Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-07-22
TWO CROSS WORDS.

button l really wish you would d
it, | can't wait all day.
Tom didn't speak bit cross, onl
emphatic, but / was out of .empe
that morning, and my head ache
badly from sitting up the night BIZ
fore. Tom had gone to supper
for the second time since our mar
riage-given by some OF his bache
lor friends, and had come homo th
worse for it. Il had provoked m
intensely. So | had To follow hin
to bed in solemn silence, and awok
none the better pleased after m,
sleep, an The morning just alluded
to. To make the matter worse, ius
as he spoke to me about tho button
the knife with which I was cuttini
the bread for his lunch slipped, in
tlicting deep gash in my hand, AM
the baby awoka and set up her sharl
little cry from the cradle, all in tn
one and the same moment.
you can't wait as long as l dix
last night, | reckon" 1 replied
sharply really angry at last. Don
hurry mel do all CAP, and NOR,
than l am able to do with one pai
of hands,
Tom dropped bis button an(
turned toward me with startled
why, Lucyp
Don't Lucy me- | retc,tod
thro wing down the bread and catch,
ing up the baby, while the blood
streamed from my hand over bel
white brow. You've done enough
you've broken my heart l wist
had never seen you'll wish | was
back again with my father and
mother.
| broke down with q burst OF
hysterieal tears, and seeing The
blood on my hand, Tom cams over
and knelt down beside me.
'Why, Lucy he said, bis voice
and eyes full of tenderdcss, you've
cut your band Why didn't you
say so? Here, give mo the child
while you bind 1t up-see how it
bleeds.
He held out his hands for the
baby, but snatohed her away and
went on sobbing
Don't cry, Lucy no continued,
stroking the hair back from my
forehead-'please don't; l know l
have done wrong, dear, but | didn't
mean to. fell III with some of the
old boye, and they persuaded me
against my will But IT'S the last
time, Lusy-i.'4 the las. time."
Why didn't | turn TO him then
and help aud encourage him? Be.
cause my mean, tyrannous nature
got the best of my wonan's heart.
ooh, yes l said, sneeringly, sit is
easy enough to make fine promises
you told me the sauna thing be-
fore. How con you expect me to
trust you now?'
Tom was spirited and quick tenn
pered. great loving hearted men
are. He sprang to his feet like q
flash, and before had time to speak
or think, had left the room. | tos-
sed the child into the cradle, and
ran to the door, but it was too late.
He had gone | just caught a
glimpse of him as he turned the
corner.
went back to the little break.
fast room; how blank and dreary
it looked and what sharp, sting
ing thorn there was in the very core
OF my heart loved Tom aud he
loved me. We had been married
only eighteen months and this was
our first quarrel. | sat down with
my baby in my srms, needless oil
my mornings work, and fell tc
thinking. All the old happy days
came bask, aud one in particular
when we sat in Dumberry wood. 1;
was in autumn and all the world
seemed in blaze of gold, as the
sun Slid down and the squirrels
chartered overhead, dropping ripe
nut now and then into my lap. as
sat there with the last rose of sum
mer in my hair, knitting purse
for Tom.
Lucy he said, as l wove In the
last golden stitches, you've knit my
love-my very life-up in thai
purse. Tell me now, before yor
finish it, how is it to be? Am tt
have you and-oh | won't ever
think of it; Lucy it would be too
dreadful
No, Tom,' | snswered, you are
to have the purse, and the hand tha
knit it, too
| Poor Tom, hs cried then ust lik,
child-he, the bravsst man in thu
village.
No fault in him, only litfls toe
wild, too fond of gay company; bu
you must tame him, Lucy, as yeu
mother did me-
That was my old fathers advict
On my wedding day. My hear
smote me dreadful as | recalled it t.
my mind that morning. Had | don,
my duty =? Had | followed the ex
ample of my mother. who never lie
fall an unkind word?
But Tom would be home to hi
dinner. The thought brought m
to my fee: | did my work briskly
and went about cooking just suoh
dinner as | knew be liked. Tn
plum pudding was done to psrfec
ton; the baby in clean slip, au'
myself all smiles so rscsive hin
when the clock struck one. But b
didn't cems.
| put up the untasted dinner an
prepared supper, and lit brigh
fire 10 the listls psrlor He shoul
have pleasant wslcoms. But b
did not come. Eight, nine, ter
o'clock, and | put up ths untaste
supper, and baby and l weat up t
the nursery to wait and watch
How the little thorn in my hear
pierced and ranked. Tom had bro
ken his promise, and my unkind
: ness was the cause! Nothing els
rang in my ears through shs long
weary hours.
About two O'Clock | heard nois
below and went to the window
There was man Oh the porch;
could see him in the dim light.
l.. Tom. ia that voup / asked softIy