The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1881-12-08
A NICE LITTLE GAME.

| A NICE LITTLE GAME. ~.-..qa..
;. frank sat before the glowing CRATE, his
rect on one corner of the martel. his chair
tipped back His young wife looked At T.
him. and her pretty black eyes, which only :
mnute before had been brimful of tears.
emm'tted sparks Of IRE: Her rosy mouth
closed with . sAftn- expression, and here
ualn'y 1901 ,eeeae down upon the rug in o
very decided n1anner
won't stand It'll" she said, under her
breath. Il can't-twi}l kill me to see him
night after night besotted, degraded, ruin
ing both soul and body. must do some-
tning-1 must save him for my baby's
!hen she sat down and rneditated. They
nad been married little over two y ars,
ana lie babe in the wicker cradle vas
tnrlv1ng boy. No happier woman than
Dolly the world held, be. fr one thing.
her young husband would or.ak lie low
ed his social glass, his wine suppers and
cluD dinners. He did not neglect his
*11e' but often he came horne in the small
noufs In rather an unsteady condition.
Dolly trlod everything-tears. entreaties,
Persuasions-but he orlv laughed her off.
''Where's the harm, Dolly? Can't a fellow
be merry now and then with his friends?"
But Dolly saw the fatal evil growing up
on him day by day. and knew what the end
would be. She shuddered, and her eyes
nhed with tears, but a minute after they
flashed fire, and she smiled.
| Ill try it. she said to herself; "if it
does no good it can't do much harm" Then
she said, "Frank!''
Her husband reused up, and, opening his
| eyes With and imbecile stare, replied:
! An right Dolly"
| Frank. you believe that woman should
follow her husbands footsteps, don't your"
TO be sure. You're sensible woman,
Dolly"
"And you're sensible man, Frank.
What's right for you to do is right for me.
Precisely! Just 80, Dolly-exaetly,
You're wise woman, you are."
Dolly suliled quietly.
! Very we'll, Frank; if you go to the tavern
any more nights, I'm going tool"
| Her husband looked up half sobered.
Nonsense, Dolly" he said; that is run
| ming the thing into the ground. You will
do no such thing"
You'll see that will, Frank! she an
! swered, 1esolutely. Il love you, and what
yeu do shall dotoo! If you see fit to ruin
yourself, soul and body, and shame Your
son, shall follow your example. caro-
|
do. 80 will l."
His cheek paled and his lip quivered.
BE sat silent for minute, then got up and
! said:
Nonsense, little girl! Come to he'd
Dolly"
! She followed him obediently, and no
more was said onithe subject. For three OF
four nights Frank came home punctualiy,
then his old habit mastered him.
! Dolly had his supper all waiting. and his
slippers and dressing gown before the fire,
but he did not come. See waited patiently
till 10 o'clock, then rutting Q wrap about
her, she called the housemaid.
"Sit by babys crib, Mary, and, when
Mr. Mayfair comes, tell him l have gone to
the Reindeer. Ask no questions, and take
good cafe of baby, and you shall hsve a
dollar extra this month";
Twelve o'cloeh-one!-and then the
young husband let himself in with his night
key, and came reeling into the sitting room
There sat the maid beside the sleeping
child.
Frank looked about him little anxiousIy
East asleep! Fine little feilow!", he
said, bending over the crib. Mary, my
girl. where's your mistress-gone TO bed?"
NO sir, she's gone to the Reindeer hotel"
He stood and stared.
| What do you say, giri?"
| "She went out at ten. sir, and bad me-
tell you when you came in that she lad
gone to the Reindeer"
The young husband stifed something
| like an oath, and sat down before the
hearth. Half An hour went by, then he
| started up and glanced at the clock.
"G1eat heavens! 1t is nearly two and
she's not here!"
He seized his hat and rushed from the
house like one mad. By the time he was
half MY to the Reindeer he was perfectly
sober.
Gould she have meant what she said2"
he asked himself over and over again.
Presently carriage came down from the
lighted tavern on the hill, and "a it passed
him, ~oman's voice rang out, singing the
chorus:
We won't 60 home till morning! -
It was his wife's voice. He caught ut the
horses head, frantic with 1age. Dolly's
pretty curly head looked out as the vehicle
stopped.
Frank. old fellow-hic-is that you?
Get in-hic-geti in! Why didn't you come
up?-nic. Oh we ID q jolly time-hic-we
did! Don't blame You for going out, Frank.
Didn't know it was SO pleassnt-hc-1I
mean to 90 every night"
''You do," he gasped, leaping into the
seat beside her. Grasping her arm, he
muttered, Eve. dare to do such thing
again, and you'll be no wife Of mine!"
Dolly laughed uproaronsly.
Nonsense, Frank! Let me do as you
do: that's fair. Let 60 my arm! You hurt
me-! Besides, you'll break my flask of
prime brandy! Frank, taste drop"
He caupht tfrom her hand and flung 1t
out of the window. -.
"Bah!" said Dolly, her cheeks flushed,
her hair awry, II wish I'd stayed ut the
Reindeer-hic. What makes you SO cross.
Frank?"
Hush! Say no more, Dolly, he answer
ed, his teeth set hard. II can't bear it. 1
Il may do something I'll be sorry for.
Keep silent-1 don't wantany more crooked
Words"
Rams horns, If 1 die for it, cried
Dolly.
Then she clapped her hands and laughed
gleefully, breaking OF into
Amoonlight night fora ramble!
Frank let his head fall into his hands.
Great heavens" he groaned; 4 would
rather have died than have seen this night.
He got her home and into her own room
at last, but she VAS very unmanageable, and
dancing and singing--her cheeks flushed
and her hair streaming, and asking it they
, would not 60 another night-it was such
fun.
His pretty, modest little Dolly! Long
after she had fallen into a sound sleep, her
husband eat over the smouldering 6Ie with
his face hidden in his hands.
,, Dolly, J" he said. when she awoke late on
the following morning, what happened
last night must never happen again"
She looked up With her old clear eyes.
= Very we'll Frank; that is for you to say.
Just as you do SO will I.
He was silent moment.
II would rather die than see what saw
: last night over agsiu. he said.
!. Frank, she eaid, her lips quivering,
: i've seen the same sight once or twice
every week since married you. and God
: only knows what it has cost me-"
he caught her close to his heaving
y breast.
Q you shall never sec such sight again.
4 ahall eipn the pledge to -day!"