The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1881-07-07

Any othtf WAY Noutu pe 20 huluINu
I, and commonplace. ! know Just how yol
/, feel about it.
c Anl nv husband is 10 thoughtful. he !
: anxious TO relieve me Of every care, tha
. he knows Just where every penny goes
} aud. oh dear. It's too bad
( Big tears gathered in her beautiful eyes
: il was too much for me,
understand il all, Mrs Robinson,
, blurted out Don't fret over such a triti
as this. and thrust the two ive-dolla
bills in her hand.
She was on her feet in an instant
White now 70 her lips, and an awful ex
, precision in her eyes OF reproach, rage, re
gret, Heaven knows what and all Tn,
fve-dollar bills had dropped on the floor.
Good-morning, sir, she said, l have
been mistaken in You, Please tell my
husband l could not wait for him.
i She was little woman, but seemed
about ten feet high as she swept out of oul
department. Fortunately some foreign
oasss had efeciually screened us from
observation. II was some time before
conld pick mp the bills. / felt stunned
bewildered, and exceedingly humiliated
and miserable. | had made an ass of my
self in some way, and innocently outraged
the feelings OF this excellent little woman
whom was most desirous to serve.
When Robinson came back he thought
il so strange that his wife hadn't waited
for him. He wanted to know when she
came. how long she staid; whether she sat
down or stood up, or said she'd come in
again, aud il so, when. At last was des-
perate, and went out into the street. BE.
fore | knew what was about L was up
town, and ringing the bell Of the brown
stone house that Robinson hired. The
servant he had selected came to the door,
and showed me into the parlor he had fur
nished. His wife came right down to me,
and the moment she entered the parlor, l
saw that her good sense and kind heart
ilhl BuiHtu tueiI ONu
Not another word, Mr.. Smith, she said,
when began pouring out apologies and
explanations. was myself to blame for
it all. WANTED you to sell something of
mine for me, and with the money help me
to get the present at cost. There, now,
that's the whole Of it. II l had only told
you at once, instead OF beating about the
bush in that wayl But I've given up that
idea, because he'd be sure to know if l
parted with anything, he's so interested;
But I've hit upon plan, and I'll tell you
oil about it. ifyou'd like to hear
OF course I'd like to hear, l exclaimed.
You are an adorable little woman to for
give thai stupid blunder of mine. / was
SO miserable to have offended you; and
your husband, added, for | thought |
noticed a growing rigIdity in her manner
from the word adorable, we are like
br ,thers, you know, Mrs, Robinson-tua
brothors!
Well. I'll tell you what I've decided to
do, Mr.. Smith, / had to take ma into my
confidence, for she's going to help me,
You know I'm to have a new black silk,
and it costs a good deal of money to have
it made. Mrs. Jones, my dressmaker,
wouldn't do it for less than twenty dollars,
and mamma and will make it ourselves,
and take the money we'd have to give
Mrs. Jones for the present. That will he
really my own money, because / shall
earn tiny very own. Isn't it capita
idea?
Splendid! / said; and shortly after /
took my leave thinking all the way to
the store what an amount of trouble Rob-
inson innocently gave that dear little
wife OF his
We settled upon q dressing case for
Robinson before I left that day, and Mrs.
Robinson and had to go together to look
at the different varieties of these article,
didn't want her to choose anything in
hurry, and then be sorry afterwards; and
altogether it WAS astonishing how absorbed
] became in the purchase Of that dressing
case. 1 thought of nothing else.
The anniversary Of Robinson's wedding
came upon Saturday evening and the
next morning | Iwas walking in the Park,
it oil overflow happy Robinson
must have been when she surprised him
with the dressing case, aud what con-
foundedly lucky fellow he was, anyway
tell into quite sentimental mood.
suppose the scene around me had some
thing TO do with it. Ii was one OF those
delightful mornings in May, when happy
ripples run through the grass, and the
young shrubs burst suddenly into bloom
md verdure. Birds sang gayly in the
hedges. and the air was full OF vague
perfume. Some white-winged butterflies
flitted by. took off my hat. Though
little bald, enjoyed the soft radiance of
he sunshine. Ibegan to understand how
1t certain seasons man might slip into
thyme. or matrimony.
All at once this celestial silence was ,
broken by an advancing figure. II was
Robinson-and alone. His head was bow.
3D. his hat jammed over his eyes, the only
part Of his face that was at first visible was
If an ashen hue. His whole aspect was
me Of unutterable misery and despair.
Good heavens, Robinson, i cried, rush
ng mp to him and seizing his arm, has
.nything happened to your wife?
To my wife? Yes, he said, and ! sank
nto one Of the iron benches. | thought
he was dead, and was relieved to hear the ,
ieYt sentence. Relieved, though startled.
Ny wife has left me Smith. She's gone