Bismarck tribune., 1880-12-24

ssense of meannesssandasaelf. contemptsofg
utter discouraeen and and despair, drove.
him into the slough Of despond without
effort or hope. 2
By ., beautiful dlspensation of Provi-
.dence, wheneverla q poor, shiftless, GOOD
for nothing man is sent into our world,
some active, go-ahead little woman is in
variably fastened to him, to shove him
along through, and keep his head above
water. It's for the best, of course. What
would become of the poor fellow without
her2 At the same time, she sometimes
finds it little hard.
Nabby was ambitious and proud-spir-
tied, willing to work hard, to save, to do
her part-anxious to get on in the world
and stand well among the neighbors.
The fact, gradually realized: that in her
husband she had no help, no support,
only drag and burden, and finally a
disgrace, had been a disappointment en-
bittering her whole pature. To have 3
husband that no one respected, that even
the boys around town called ;sSi Gould"
was dreadful to Nabby. Perhaps it was
hardly strange that she grew hard and
bitter.
Meantime Nabby had succeeded IN
starting the fire, and having changed her
dress, sat down to dry her feet until the
tea kettle boiled. But even the ruddy
light and warmth with which the kitchen
glowed could not send off the drea1iness
Of the night? The rain slapped with a
ghestly tinger-tip upon the window
PANE" and the wind howled and walled
around the house like the spirits Of the
lost, pleading once more to be taken back
into human life and warmth. Such a
wind stirs even in the happiest heart
vague sense of loss, or change, all of that
which goes to make up the unsatisfac-
torres of life. Dead sorrows creep forth
from their graves on such nights and
stalk up and down the echoing chambers
of the heart.
Nabby could not help wondering
where Jos. ah was tonight. It was so
lonely sitting there with no one to speak
to, listening to the moaning wind, the
creaking Of the blinds, the ticking of the
clock.
''And Thanksgivin' a coming" thought
Nabby. IA pretty Thanksgivin' 1 shall
have"
The wind walled and walled, and Nab
bv thought and thought. The fact of
having "freed her mind' to the Squire
relieved her long put-up indignation,a and
now she felt more sorry than angry:
Up before her seemed to rise picture of
her life; the youthful dreams and hopes,
the change and d1sappointments, and
love turned into wrangling. She even
thought of JOSIAH with pity. For the
first time she put herself in his place, and
realized how almost impossible it was
to- ono of his weak nature to resist un-
aided, the temptation which would cost
stronger will no effort.
I'm afraid I've been little too sharp
with Joslah.'' thought she. ''1've sorter
took it for granted I was saint, and he
sinner, and scolded HIM right down hill.
A nice saint am! AS proud and high
strung as Lucifer himself. Oh, dear!'
sighed Nabby, "a pretty mess I've made
OF living. If we could only 60 back and
begin over again, seems to me things
would 20 better.''
Just then there was faint noise like
the clicking of the door latch. Nabb !
started and looked around. And all wat
still again-no one was visible. Yet
Nabby could not rid herself S6ft thesim
preston that some one was near her, tina
odd sense we have of another's lndividu
alitv near us, though not present.
E'There's some one hangin' round here
I KNOW she SAID to herself.
Nabby was one who always met things
half way. Accordingly she walked to the
outside door, and opening it quickly,
peered into the darkness. There stood
Josiah-wet, sheeplsh, sorry. Once he
had started to go in, but his courage
failed, and he fingered in dubious hesi-
tation on the doorstep.
"Why won't you come in, JOSIAH y
asked Nabby.
II didn't know that you'd want me,
Nabby,' replied Josiah, with all the
meekness becoming returning prodi-
gal. Z.
"Want you? Of course I do," said
Nabby, heartily. "Come right along in.
I'm goin' to have griddle cakes for sup
per. and you must tend them while set
the table," Griddle cakes were one OF
Josiah's weaknesses, and Nabby knew
it. .r,E e =
Josiah came in. If he ever gets into
heaven, probably his sensations will not
be one whit more delightful than they
were now, as from the bleakness and
gloom of the night, the forlornness of his
wretched wanderings, he came into the
COSY brightness of the kitchen. and felt
that he was home once more. How good
the tea smelled! The fire roared and
snapped, the tea-kettle boiled and bub-
bled and bobbed its lid up and down
and from tho griddle the savory odor of
the cakes ascended like homelv incense.
Josiah's face shining with mingled heat
and happiness, as he turned the griddle-
cakes, was something worth seeing
Nabby stepped briskly around getting
supper ready. 1t seemed so pleasant to
set the table for two again, to have some
one to appreciate her cooking. The
November wind might howl its worst
now. Its hold on Nabby was gone. In
place of all the bitter sadness that hung
heavily around her heart, was warm
feeling of happiness, OF comfort and