Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-08-29
DAFFODIL'S HUSBAND.

towers of St. Georges twin-steepled
church. the soft June twilight was set
thing, like an impalpable veil of liquid
amethyst, over all the little apartment,
and Dafodil Grey stood at the window,
carelessly toying with the geran1um leaves
that gave out sweet, pungent fragrance
to the touch of her fingers, and thinking
thinking!
1t was Just SIX months, this day, since
she was married six months since she
left the old farm in Chester County, and
come to the great city to live.
'You'n be desperate homesick" Aunt
Jocosta had said, with a solemn shake of
the head.
"Net with Johnn she had responded,
rad1antly.
"Just fancy groaned Aunt Jocosta,
Exchanging all these fields and hills for a
city fat!" :.
'sEyerything lives in flats now adays,'.
"Daffodil had retorted; "and John says I
shall find things very convenient"
"Humph!' said Aunt Jocosts; 81 never
was IN love myself, but I've been told
that people who are would believe every
thing. suppose John is law and Cos
pei to you now?"
"Of course said Dafodil, laughing.
So she had married the young hero of
of her hopes and dreams, and gone to the
great crowded city to live. And the
flat had been Arcadia to her-that is, just
at first, when the honeymoon was in Its
first glow and all the world was trans
| figured 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 unex-
pectedly, and there was no time to dash
away the tears.
"My darling" he cried, aghast, "what
is the troublc2''
"Nothing, John, nothing.'' she had
answered. "Only it is so long since I
placed my foot on green grass. And I
was thinking that the old orchard would
be in blossom just at this time, and the
meadow under the sassafras tree would
be all blue with early violets"
"Dafodil, are you home-sick?'
'sNo 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-tancier's and try to
imagine ourselves back to the rural dis
tricts 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
al'ys loved Grey as it he had been her
own son. and had proceeded to edify his
bride with circumstantial account of
all the mischief he had cotton into, all
the love- tangles IN which ne had been
involved, all the Heterogeneous into
which LIE had been drawn, until poor
Dafodil felt as if her John Grey and this
gay Loihario must be two quite different
| beings.
"And we all supposed, my DEAR said
Mrs. Nudge, comfortably taking her snuff,
shat he was to marry Olive Dodworth,
the actress, when he up and brought
you home. Dear, dear! what firts men
arel Amt they now my dears''
III suppose so,s said poor Dafodil, in
tent upon the stitches of her strip en-
broidery.
II hope you'll come and see me Of
ten, /" said Mrs. Nudge, setting down her
tea-cup and taking up her big red plaid
| shawl.
II shall be very happy SAID Dafedil.
s'And we'll have ever so many nice
confidential talks said Mrs. Nudge.
"Yes," said Daffodi!, family.
And after Mrs. Nudge had gone away,
Daffodil sat down and wondered what
made her 80 wretched. She could hear
some one moving about overhead. Some
one had told her that a young artist had
just rented the top floor Of Fontaine
Flats.
She wondered vaguely what he was
like, and whether be, too, was human
butterfly. lighting on every flower and
| constant to none.
She asked herself whether fat Mr..
Smith who went out from the suite of
apartments below every Gay with a silk
umbrella under his arm, dyed mustaches
and smoothly shaven chin, had has
amiable weakness likewise.
II almost WISH" said Dafodu to her
self, 'sthat / had remained unmarried.
No don't, either! II don't know
Wudt L w WISH
So, womanlike, Daffodil had begun to
cry.
But the pleasant walk in the park and
the melodious whistle of the robin at the
bird fancier's, had cheered her up for the
time being.
But she could not be blind to the fact
that John was not with her so much as
during the five weeks after their marriage.
Now and again of an evening he would
be absent without sufficient excuse, and
with smothered pang at her heart, Daft
fodil had thought of Olive Dodwerth, the
brilliant young actress, even then play
ing at one of the minor city theaters."
"Does he care for her yet?" Dafiod1l
asked herself; and there came no salts
factory answer to the query.
And SO it happened that tonight, as
she stood among her geraniums, looking
cut at the sunset, she was not quite hap
py.
s'In old times,' said this bride of SIX
months to herself, "John was always
home to take me for walk il the twi-
light He never thinks Of it now"
We're Aunt Jocosta and Mrs. Nudge
right, after all? Was man delusion, and
life q dreary series of disappointment?