The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-05-26

before the smiling mouth had acquired
its hard, firmly-set expression; before
there were any wrinkles in the smooth
forehead. People thought Nabby had
done well in marrying Josiah Could
a pleasant, good-natured young fellow
that every one liked, a young mechanic,
not very rich yet, it is true; but with
good trade and such u wife as Nabby,
there seemed to be nothing to prevent
his figuring as zone of our first citi-
zens."
Anybody can be somebody in this
country if he is only determined. But
that was the difficulty with Josiah. He
never was determined about anything.
He fell into the habit of drinking be-
cause he lacked sufficient strength of
will to avoid it. Then Nabby's sharp
words and his own miserable sense of
meanness and self-contempt, Of utter
Encouragement and despair, drove him
lower and lower into the slough of
despond without effort or hope.
By beautiful dispensation of Prov
idence, whenever poor, shiftless, good.
for-nothins man is sent out into our
world, some active, go-ahea little
woman is invariably fastened to him to
tow him along through and keep bis
head above water. 1t is for the best,
of course. What would become of the
poor fellow without her? At the same
time, she sometimes finds it little
hard.
Nabby was ambitious and proud
spirited, willing to work hard to save,
to do her part-anxious to get on in the
world and stand we'll among her neigh
bors. The fact gradually realized, that
in her husband she had no support,
only drag and a burden, and finally
disgrace, had been a disappointment
embittering her whole nature. TO have
a husband that no one respected, that
even the boys around town called Isl
Could" was dreadful to Nabby. Per-
haps 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 now glowed could not send off
the dreariness Of the night. The rain
capped with ghostly finger tip upon
tthe window-pane," and the wind howled
and walled around the house like the
spirits of the lost pleading to be once
more taken back into human life and
warmth. Such a wind stirs in even the
happiest heart a vague sense Of loss, Of
change Of all that goes to make up the
unsatisfactoriness of life. Dead sor-
rows creep forth from their graves on
such cold nights, and stalk up and down
the echoing chambers of the heart.
Nabbv could not help wondering
where Josiah was tonight. 1t was so
lonely sitting there with no one to speak
to, listening to the moaning wind, the
loud ticking Of the clock.
The wind walled and walled, and
Nabby thought and thought. The fact
of having freed her mind" to the squire
had relieved her long pent--up indigna-
ton, and now she felt more sad than
angry. Up before her seemed to rise a
picture of her liie-the youthful dreams
and hopes, the changes and disappoint-
ments, the love turned into wrangling.
She even thought Of Josiah with pity.
For the first time "shc put herself in
his place." and realized how impossi-
bic it was for one of his weak nature to
resist, unaided, the temptation which
would cost a stronger will effort.
"Tm afraid I've been a little to sharp
with Josiah" thought she, give sorter
took it for granted l was q saint and he
was a sinner and scoldcd him right
along 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 90 back and begin over again,
seems to me things would 60 better"
Just then there was faint noise, like
the clicking of the door latch. 1Nabby
started and looked around, All was
still again--no one visible. Yet Nabby
could not rid herself of the impression
that some one was near her, that odd
sense we have ofanother's individuality
near us, though not present.
There's some one hangin' around
here, l know" said she to herself
Nabby was one who always met things
half way. Accordingly she walked
to the outside door, and opening it
quickly, peered out into the darkness.
I There stood Josiah, wet, sheepish,
sorry. Once he started to 60 in, but
his moral courage failing, he fingered
in dubious hesitation on the doorstep.
"Why don't you come in Josiah?'
asked Nabby.
81 didn't know as you'd want me,
Nabby," replied Josiah, with all the
meekness becoming returning prodi-
gal.
"Want you? OF course I do" said
Nabby heartily. "Come right along in.
Pm going to have good griddle cakes
for supper, and you must tend them
( while set the table. Griddle cakes
was one Of Josiah's weaknesses, and
Nabby knew it.
Josiah came in. If he ever gets into
heaven probably his sensations will
not be one whit more delightful than
they are now, as from forlorness of his
wretched wanderings he came into the
cozy brightness of the kitchen, and felt
that he was home once more. How
igood the tea smelied. The fire roared
and snapped, the tea-kettle boiled and
bobbed its lid up and down, and from
the griddle the savory odor ofthe cakes
assembled like homely Incense. Josiah's
face shining with mingled heat and