River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-05-26

sense we have ofanother's individuality
near us, though not present.
There's some one haagin' around
here, know" said she to herself.
Nabby was one who always met things
half way. Accordingly she walked
to the outside door, and opening il
quickly, peered out into the darkness
There stood Josiah, wet, sheepish
sorry. Once he started to go in, but
his moral courage failing, he fingered
in dubious hesitation on the doorstep
"Why don't you come in Josiah
asked Nabby
~ 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
I'm 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. IL he ever gets into
heaven probably his sensations vii
not be one whit more delightful than
they are now, as from forlorness of his
wretched wanderings he came into the
coy brightness of the kitchen, and fell
that he was home once more. How
good the tea smelled. The fire roared
and snapped, tho 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
happiness as he turned the griddlt
cakes, was something worth seeing
Nabby stepped briskly around get
ting supper ready. 1t seemed so pleas
ant for two again, to have some one tc
praise and appreciate the cooking. The
November wind might howl its wors
now. Its held on Nabby was gone. In
place of all the bitter sadness that hune
heavily around her heart was warm
feeling of happiness, of comfort and
hope.
All the explanation they had was this
Josiah drew from under his shabby
coat an exceedingly awkward and
knobby bundle.
1--WE bought somethin' for you
Nabby," he said.
The "somethin' undone proved tC
be very handsome brittania teapot
The teapot must have known that il
was a peace-offering, with such prefer
natural brightness did it shine and
glisten. Something in Nabby's eyes
shone and gli9tened, too, although she
had winked hard, and scorned the
weakness of a pocket handkerchief.
''Thank you, Josiah" she said, "it's
a regular beauty, and shall set lots by
it,"
Which, so long as they understood
each other, was perhaps as we'll as if
Josiah had made long-worded speech
of repentance and reformation, and
Nabby another of forgiveness.
wish / could say that Nabby never
scolded Josiah again. But l can't.
However, she drew it mild, and there
was general understanding between
them that this was only sort of exer-
else made necessary by habit-a bark
ing by no means involving biting. And
Josiah was so accustomed to it that he
would have missed it, and not felt nat
ural without being wound and set going
for the day by Nabby.
One day, later in the winter, Nabby
was washing for Mrs. Hosley.
$50 you've taken Josiah back again,
after all, said Mrs. Hosley.
well, yes, I have" said Nabby,
giving the last twist to a sheet she was
wringing out. "Josiah mayn't be very
much to brag of; but then, you see,
he's my own and all I've got. We're
getting to be old folks, Josiah and me,
and we may as well put up with each
other the little while we've got to stay
here"
GLOW has he been doing since he
came back ?"
First rate. He's walked as straight
as a string ever since. He's a good
provider, now he's quit drinking, and a
master hand for fixing up things around
the house and making it comfortable.
/ tell you what it is, Mrs Hosley, we've
got to make 'lowance for folks in this
world. We can't have 'em always just
to our mind. We've got to take them
Just as they are and make the best
ont"
I'm glad to see you so much happier
and better contented, Nabby."
"Well, used to fret and complain a
good deal because things hadn't turned
out as | expected them to; but lately
I've thought a good deal about it all,
and I've Ii ade up my mind that there's
considerable comfort for every one in
this world, after all. We mayn't
git just what we want but we git some
thin"
In which piece of philosophy l be
lieve Nabby was about right.