-
gent will had conquered, and her heart
was hardened by Herbert's emphatic
expression concerning the baby. She
was reassured, however, by Mrs. Mount
joys hearty welcome.
$50 glad you've come, my DEAR"
she said, "Your husband said he
feared baby would keep you at home;
but | told him it was nonsense. You
did right to reconsider the matter"
Herbert, like many handsome society
men, was a little spoiled and selfish
without knowing it. He loved Alice
devotedly; but he was not unwilling
to receive sweet smiles and honeyed
words of others; while, with a mans
inconsistency, he was not desirous that
his wife should play the part of a mar
ried belle.
1t was while he was dancing with
one of the most noted and beautiful
women of the metropolis, who was more
than willing to listen to his nonsense.
that Herbert, looking up from the face
leaning against his shoulder, while the
dreamy waltz music thrilled hearts as
sensitive to sadness as to Joy, encount-
cred the sparkling face of his wife, and
saw her arrayed in the freshest and most
graceful costume in the room. She
was moving quietly along with an es-
cort in uniform.
"Pray don't stumble" said his Vis q
OtS petulantly, for from that moment
the grand repose of his manner was
gone, and the lady on his arm might
have been made of wax, or any other
ductile material, for all he cared now.
How the dickens came she hereP"
he muttered to himself, as he led his
partner absently to seat, deaf to all
her pretty words, blind to her fascina-
tions. at certainly is Alice-but that
dress-the prettiest thing here! and 1
left her quite determined not to come.
l don't understand it. Dancing with
that military puppy, Guinett, too. She
knows hate him."
With these amiable thoughts, he laid
himself out to gain the attention of his
wife, and make her explain. 1t was
sometime before he had the chance, so
he was obliged to content himself with
following her graceful motions, angry
with himself and with her.
"Alice! Can believe my eyesp'
he said, at last, in the pauses of the
dance.
81 should think you might, rather"
was the nonchalent reply.
"Pray how did you Gomez"
/" Pray how did you Gomez / rode.
Did you walkP"
"Well, but"
Excuse me. I'm engaged four deep,
already" and Herbert was forced to
move aside, as a pompous acquaintance
claimed her hand.
"Pd like to knock that fellow down."
he muttered, angry in earnest.
Another pause, and another tete.a-
tete. No satisfaction given. Herbert
had hardly the grace to redeem his
dancing engagements.
About the baby, AliceP" he asked,
anxiously.
She put her rosy lips to his ear, and,
in subdued voice, exclaimed:
Hang the babyp'
Herbert started and changed color.
To be sure he had used the same Ian
guage. But from her it was too exas-
perating. How he got through the
evening, ne could hardly tell. When
at last they were in the carriage driv-
ing home, there might have been an
open rupture, but for the determined
calmness of Alice, who took everything
as a matter of course.
One glance in the beautiful nursery
unsealed his eyes. There by the fire
sat Mabel in all the abandon of a
neglige toilet, her luxuriant tresses
falling in glossy freedom over her
shoulders, while the little fellow on
her lap, clutching at one long, shining
curl, crowed and laughed as we'll as he
could for " auntie's" smothering kisses.
A sudden revulsion of feeling came to
the fathers heart at sight of the sweet
home picture.
"Ah! l know now who contrived
this plot" he said. "But am glad to
see you, Mabel, nevertheless.
Wasn't she the belle of the ballP"
answered Mabel, saucily.
There's no doubt of that. At any
rate, didn'tget chance to dance with
her."
"Of course. Who ever heard in So
ciety OF dancing with one's wifeP" she
said, sarcastically. 81 see that she
followed my directions implicitly. You
must learn, sir, that a house divided
against itself cannot stand-that is, if
one half is flirting at a party, and the
other half is at home crying her eyes
out"
so, Alice-were you reallyP"
a" should think she was. / can as
sure you that myself saw half of the
house dissolved in tears, and so
wretched that"
Mabel, hushp' said Alice, implor-
ingly.
:" Traitor, do you turn on meP" ex-
claimed Mabel, with mock displeasure.
"My child" she went on, tossing
the growing cherub, "tell your selfish
papa that he also has some obligations,
and that, if you had known you were to
be the bone of contention in this family,
you'd have stayed in the garden of an
gels, where you were wanted"