The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-03-31
MRS. NORRIS TEST.
A story of Welded LIZ.

1t had been a painful breakfast. The
room was bright with sunshine, flower
ing plants, pictures, statues and the in
effable charm wealth. good taste and
good house keeping impart.
The table was taultless; every dish
was cooked to perfection. and served
on dainty china in the da:ntiest way.
The lady at its head was still in her
youth, with piquant face, upon which
each shade of feeling was instantly pho
tographed. She was inimitably dressed.
Worth, in his moments of highest in
spiration, never devised toilet which
SO perfectly bespoke the character and
taste OF the wearer. She toyed with
her breakfast, rather than ate it, and
ended by playing with her teaspoon,
balancing it upon the edge of her cup.
while she waited for her husband to fin
ish slipping his coffee. This he did in a
most lesurely manner. with his eyes
fastened upon the morning paper.
which lay beside him on the table. He
was also young; but he looked old,
careworn and unhappy. His forehead
was drawn together in deep wrinkles
between his eyes and his lips were
sternly set. ~
After he had finished his .coffee and
paper, he rose. pushed his chair slowly
away. walked to the window, came
back to his wife, and, stopping near the
table, said, colby:
Il think we have had enough of this.
l shall sue Wentworth this morning
The sooner it is all over the better for
both of u.s."
.'Yes." said his wife. without turning
her head or looking at him. "The
sooner the better"
He left her without another word !;
but when he reached the outer door he
came back and said, more gently than
he had spoken at first:
katrina, you understand fully, when
Wentworth has once been spoken to
there is no going back"
1t was the first time he had called her
by her pet name for months, and there
was little CULVER in her voice as she
tried to answer bravey:
Yes, understand"
"You accept it as final?" he asked.
Yes, as final!" she answered.
He turned quickly and went out
again. She listened with head appraised
and strained nerves. "Would he,
could he go?" -.t
"Yes, he went. The door between
them he had closed softly, but it was
shut "shut forever" she said, with a
start. Then she went to the window
and watched him as he walked swiftly
away.
When he was out of sight, she sat
down, still by the window. 1t had
come suddenly at last, so suddenly that
she was bewildered. Everything was
in whirl. She put her hand to her
head and held it, as if by that action
she could hold and steady her thoughts;
but relentlessly they trooped on, faster
and faster, until, as with the drowning,
there was no past or future. only the
vivid present. There was their first
difference, and only few months of
happy welded life, when she wanted
him to wear a pair of light brown
gloves, and he preferred the dark and
wore them. Such q trit1e, oh! such a
triiie, as it seemed to her now; vet she
was hurt and vexed, and showed it.
Then his refusal to 90 to tea with her
at her aunt's. He disliked tea-parties
and he was not cordial with this aunt.
Then her refusal to 60 with him to con-
cert, on the hearing of which he had
set his heart, and his coming home
happy, humming one of the airs he had
been listening to. Happy! 4 that was
the pang. TITLES, triles all of them
such very little things that, loving each
other truly, as they did, they ought
: never to have had feathers weight
with them; and yet
Then came more serious difference.
10 wanted to spend q short vacation
from a Woodworking life among the
mountains. where he could hunt and
fish; and he wanted her to 90 with him
But she preferred the seashore; SO he
went to the one. she to the other.
Separated for the first time in their
married life, they wrote letters daily.
and the happiest hour for them both
was when the mail came in. Then
Eddy, dear little Eddy was born (the
tears are on Mrs. Norris's cheek now.
and every difference vanished.
Heavens! what tie could bind them
more closely? But he only staid . short
time, and in the desolation they began
to fall apart again. She was restless
and miserable; he was disappointed,
and did not make allowance for her
weakened. nerves and aching heart.
Now they began to look critically into
each others nature and its develop
ments in character. Very late for that;