The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-09-10
DAFFODIL'S HUSBAND.

DAFFODIL'S HUSBAND.
The sun had dropped behind the tall
towers of st. Georges twin-steepled
church, the soft June twilight was set
tling, like on impalpable veil of liquid
amethyst. over all the little apartments,
and Daifodil Grey stood at the window,
carelessly toying with the geranium
leaves, that gave out sweet, pungent
fragrance to the touch of her fingers,
and thinking-thinking!
she was married-six months since she
had left the old farm in Chester county,
md came to the great city to live.
"Youn be desperately homesick"
Aunt Jooasta had said, with II solemn
shake of the head.
"Not with John!" she had responded
radiantly,
'Just fancy" groaned Aunt Jocasta,
Exchanging al. these fields and hills
for n city yRat"
"Every ono lives in flats nowadays"
Daffodil had retorted; "and John says T
shall find things very convenient"
'Humph!' said Aunt Jocasta; 81
never was in love myself, but I've been
told that people who are, would believe
anything I suppose John is law and
gospel to you now!"
''Of course" said Daffodil, laughing.
So she had married the young hero Of
her hopes and dreams, and gone to the
great, crowded city to live. And the
fiat had been Arcadia to her-thnt is,
just at first, when the honey moon was
in its first glow, and all the world was
transfgured with the light that shines
through the halo of n wedding ring.
But, of late, Mrs. Datfotil had not
been quite so happy. She had been
crying, one night. when John came home
unexpectedly, and there was no time to
dash away the tears.
"My darling" he had Cried aghast,
"what is the trouble?'
Nothing, John-nothing! she had
answered. "Only-only it is so long
since placed my feet on sod of green
grass. And was thinking that the old
orchard would be in blossom, just at
sassafras tree would be all blue with
early violets."
''Daffodil, are you homesick2"
''No, John-indeed, no!'' she cried.
'Get on your things" said Grey
"Well go and walk in the park, and lis
ten to the robin at tho bird fanciers,
and try to imagine ourselves back in tho
rural districts again"
But Daffodil trying to smile rs she
tied her pink bonnet-strings, did not
tell him OF the long visit she had from
old Mrs. Nudge, who declared that
''she had al'ys loved John Grey as if lie
had bean her own son." and had pro-
ceeded to edify his bride with q circum-
stantial account of all tho mischief he
had gotten into, all the e-tangles in
which he had been involved, oil tho
heterogeneous into which he had
been drawn, until poor Daffodil felt as
if her John Grey and this gay Lothalio
must be two quiet different beings.
'.And we all supposed, my dear"
said Mrs. Nudge. comfortably taking
snuff, "that he was to marry Olive bod
worth, the actress, when he up and
brought you home. Dear, dear! what
tiirts men are! Amt they now, my
dear2"
"I-suppose So" said poor Daitodil,
intent upon tho stitches of her strip of
embroidery.
'I hope you'll come and SEQ mo
often," said Mrs. Nudge, setting down
her tea-cup and taking up hor big red
shawl.
'I shall be very happy, t said Daffo-
dill.
"And we'll have ever so many nico
confidential chats" said Mrs. Nudge.
eyes," said Dntfodil, family.
And after Mrs. Nudge had gone away
poor Daffodil sat md wondered what
made her so wretched. She could hear
some one moving about overhead. Some
one had told her that young artist had
just rented the top floor of tho Fontaine
Flats.
She wondered vaguely what he was
like, and whether, he too, was n human
butterfly lighting on every flower and
constant to none.
She asked herself whether fat Mr..
Smith, who went out from the suite of
apartments below every day with n silk
umbrella under his arm, dyed mustaches
and a smoothly-shaven chin, had his
amiable weaknesses likewise.
'T almost wish," said Daffodil to
herself, "that + had remained unmar-
ried. Nc T don't either! II don't
know what do wish!
SO, woman-like, Daffodil Ind begun
to cry.
But the pleasant twilight walk in tho
park, and tho melodious whistle Of the
robin at the bird fancier's, had cheered
her up again, for the time being.